The Middle Ground Journal

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Semester in New Zealand – Don’t Forget Your Snapper Card – by Matthew Breeze. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [This is my bus pass, known as a snapper card] Public transportation is a miracle, and a curse. Coming from northern…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Semester in Italy – In With Both the Old and the New – by Sara Desrocher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports This past week has been full of adventures, my family was able to join me in traveling around…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park – Michigan, U.S.A. – by Delaney Babich. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports In the midst of our chaotic world, there are places where peace and solitude still exist, namely, within our national parks and landmarks.…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Taiwan – Spending the Summer in Taipei – by Megan Beckerich. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [Pictured: Jiufen, a former Japanese administered coal mining town turned tourist hot spot and inspiration for Spirited Away] The summer of 2016 is one…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Semester in Italy – Siena and San Gimignao – by Donovan Chock. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Ciao, This semester I am also studying in Italy with Sara Desrocher. The nature of my reports are to give readers an…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
An Introduction to the Chinese Hotpot – by Marin Ekstrom. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [The hot pot broths] In China, going out to eat is a beloved activity that occurs on a regular basis. One of the most popular…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Semester in New Zealand – Picking up Rocks – By Matthew Breeze. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports When you walk do you sometimes pick up a rock and look at it? Maybe toss it into a nearby pond or lake.…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Semester in Italy – Florence University – by Sara Desrocher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Buonasera, I am reaching the halfway point of my semester here in Montespertoli, Italy. Time is flying by! My classes are a little different…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Semester in New Zealand – Spring Break 2.0 – by . The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [NZ flowers bloom in October] This is my second spring break of the year, as spring is in full swing here in the southern…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Denmark – Expectations of Traveling Abroad – by Michaela Campbell. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [The Seventeenth Century Canal Ring, in Amsterdam, North Holland] Once I began telling friends and family that I had been accepted to attend a study…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Semester in Italy – Venice, City of Water – by Sara Desrocher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Venice, which has been on my ‘bucket list’ for years. I was very excited…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Chinese Table – Food, Customs, Traditions, Identities – by Mariya Taberko. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [Image 1] Hot pot (火锅 huo3 guo1) seems to be everyone’s favorite meal, particularly on special occasions. During my time studying Chinese in Beijing,…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Semester in New Zealand – Stolen Water – by Matthew Breeze. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Minnesota is The Land of Ten Thousands Lakes, as our license plates so often remind us. There is water almost everywhere we look. Those…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Semester in Italy – Wine Making! – by Sara Desrocher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Ciao ragazzi! I am staying in the Tuscany region, which is in central Italy. The area is known for the beautiful landscape, including hills…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
The International Peace Garden – Canada and the USA – by Jennifer Battcher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports On the border of Canada and the United States is a 2300-acre garden where visitors can cross between Canada and the USA…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Semester in Italy – Transportation – by Sara Desrocher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Ciao ragazzi! I have been in Italy for two weeks now and after a couple of trips within the country, I finally feel that I…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
The Opportunity of a Lifetime – A Meaningful Spring Break – by Kyle Dosan. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Just imagine this scenario: Instead of going home for your first college spring break you decide to go on a service…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Sustainability in Italy – A Special Series – Sustainability and Agriculture – by Sara Desrocher. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Buongiorno! I will be spending the semester studying abroad in Montespertoli, which is about 13 miles outside of Florence, Italy.…

English: The Globalized Language – by Molly Enich. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [Farewell sign in… Source: English: The Globalized Language – by Molly Enich. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports

Hidden History – by Thomas Landgren. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Growing up in a house that is o… Source: Hidden History – by Thomas Landgren. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
The “Moscow of the Far East”: An Introduction to Harbin, China – by Marin Ekstrom. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [The Saint Sophia Cathedral, a former Russian Orthodox church-turned-city museum that serves as Harbin’s most recognizable landmark.] Towering onion dome…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Peace in Colombia – Saying yes to the end of a half-century of war – by Ana Maria Camelo Vega. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Twenty years ago, it seemed absurd to imagine a peaceful environment in Colombia. Twenty years…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Rachel Weyenberg, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello, my name is Rachel Weyenberg. I am a sophomore at the College of St. Scholastica and currently pursing a major in nursing. I…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Jena O’Byrne, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello, my name is Jena O’Byrne I am from Stewartville, MN. I am a student at the College of St. Scholastica and will be…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Sarah Burton, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello everyone! My name is Sarah Burton. I grew up in Colfax, Wisconsin, which is a small town outside of Eau Claire. I am…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Nancy Thao, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello, my name is Nancy Thao. I am a senior at the College of St. Scholastica who will be graduating in spring 2017. I…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Jonia Gordon, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello, my name is Jonia Gordon. I am a recent graduate of the College of St. Scholastica with a major in Global, Cultural, and…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Allison Brennhofer, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hi! My name is Allison Brennhofer, I am from Saint Paul, Minnesota. I am a junior at the College of Saint Scholastica. My major…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Jodi Moran, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello, my name is Jodi Moran and I am from St. Michael- Albertivlle, MN. Since I am a transfer student I am currently a…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Molly Enich, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [Me hiking the eastern coast of Iceland] I grew up in Side Lake, Minnesota, a very small community on a chain of lakes, up…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Jemma Provance, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Hello! My name is Jemma Provance. I come from the little town of Roseau, Minnesota, and I’ll be graduating from the College of Saint…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Michaela Campbell, Social Media Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Name: Michaela Campbell, Graduation Year: 2017, Major/Minor: Psychology/ Political Science (intended), Hometown: Two Harbors, Minnesota. I think that picking a quote to define you…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Meet Our NSR Student Editors — Megan Hennen, Senior Editor. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports I am Megan Hennen and I am a 2016 College of St. Scholastica graduate. I started working with the Middle Ground Journal (MGJ) back in…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
NSR concludes its 2015-2016 publication schedule. A Keynote Address and Reflections – by Professor Hong-Ming Liang, NSR editors Bryce Gadke and Sara Tomlinson. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [The North Star Reports  global areas of coverage, 253 original articles, student…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Norway – More From Two: Observations of Politics – by Jonia Gordon. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Editor’s Note: this is a part of a special series from Jonia Gordon, a talented student who is studying in Oslo, Norway for…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Iron Range, Minnesota – Home on the Range – by Molly Enich. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [First picture: Chisholm High School, built 1912] “Cabin country” is what people from the Twin Cities refer to the area north of Duluth…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
“Brain Travel” – by Matthew Breeze. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Over spring break I had the pleasure of going home and relaxing with friends and family. I thoroughly enjoyed the time and the relaxation that was available because of…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Monte Gordo, Portugal – Fresh Sea Food – by Catherine Kolar. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports It was late February and even though classes had only started a week or so earlier I was ready for a break. Sevilla is…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Macau, China – Portuguese in China (and the World)? The Lusophonia Festival in Macau – by Marin Ekstrom. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports [A Brazilian mannequin dressed similarly to national icon Carmen Miranda] [The brightly lit entryway to Lusophonia] Macau,…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
New Zealand – Permaculture and the Environment – by Delaney Babich. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports One of the most intriguing lessons I learned while studying abroad was the idea of permaculture, and its impressive success rate on the environment…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Norway – The Bergen Trip – by Jonia Gordon. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Editor’s Note: this is a part of a special series from Jonia Gordon, a talented student who is studying in Oslo, Norway for the Fall 2015…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Cyprus – Reflections – by Samuel Bunting. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports I will be the first person to admit that going abroad was something that never appealed to me. Sure, I had listened to the energetic talks of my…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
The Matriarch and Traditions, Death and Change – by Cheyenne S. Lemm. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports (A four generation picture. [left to right] My grandma holding my niece, my mom, and my sister.) Like so many other families, the…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Fulbright Teacher in Bogota, Colombia, A Special Series – “The Native Speaker” – by Laura Blasena. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports I will be leaving my university before the end of the Fulbright grant period. Among other personal reasons…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Tanzania – Service Learning – by Paul Schulzetenberg. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Editor’s Note: Many thanks to photographer Adam Bridge for the permission to use his photos for photos # 1 and 4. That might be kilograms? [Photo #1…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Fulbright Teacher in Bogota, Colombia, A Special Series – Trash Collection – by Laura Blasena. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports When our cleaning lady decided to take a week off after Christmas, I and the fourteen other people living…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
A Fulbright Teacher in Bogota, Colombia, A Special Series – “It’s Not Bad, It’s Just Different …” – by Laura Blasena. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports I work with another organization that pairs individuals that are studying or working throughout…

Originally posted on The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy:
Norway – Oslo to Bergen: A Train Ride – by Jonia Gordon. The North Star Reports: Global Citizenship and Digital Literacy, at NorthStarReports.org and facebook.com/NorthStarReports Editor’s Note: this is a part of a special series from Jonia Gordon, a talented student who is studying in Oslo, Norway for…