Category Archives: Katherine LaFleur

by | June 18, 2015 · 5:19 AM

Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Katherine LaFleur, Social Media Editor – The North Star Reports – Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Katherine LaFleur, Social Media Editor – The North Star Reports – Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

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Katherine LaFleur, NSR Social Media Editor. Three years ago, as a nursing-intended freshman at the College of St. Scholastica, I severely doubted that I would ever find my niche in such a small school smack-dab in the center of my hometown. “Oh, I thought you went away for school,” was a phrase I oft heard from acquaintances after that first semester at university. Now, as a senior Global, Cultural and Language studies major finishing up minors in Spanish and management I’m thankful for the education I’ve received and the connections I have made along the way.

I began writing for the North Star Reports for same reason many of the other student editors chose to: Professor Liang asked me to. Being a somewhat timid writer, I saw writing for the NSR as a bit of challenge in the beginning, but I was eager to take on pieces that were open to my curiosity. I have since written a few small pieces and contributed a series of posts written while studying in Barcelona, Spain. Having been part the reports for a couple of years now, I’m glad to see how widespread and varied our student editor pool, readership, and topics have become.

Outside of class I enjoy reading, rollerblading, and exploring my gorgeous city and the places around and far from it. A sort of rolling stone, I enjoy traveling to new places and putting myself in situations that make me just the slightest bit uncomfortable – which in turn inspires new pieces for the NSR! There is always room in my schedule for family, friends, and food. I have a new found appreciation for cooking- or rather, watching others cook- and studying wine (I’d like to become a sommelier) as I begin to dig deeper into the connections between food, fine wines, and how they come together as we do to enrich our relationships with each other.
—
Please contact Professor Liang if you wish to write for The North Star Reports — HLIANG (at) css.edu

See also, our Facebook page with curated news articles at http://www.facebook.com/NorthStarReports
–
The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, The College of St. Scholastica and the scholarly Middle Ground Journal’s online learning community and outreach program with undergraduate and K-12 classes around the world. The North Star Reports has flourished since 2012. For a brief summary, please see the American Historical Association’s Perspectives on History, at:

http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/2013/1305/Opening-The-Middle-Ground-Journal.cfm

The North Star Reports publishes edited essays from our students, particularly from those who are currently stationed, or will soon be stationed abroad. Students have reported from Mongolia, Southern China, Shanghai, northeastern China, The Netherlands, Tanzania, Ireland, England, Finland, Russia, and Haiti. We also have students developing reviews of books, documentaries, and films, and analysis of current events from around the world. We will post their dispatches, and report on their interactions with the North Star Reports students and teachers. We thank The Department of History and Politics and the School of Arts and Letters of The College of St. Scholastica for their generous financial support for The North Star Reports and The Middle Ground Journal.

Hong-Ming Liang, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief, The North Star Reports; Chief Editor, The Middle Ground Journal; Associate Professor of History and Politics, The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, USA

(c) 2012-present The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy http://NorthStarReports.org ISSN: 2377-908X The NSR is sponsored by The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica. See Masthead for our not-for-profit educational open- access policy. K-12 teachers, if you are using these reports for your classes, please contact editor-in-chief Professor Liang at HLIANG (at) css.edu11150890_447281555439307_3652092331655400221_n

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by | April 15, 2015 · 9:41 AM

Narvik, Norway – Immeasurable Hospitality — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

A special series. Narvik, Norway – Immeasurable Hospitality — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

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[A shot of the view from Marit’s family cabin, the scenery here was almost surreal it was so beautiful. Pictured is her family’s bunkhouse.]

In 2008 I gained the older sister I lacked biologically by way of my family’s participation in a foreign exchange program. She came to us from a town in the North of Norway, and since leaving she has returned a handful of times to the U.S. to visit. I was able to make the jaunt to New York City to meet up with Marit, my Norwegian sister, and João, another beloved foreign exchange student from the past, for last Thanksgiving break, spending an amazing week catching up and enjoying the city and each other’s company. After 7 years of saying “Someday I’ll come visit YOU” I was finally able to fulfill my promise, venturing up to Narvik to spend my last week in Europe with Marit and her beautiful family.

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[Looking out from the interior of the family cabin. Ann-Irene and Knut-Erik have put so much work into this amazing getaway and it shows in the details.]

My flight was scheduled to depart 4 hours after my last final exam, poor planning on my part, but I was stranded in Barcelona’s El Prat airport for a number of hours due to heavy snow in Oslo, Norway. The airport staff began giving us updates both in Spanish and English and then as time dragged on the notifications were given only in Norwegian and I was forced to ask for clarification, unable to read the context from the faces of my fellow stranded peoples. Finally, we were able to board and leave for Oslo’s Gardermoen airport where I met Marit and waited for our next flight even further North to Narvik. I hadn’t eaten much at all that day, not intending to be stuck in El Prat for so long, and so upon my arrival Marit and I feasted on Lapskaus, a stew-type dish, and flat bread. In retrospect, this airport meal should have acted as forewarning to just how well I would be eating during my time in Norway.

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[Martin’s family has cabins up in Riksgränsen resort in Sweden, and I had the opportunity to snowboard even though I was incredibly out of shape/practice!]

One flight and bus ride later; we arrived in Narvik, hoofing it up the ice and snow-covered hill to Marit’s family home with our luggage. I still don’t know why I bothered trying to pack anything more than a backpack since realistically few things I had brought for Barcelona’s winter would serve me well in Narvik’s spring weather. Marit borrowed me everything I needed; long johns, wool socks in every thickness, hiking gear, jackets, and even a pair of boots loaned to me by her boyfriend’s mom (Thanks a million!!). The hospitality was unending. I almost felt uncomfortable accepting so much from her family my first time meeting them, but soon realized that they had already accepted me as one of the family, and my hesitation dissipated. We spent the week hiking, eating, exploring, visiting the nearby Riksgränsen ski area in Sweden, and eating more. Did I mention eating?

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[On one of the last days we took the gondola up to the top of the mountain in Narvik and hiked back down. The views were amazing.]

The meals I enjoyed in Norway deserve their own post, and I think I may dedicate some time this week to detail it all, but right now let me hit the specifics. Typically I eat like a bird, taking small portions if at all possible just so that I can guarantee no waste. The week I spent in Norway I had thirds of everything put in front of me. Everything. I don’t think my hunger grew in any way, the food was just so amazing and in the back of my mind I knew I wouldn’t be eating this well for quite some time. After my third plate of dessert one night, Marit looked at me and just smiled, commenting on how she had never seen me eat so much, I retorted that I never eat this much. Something about the company I held, the amazing food they prepared, and all the coffee and wine that I could ingest had me mesmerized, left in a food-consuming trance that I couldn’t – and didn’t want to – break.

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[Snapping a quick picture with the reindeer! We may have them in our zoo, or even in the Fitger’s courtyard around Christmas time, but seeing so many in one spot in their natural habitat was pretty cool! (Fun fact, all the reindeer in this area are owned by the Sami people.)]

The time I spent with Marit and her loved ones was nearly indescribable. I can’t thank them enough for their overwhelming warmth and hospitality, opening up every corner of their lives to me and even going so far as to re-tell jokes in English after they flew over my head in Norwegian. As my time with everyone came to a close I naïvely believed that maybe this time saying goodbye wouldn’t be so hard: that after receiving so much kindness and generosity and feeling like the world had maybe shrunk just that much more, maybe I wouldn’t feel so far from my big sister this time. I learned at the security check, as we hugged one more time, that I had thought wrong. Even typing this all up a week later I’m flooded with emotion; gratitude, love, longing. But mostly gratitude. No matter how many languages I learn I won’t be able to say thank you enough. Takk.

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[From left to right: Knut-Erik, Marianne, Erik, Marie, Ann-Irene, Martin, Marit.]
—
Please contact Professor Liang if you wish to write for The North Star Reports — HLIANG (at) css.edu

See also, our Facebook page with curated news articles at http://www.facebook.com/NorthStarReports
–
The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica’s collaborative outreach program with K-12 classes around the world. We acknowledge North Star Academy of Duluth, Minnesota as our inaugural partner school, and the flagship of our program. We also welcome Duluth East High School and other schools around the world. The North Star Reports has flourished since 2012. For a brief summary, please see the American Historical Association’s Perspectives on History, at:

http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/2013/1305/Opening-The-Middle-Ground-Journal.cfm

The North Star Reports publishes edited essays from our students, particularly from those who are currently stationed, or will soon be stationed abroad. Students have reported from Mongolia, Southern China, Shanghai, northeastern China, The Netherlands, Tanzania, Ireland, England, Finland, Russia, and Haiti. We also have students developing reviews of books, documentaries, and films, projects on historical memory, the price individuals pay during tragic global conflicts, and analysis of current events from around the world. We will post their dispatches, and report on their interactions with the North Star Reports students and teachers.

We thank The Department of History and Politics and the School of Arts and Letters of The College of St. Scholastica for their generous financial support for The North Star Reports and The Middle Ground Journal.

Hong-Ming Liang, Ph.D., Chief Editor, The Middle Ground Journal, Associate Professor of History and Politics, The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, USA

(c) 2012-present The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy http://NorthStarReports.org The NSR is sponsored by The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica. See Masthead for our not-for-profit educational open- access policy. K-12 teachers, if you are using these reports for your classes, please contact chief editor Professor Liang at HLIANG (at) css.edu

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by | March 29, 2015 · 4:46 AM

Getting Around: Public Transportation in Barcelona — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

A special series. Getting Around: Public Transportation in Barcelona — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

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[Photo 1: An example of my last T-10 TMB card, a rectangular piece of card stock with all the means of transportation that it can be used for listed along the bottom.]

As I ran down the stairs and jumped into the train just as the warning alarm began to sound, I realized how grateful I was for Barcelona’s public transportation system. Waking up late, while normally little more than an inconvenience, meant that this morning I would have had to sprint the mile that was between where I was and where I needed to be in less than a half hour. Perhaps if I was readily prepared with my running gear this wouldn’t have put me in such a pickle, but as it was, I was no where near equipped to run the mile to school in time for my 9AM exam. This is where Barcelona’s TMB system comes in handy.

With a fully integrated bus, metro and tram lines, Barcelona boasts a highly convenient public transportation system. With one ticket, you gain access to all three modes of transportation, which run the expanse of the city starting early in the morning and running late into the night – all night on Saturdays and some holidays. These TMB tickets are also useful when it comes to getting to and from Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, as both the high-speed buses and the trains that run the airport circuit accept the metro ticket as fare.

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[Photo 2: The ViuBicing corrals decorate the city streets near the popular stops, shown here is the line of bikes about a block away from my University, on my walk home.]

Apart from the three large modes of public transportation, Barcelona also boasts a huge cycling community. On almost any major street you will see strange bike corrals, home to the nomadic ViuBicing bikes that anyone can pick up, ride around, and drop off at will at any station around town once they’ve paid the annual fee. Barcelona streets have separate lanes for the bikers, and these bikers are a constant sight all day every day. Motos and scooters are also highly popular with much easier maneuverability through traffic and ample parking available on the extra wide sidewalks. And if any of these options don’t suite your fancy, there are always taxis to hail. Coming from Duluth, I’ve maybe been in a taxi twice in my life before coming to Barcelona. Here, though, taking a taxi is much more common and it’s definitely an option of ease if you have the extra 10 euro to spend (comparably, the same price as the 10-ride TMB pass).

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[Photo 3: Although there are so many different means of transportation available, I found that walking was my preferred method if my destination was <2 miles away and I had the time.]

Perhaps what surprised me most in Barcelona was how many people simply walk either part or all the way to their desired destination. A relatively flat city, (much different than the rolling hills of Duluth!) Barcelona offers miles of walkways and parks are sprinkled all over the place. If I was venturing anywhere within a mile and had the time to spare, usually the preferred choice was to walk – not only to save my precious TMB metro rides, but also because it’s quite enjoyable to be outside experiencing the life of the city. Pathways are a variety of old cobblestone or new pavement and especially in the Gothic and Born neighborhoods there are always more side streets to explore. The inhabitants of Barcelona, and in most other parts of Spain, spend a good deal of their existence outside of the house, so by walking your way around town you get the best idea of how the people really live – and isn’t that the whole point?
—
Please contact Professor Liang if you wish to write for The North Star Reports — HLIANG (at) css.edu

See also, our Facebook page with curated news articles at http://www.facebook.com/NorthStarReports
–
The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica’s collaborative outreach program with K-12 classes around the world. We acknowledge North Star Academy of Duluth, Minnesota as our inaugural partner school, and the flagship of our program. We also welcome Duluth East High School and other schools around the world. The North Star Reports has flourished since 2012. For a brief summary, please see the American Historical Association’s Perspectives on History, at:

http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/2013/1305/Opening-The-Middle-Ground-Journal.cfm

The North Star Reports publishes edited essays from our students, particularly from those who are currently stationed, or will soon be stationed abroad. Students have reported from Mongolia, Southern China, Shanghai, northeastern China, The Netherlands, Tanzania, Ireland, England, Finland, Russia, and Haiti. We also have students developing reviews of books, documentaries, and films, projects on historical memory, the price individuals pay during tragic global conflicts, and analysis of current events from around the world. We will post their dispatches, and report on their interactions with the North Star Reports students and teachers.

We thank The Department of History and Politics and the School of Arts and Letters of The College of St. Scholastica for their generous financial support for The North Star Reports and The Middle Ground Journal.

Hong-Ming Liang, Ph.D., Chief Editor, The Middle Ground Journal, Associate Professor of History and Politics, The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, USA

(c) 2012-present The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy http://NorthStarReports.org The NSR is sponsored by The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica. See Masthead for our not-for-profit educational open- access policy. K-12 teachers, if you are using these reports for your classes, please contact chief editor Professor Liang at HLIANG (at) css.edu

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by | March 9, 2015 · 6:29 AM

Kultura con ‘k’: Discovering a City’s Soul — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

A special series. Kultura con ‘k’: Discovering a City’s Soul — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

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[This news stand is an example I pass nearly every day, it’s not unique in the sense that it has been tagged but it caught my eye.]

You can buy the book or take the tour: viewing all of the landmarks everyone wants to visit and taking every photo to capture it for yourself, but when it comes right down to it if you want to get to know a city and its people you’re going to have to leave the beaten path. My dad always taught me to break from the crowd (of tourists) when traveling and follow the music: find the people and be polite, ask them about themselves and actually learn something worth taking home with you. While abroad I’ve certainly hit all of the big tourist-y spots that I could, but in general I try to avoid them to get a better feel for a city’s true personality by searching out the more unaffected parts of the city.

kultura 2 IMG_5291[My roommate, Zoe, marveling at the creations on this door we found one of the first nights in Barcelona.]

In a previous post (Common Catalonian Cuisine) I mentioned the idea of different kinds of culture: Culture with a capital “C”, culture with a little “c” and culture with a “k”. What my dad always wanted me to look for was culture with a “c”: the everyday living that people do in their home- in which you are a stranger and unaccustomed. What caught my interest from the start of this program, though, is the culture with “k”, the alternative. Kultura in Spain, throughout Europe and the rest of the world, is that which you won’t find in a museum. Often, the meaning is lost on us because we lack the understanding to fully comprehend, or we simply overlook it because it isn’t listed in the pages of our Lonely Planet reader.

kultura 3 IMG_5853[Sometimes I’m really really impressed with what someone has done, like the skulls pictured here, with the words “vida” and “mort” incorporated it shows life and death as two sides of the same coin, er, skull.]

Graffiti has always captured my interest. I really don’t see myself as any sort of artist so I enviously enjoy works of art that others produce. Growing up in Duluth and watching the trains come in and out of the city I would look at the various tags on each car and marvel at the different colors and styles that each boasted. When my friends and I were old enough to drive ourselves around town we explored the Graffiti Graveyard and I was astounded by what people were able to do with little more than spray paint. In Barcelona, from the very first day, I was astounded by how much graffiti there is. The sentiment of many people in Spain is that the city is their property as citizens, one professor explained, so it isn’t at all unusual to see spray painted scribbles or murals that express someone’s views on a bench, a newspaper kiosk, or the side of a building; but for an American coming in with a very different lens, I was a bit surprised at the abundance and normality of it all.

kultura 4 IMG_5976[Not only in Barcelona, but all over Spain and the rest of the globe you can see examples of graffiti reacting to the political climate of the time, such as this piece seen in Figueres, Spain.]

In Barcelona, and all over the world, graffiti is used to tell a story. More than just the individual tags, graffiti is used to relate history, to express political unrest among the people, or to exhibit a chosen aesthetic by creating pieces that play with the façade of their canvas. The sentiment of many people in Spain is that the city is their property as citizens, one professor explained, so it isn’t at all unusual to see spray painted scribbles that express one person’s views on a bench, a newspaper kiosk, or the side of a building- but for an American coming in with a very different lens, I was a bit surprised at the abundance and normality of it all.

kultura 5 IMG_5993[And of course, within Barcelona the inefficiency of the governing bodies has many a citizen frustrated and one obvious outlet to express that frustration is art.]

It takes a bit of work to get oneself accustomed to any given kultura, but once you have a bit of insight to a place’s history and the story of its people it’s as if you’ve been handed a key and the lights have all been turned on. The scribbles on the park benches and the murals you pass each day are now deciphered through a better understanding, and by gaining this consciousness you add another lens to your collection.
—
Please contact Professor Liang if you wish to write for The North Star Reports — HLIANG (at) css.edu

See also, our Facebook page with curated news articles at http://www.facebook.com/NorthStarReports
–
The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica’s collaborative outreach program with K-12 classes around the world. We acknowledge North Star Academy of Duluth, Minnesota as our inaugural partner school, and the flagship of our program. We also welcome Duluth East High School and other schools around the world. The North Star Reports has flourished since 2012. For a brief summary, please see the American Historical Association’s Perspectives on History, at:

http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/2013/1305/Opening-The-Middle-Ground-Journal.cfm

The North Star Reports publishes edited essays from our students, particularly from those who are currently stationed, or will soon be stationed abroad. Students have reported from Mongolia, Southern China, Shanghai, northeastern China, The Netherlands, Tanzania, Ireland, England, Finland, Russia, and Haiti. We also have students developing reviews of books, documentaries, and films, projects on historical memory, the price individuals pay during tragic global conflicts, and analysis of current events from around the world. We will post their dispatches, and report on their interactions with the North Star Reports students and teachers.

We thank The Department of History and Politics and the School of Arts and Letters of The College of St. Scholastica for their generous financial support for The North Star Reports and The Middle Ground Journal.

Hong-Ming Liang, Ph.D., Chief Editor, The Middle Ground Journal, Associate Professor of History and Politics, The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, USA

(c) 2012-present The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy http://NorthStarReports.org The NSR is sponsored by The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica. See Masthead for our not-for-profit educational open- access policy. K-12 teachers, if you are using these reports for your classes, please contact chief editor Professor Liang at HLIANG (at) css.edu

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by | February 23, 2015 · 3:56 AM

Carnaval, Barcelona, Spain – — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

A special series. Carnaval, Barcelona, Spain – — The North Star Reports – by Katherine LaFleur. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

IMG_6378[Carnaval in Barcelona is a smaller event, with parades and activities for families but less of the party atmosphere. The themed color was orange, as you can see from the confetti decorating the square.]

While there is no set religion in Spain, Roman Catholicism has prevailed as the most practiced across the country despite increasing immigration and a certain apathy in the younger generations in the last few years. As Lent approaches and we head into the Easter season, one tradition practiced in many Catholic cultures is Carnaval, a party for all that starts the week before Ash Wednesday and ends with a bang on “Fat Tuesday”. In the United States we have a similar fair-style celebration, Mardi Gras, and I have fond memories of the festivities held annually at the Catholic school I attended as a girl.

The highlights of my juvenile experience were a series of games spread throughout the school; a cakewalk, and if I was really crazy- spray painting my hair in one of the side stairwells. My mom would take me around 6:00pm and we’d be home no later than 9:30. This though, was something altogether different.

FullSizeRender[Costumes for Carnaval are big and colorful, feathers and glitter are everywhere.]

Carnaval in Barcelona is tame compared to places like Brazil, so in order to get the “full experience” my roommates and I with some friends from school made the decision to venture to Sitges, a coastal city about 30 miles south of Barcelona on Fat Tuesday, the final night of celebrations and rumored to be the biggest and best example of Carnaval.

Costumes are customary, ranging anywhere from tame (such as my roommate Zoe’s striped shirt and captain’s hat) to ridiculous- anything goes. We took a late train (10:30pm) from Barcelona and it was full of fellow Carnaval-goers. Getting to Sitges a little after 11:20pm, we exited the station and were herded down a main street, following the sound of music and the hoards of people to a spot where we could watch the festivities.

IMG_6465[Comparsas are groups like this, dancers dressed in similar costumes who parade down the route together, most have separate themes and some of our favorites were football, Batman and unicorns!]

Situated against a fence along the parade route we got comfortable and enjoyed the spectacle that unfolded before us. Music, loud and varying from American to Spanish pop blasted from every float that passed us, and the comparsas (groups of people all dressed in a certain theme and dancing together) seemed almost endless.

Alas, the parade did end and so we ventured further into the chaos, passing through bars and clubs until we hit the beach. At this point it was nearly 3:00am Wednesday, and to say the least we were all beat. As a group we decided we’d had our fill and began trekking back up to the station to catch one of the rotating trains heading back to Barcelona. The ride back was a bit quieter than the one heading to Sitges, as everyone was pretty pooped, but I perked up when I realized one of our fellow train riders was wearing a Green bay packers hat. I jokingly chided him in Spanish, asking why in the world he had that particular hat and he responded saying he liked the team! He was an Argentinian boy living in Barcelona playing football and going to school.

At this point I was intrigued and we began talking about football- which of course got more people involved as many Americans were riding with us and my roommate goes to Ohio State back in the states which is a conversation point in and of itself!

The time passed quickly and suddenly we were told to get off the train a few stops before we anticipated. It was 4:00am and we just wanted to be home, so instead of waiting in the metro station for an hour until it opened at 5 we all splurged on a taxi to get us closer to home. By 4:30 I was thankfully tucked in and although not altogether excited to wake up in four hours for class at 8:30 I was, and still am, thankful for having experienced Carnaval.

IMG_6645[While costumes are encouraged for Carnaval, they aren’t mandatory. My roommates and I took a group photo before heading to Sitges with more friends and you can see the variation in attire. (Photo credit: Meagan Loggins)]
—
Please contact Professor Liang if you wish to write for The North Star Reports — HLIANG (at) css.edu

See also, our Facebook page with curated news articles at http://www.facebook.com/NorthStarReports
–
The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica’s collaborative outreach program with K-12 classes around the world. We acknowledge North Star Academy of Duluth, Minnesota as our inaugural partner school, and the flagship of our program. We also welcome Duluth East High School and other schools around the world. The North Star Reports has flourished since 2012. For a brief summary, please see the American Historical Association’s Perspectives on History, at:

http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/2013/1305/Opening-The-Middle-Ground-Journal.cfm

The North Star Reports publishes edited essays from our students, particularly from those who are currently stationed, or will soon be stationed abroad. Students have reported from Mongolia, Southern China, Shanghai, northeastern China, The Netherlands, Tanzania, Ireland, England, Finland, Russia, and Haiti. We also have students developing reviews of books, documentaries, and films, projects on historical memory, the price individuals pay during tragic global conflicts, and analysis of current events from around the world. We will post their dispatches, and report on their interactions with the North Star Reports students and teachers.

We thank The Department of History and Politics for its generous financial support for The North Star Reports and The Middle Ground Journal.

Hong-Ming Liang, Ph.D., Chief Editor, The Middle Ground Journal, Associate Professor of History and Politics, The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, USA

(c) 2012-present The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy http://NorthStarReports.org The NSR is sponsored by The Middle Ground Journal and The College of St. Scholastica. See Masthead for our not-for-profit educational open- access policy. K-12 teachers, if you are using these reports for your classes, please contact chief editor Professor Liang at HLIANG (at) css.edu

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