V O L U M E 3 | I S S U E 3 T H E R I S I N G P H O E N I X N O V E M B E R E D I T I O N D I S C O V E R Y O U R S E L F

01D I S C O V E R THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CONSIDERATION PRESENCE OF DINOSAURS IN MYANMAR THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THANAKHA DAY H E A L T H THE VAPE STORE IN MYANMAR PLAZA WHY I JOINED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE 03 02

A R T ART JOURNEY WHY DO I ART? E N T E R T A I N - M E N T NOVEMBER PLAYLIST ANIME REVIEW: EVANGELION HOW TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN COLLEGE ESSAYS S P O R T S THE CONTROVERSY OF THE WORLD CUP 04 05

Dear Readers, It is often impossible to fully define ourselves from a singular interest or occupation. Nonetheless, our aspirations, values and passions shape us. Take a step back and ask yourself with earnesty: Who am I? What shapes my character? This important question guides our writers and designers as they interpret their own answers in our articles. The personal anecdotes behind why some of our students pursue art or why they value thanakha are deeply inspiring. When you read ‘The Significance of Consideration’ , I hope its deeply humbling message urges you to reflect on the anti-bullying week. It’s worth asking how you would like to be treated and whether you are considering the same for others around you. As the writer beautifully puts it, “as long as it guides you on the path to becoming a better person, any amount of time is worth it”. On that note, it’s my greatest pleasure to introduce the theme of our November edition – Self-discovery. We hope you enjoy it. Sincerely, May Myint Mo Zaw @ Pyae Editor In Chief EDITOR'S NOTE

DISCOVER 01 | DISCOVER

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CONSIDERATION Anti-bullying messages seem to always get dismissed by students, saying that they are useless, superficial, and made only for the betterment of a school’s image. This has gotten to the point where many students react to anti-bullying messages negatively, if they do not ignore them outright. While these messages may sometimes be made for less than noble reasons, I believe that it is worth it to take the time to really think about the true meaning behind those posters you walk by every day, and subsequently reflect on the kind of person you are. When people think of bullies, they think of the stereotypical muscular jock, pushing the class nerd onto the ground and stealing their lunch money. According to the definition, this is rightfully classified as bullying. However, what many people do not realise is that a very high amount of bullying can happen behind the scenes, and terrifyingly, even without the perpetrator’s knowledge. This means that sometimes, they can actually hurt someone without knowing that they are actually hurting them, and unfortunately, this tends to be people who are closest to them, such as relatives, friends and even romantic partners. Usually this behaviour starts when someone unknowingly makes a joke or comment to another person that happens to have a negative impact on them. If they are close, they may not say anything at all or have a muted reaction to the joke/comment, perhaps even faking a positive reaction. Physical interaction can be the same as well. You may be touching someone in an uncomfortable way, or perhaps you are encroaching on their personal space. Generally, people would tell you to stop, and you stop. However, it is the unfortunate truth that there are some people who are simply not brave enough to confront the other person on their actions, regardless of what they are doing. Worst case scenario is that someone does not listen despite being explicitly told to stop, passing the warnings off as ingenuine or as ‘banter’. Con·sid·er·ation [kənsɪdə ˈ reɪʃ(ə)n] Noun “Thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards others. ” Written by: Khant Htut Y11 Design by: PyaePhooHay Thi and Su April Aung Y10 02 | DISCOVER

So please, please, please pay attention to what this article says. It is not telling you to censor yourself, it is not telling you to become overly ‘woke-ly’ sensitive to anything. It is telling you to take the time to think about yourself and others. Do it in bed, do it in the shower, do it whenever you like. As long as it guides you on the path to becoming a better person, any amount of time is worth it. I am speaking from experience. This is where consideration comes into play. Consideration, to put it simply, is to think before you say something. It is to put yourself in another’s shoes and really think if what you are doing is ok. Before, I was the perfect example of a person who never thought before he spoke. I rarely ever took into consideration what people thought of what I said, always operating on the philosophy that “if I were them, I wouldn’t be affected.” Obviously, this caused me to hurt many people I knew badly with the things I said, which I still highly regret to this day. Every single time I look back at the previous me makes the current me embarrassed and extremely angry at myself for somehow turning out like that. But I think that is ok, as the emotions that I feel towards that person are signs of growth and change towards a better person. Funnily enough, this was thanks to quarantine. It had given me the opportunity to be alone with my thoughts and allowed me to reflect on who I was and how I might’ve hurt those around me. It allowed me to consider if I really wouldn’t be affected if a close friend of mine said horrible things to me on a daily basis. It allowed me to consider if I should change my ways, and I am very happy that I chose the right decision. Also, please consider the other articles in this edition. I think I saw something about dinosaurs somewhere, so go check that out, it’s really cool. 03 | DISCOVER

inosaurs never fail to fascinate people of all ages. Their massive sizes, killer instinct, fierce appearance always make us wonder how destructive Presenceofdinosaurs inMyanmar D it might be if we ever coexist with them. After all, not every dinosaur is huge and brutal, some can be tiny and non-violent, opposite to our expectations. Have you ever wonderedifdinosaurs usedto roam on the parts ofthe Earth where we now call Myanmar? We all wondertoo. 04 | DISCOVER

Like some of the big trees of recent time, trees in the Mesozoic era also produced sticky liquid called resin. When resin dripped out of trees, it flew down the trunks of trees trapping all the little insects and dirt on its way. After dropping onto the ground, it hardened little by little and was later covered by thick layers of dust. After several hundreds of million years later, soft resin turned to a hardened substance called amber due to the heat below the ground and the pressure on the surface. Therefore, we can anticipate that living organisms and plant residues found in amber are sure to have lived millions of years ago. For this reason, we can know what the world was like several millennia ago by examining the trapped life forms found in amber. The place which is now the upper part of Myanmar used to be covered with moist rain forests in which trees produced resin abundantly. Nowadays, an ample amount of amber is mined in the region of Hukawng in Kachin state. Insects, plant residues, fungi and even tiny crabs were found being trapped in pieces of amber. Using the carbon dating system and high-tech x-ray imagery, years of their existence can be calculated. AMBER 05 | DISCOVER

In 2015, a team of scientists from China collected the amber of 1.4 inch, approximately the size of an apricot, nicknamed Eva, in the market of Myitkyina, Kachin state in Myanmar. The area is known for amber mines which produce a great deal of ambers formed during the Cretaceous era, 99 million years ago. The amber extricated usually include lifeforms of different kinds which used to exist in late Jurassic and the entire Cretaceous era. Being extracted from unauthorised mines, the amber produced was sold in a black market. Eva, this particular amber with a tail inside, was about to be shaped into a jewellery piece. The amber was purchased and brought back to China for further investigation by a group of Chinese palaeontologists. To their amazement, because of the use of advanced technology, the tail in the amber was analysed to be a dinosaur’s tail with soft tissue, tail bone with vertebrae and feathers, being preserved in good condition throughout the time. It’s found to be the first evidence of dinosaur feather preserved in an amber. Before this discovery, the presence of feathers in a dinosaur was just speculation made from fossil imprints. Unearthing of Eva strengthened the assumption that dinosaurs used to possess some kind of feathers with undeniable evidence. The tail found in the amber is comprised of eight vertebrae which scientists believe that there would be more than 25 in full length with feathers which have poorly defined central shaft and seemed to keel to each side. DISCOVERY EXPERIMENT AND FINDING w r i t t e n b y: K h i n T s u T s u L w i n d e s i g n e d b y: M a y M y a t N o e C h i t According to CT scans, feather arrangements of the dinosaur tail in the amber clearly showed that the tail is made up of several segments of vertebrae and the microscopic analysis depicts the earliest evidence of differentiation between bird feathers and dinosaur feathers. Melanin found in tail feathers also proves that dinosaurs used to have a wide range of coloration. In accordance with data analysed from CT scanning and 3D technology, the dinosaur is believed to be the size of a sparrow. It would look like an ancient bird due to its size but the reality reveals that the tail belongs to a reptile in the Cretaceous era. The dinosaur is thought to be an omnivore which fed on insects and small plants that lived in the Mesozoic period. It belongs to the group of coelurosaurs which containsa wide variety of dinosaurs from Tyrannosaurus to birds of recent day. It’s a fortunate encounter to spot the amber with such a great significance. Pieces of amber found in the unauthorised mines in Myanmar usually end up in private collections or are transformed into jewellery pieces which would lead to the loss for the scientific world. There would certainly be more historical treasures like this embedded in the remote areas of Kachin State. As ambers can tell many stories about the mysterious prehistoric world hundreds of millions of years ago, it is essential not to be recklessly sold in the black market and need to be valued for their paleontological significance. 06 | DISCOVER

written by: Su Nandi Zaw & Than Thar Zaw 10Z design by: Pyae Phoo Hay Thi 10K Importance of Thanakha, a familiar word that most of us have heard before. This month, on the 9th of November, MISY students and teachers had brought together to celebrate our 2,000 year long skincare tradition using water and the precious powder of the ancient Burmese tree: Thanaka. Of course, you surely have seen this light-yellow paste called Thanaka gleam on the faces of daily passers-by, friends, family, as well as in the media, or even in the mirror if you yourself have worn it before. The patches of yellow paste gleam on people of all ages is essential to daily life in myanmar. Small children would have this paste drawn on their face as various different shapes: bunnies, smiley faces, hearts and more. Many of us know thanakha, but many don’t know about thanakha and its significance. But what makes Thanaka such a valued and widely loved tradition in Myanmar? What does it mean to wear it? And where does this date back to? Brief History of Thanakha The origins of Thanaka trace way back to Myanmar’s initial development. It is said that the Queen of Beikthano, one of Myanmar’s oldest cities, was a big fan of Thanaka and used it on her skin every day. In 1930, evidence of the use of Thanaka was found when a strong earthquake toppled the famous Shwemawdaw pagoda. The word “Thanakha” translates to beauty and cleanliness in burmese and is an important part of burmese culture that has been passed down for generations. Benefits of Thanakha Thanaka, a tree native to Southeast Asia, has always been prosperous on the soils of Myanmar and still today serves as a distinct trademark of our country. When the stem of this perennial tree is ground and mixed with water, it creates a smooth yellow paste that is of a variety of benefits and health perks, from acting as an all-natural sunscreen to a potent skin beautifier. Packed with vitamin E, the nutrient-dense paste protects the skin against polluted air and free radicals. It is said to soften the skin, and treat and prevent wrinkles and acne as well. When I was a child, like many burmese children, it was a daily necessity to wear tanakha. Every morning before school, my mother would insist I drew neat circles of tanakha on my cheeks. Back then, I despised it; I always refused to go anywhere near the tanakha until my mother urged me. Growing up, observing my surroundings and gaining more knowledge of my culture, I grew fond of tanakha. It is now something I am proud of . It is something I want to share with the world. It is something I am grateful to be part of my culture. Now I realize my mother smothering tanakha on my face was like smothering love. Tanakha isn’t only a sigh of cleanliness but also love and protection. Thanakha 07 | DISCOVER

HEALTH 08 | HEALTH

t's common knowledge that vape is undeniably bad for you. However, it's commonly THE VAPE STORE IN MYANMAR PLAZA IMPORTANT NOTE: This article is meant to raise awareness of the existence of the vape stand in Myanmar Plaza. In no way whatsoever is it intended to advertise or encourage the use of vape. commonly regarded to be less harmful than cigarettes, and that's the problem. It's somewhere in the grey-area of substance use. This leads to loose regulations by officials and not enough concern from the general public, especially in a third world country such as Myanmar. A daunting example would be the vape pushcart on the 2nd floor of the Myanmar Plaza: Pocket Nicotine. Not only does this stand have a big ‘NICOTINE' , “[a drug] proven to be as addictive as cocaine and heroin and may even be more addictive” by the University of San Francisco, written in bold on the side, but is also located right outside an arcade centre, all its products and cartridges out on full display to the wandering eyes of young children and families destined for the arcade. I have personally witnessed their failure to ask for identification before selling to what are obviously minors. Their inability to follow such standard protocols when retailing such substances contributes to the easy access of these drugs by underaged customers. I 09 | HEALTH

Vaping can not only put strain on your relationships but also on your mental health. The simple act of you vaping indirectly supports the fact that vaping is acceptable and thus encourages the people around you to do the same. When you do pick up an e-cigarette, ask yourself. How will my friends react? Who will I influence? And am I doing the right thing? This is a matter of being responsible and respecting yourself and others. “Smoking kills. Vaping kills you faster. ” - Embark Behavioural Health Several years ago, when I was as young as Year 9, I became aware that some yearmates were vaping. My disapproval and dissociation with it turned into acceptance as I decided I was unwilling to lose my friends just because they vaped. I became naturally curious and upon asking them why they vaped, their responses were “Vape is just juice you know?” and “At least, I’m not smoking.” Keep in mind we were no older than thirteen. Not pointing fingers at any thirteen or under although I doubt they’d be reading the school newspaper. Their responses are and were quite shocking to me and shows how misperceived vape is by the younger generation. On a lighter note, though they vaped themselves, they were nice at heart and they reminded me every so often not to vape. It was clear that they were well aware of the changes to them and their body caused by the nicotine but at the same time they were already addicted. After witnessing first-hand the effects Written By: Moe Myat Aung Designed By: Khaing Nyein Hsu SIDE NOTE: Since the effects of cigarettes are more transparent, as well as the fact that vape has only been around since 2015, there is the dire misunderstanding by many that vape is safer than normal cigarettes. Although it is much regarded as the apparently ‘less harmful’ alternative to cigarettes, they’re actually quite indifferently fatal. The very nicotine element of vape causes heightened aggression, irregular cardiac functions, heartburns, tremors (involuntary muscle contractions or twitches,) stiffness, skin irritation, dependency, the list goes on and on. That’s just one of two-thousand chemicals. Did you know you are breathing in heavy metals such as tin and lead? Ultra-fine (extremely tiny) particles from the very nature of vape fluid can also pass into your lungs and suffocate you inside out gradually, or into your major blood vessels and increase the risk of lethal heart and lung conditions, or into your brain and cause cerebral and autonomic dysfunction. of nicotine, especially in their temper and personality over the years, I began to despise that one stand that started it all. 10 | HEALTH

11 | HEALTH WHY I JOINED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE From the Leaders of EC Khaymar Aung Moe I joined EC when I first started Year 10, partly because I was looking for extracurricular activities to add to my CV but also because I really did want to help the environment at school as my family didn’t make any environmental efforts at home. Now in Year 13, this committee has become an important part of my life and gave me a greater appreciation for the world around me. I not only learned about environmental issues and ways to reduce my carbon footprint, I also gained invaluable leadership skills and got to work together with my community to make a change. For instance, when the Environmental Committee and Student Council visited the Vera Thompson English School, I got to see how kids from other parts of the country viewed sustainability and the activities they do to keep our environment clean. Thet Myanmar Lwin As a new student, I wanted to get to know more people and make more friends. I also wanted to have more extracurricular activities in order to be well-rounded. While being in the committee, I learned plenty of new things such as leading fundraisers, organizing proposals with outside companies, etc. EC welcomed me warmly and I got to make new memories that I will cherish. I genuinely wanted to take care of the environment and help the school to be more sustainable.

12 | HEALTH Chit Myat Noe Htike I joined the Environmental Committee in Year 9. Being so long ago, my memory on why I joined EC is blurry. As far as I could remember, I was searching for a service committee to join after the disbandment of Better Tomorrow and Mrs. Tina Hintz suggested to me the newly set up committee the “Environmental Committee”. Gradually, I rose from being a mere member to lastly leading the organisation. From this five year experience in EC, I have gained lots of new skills and insights. I learned to be more environmentally conscious, gained leadership skills such as being an effective communicator; decisiveness; collaborative and open minded. I enjoyed every aspect of EC, from taking 18 and 24 marks questions made by the seniors about environment related questions to working with very innovative and warming members and teachers in the committee. Another feature of EC I admire is the collective activities such as inter-school paper collection, Trash Hero as well as the collaboration with external organisations - the visit to the Vera Thompson English School, working with City Mart, joining hands with WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and so on. The ultimate reason I love joining and managing EC is that not only you are gaining the benefit of being part of this committee, you are also being a contributor to the wider community by creating engaging activities and talk shows which helps instil the students of MISY to be well aware and to be actively involved in sustaining our planet.

ART 13 | ART

“I really enjoy art, it relaxes me and I’m always proud of Art Journey the end result because I know I put effort into it. I started drawing digitally back in 2020 with my mom’s iPhone with my fingers but as the years went by I have learned more about anatomy, color theory and composition. I really like seeing people compliment me on my artstyle and digital art is my best field. I lean into more cool colors especially with the skin tones. I really like to play around with the lighting and shadows which adds a dynamic flair to it. I first started out using IbispaintX because it was free but then I asked for some money and bought Procreate when I got an iPad. Then I recently discovered Clip Studio Paint and I have started to use it more often mainly because I heard Webtoon artists use it to create their Webtoons.” -Mel 2020 This was one of my first digital artworks done on my mom’s IPhone 6. I used the application IbispaintX to paint this. You can see that my skills are lacking. I color-dropped the colors from the reference photos. The line art is done with the “soft air brush tool” which created a muddy look to the art. 14 | ART

2021 This was a piece I did back in 2021 on Procreate. This time I used an iPad and an Apple Pencil so it did help me progress a bit. You could see that I colored it right under the sketch layer and called it a day. The shading improved significantly but I could spot anatomical problems with the ears. I made the background as simple as possible which made it look less interesting. 2022 This is the newest piece I did in 2022 on Clip Studio Paint. You could see that I improved drastically in terms of art style and color theory. I’m still struggling with anatomy as you can see with the dented cheeks and the extremely lanky neck, however you could see that I was more comfortable with shading, coloring and using lighting to make the paints more dynamic. Written and designed by: Mel Madi 10K 15 | ART

Art, like music, expresses things that don’t necessarily have a tangible form. The unseen, (such as emotions,or feelings,) has an opportunity to flow through and be portrayed using colours, textures,or designs. A lot of these things are very hard to explain and words are definitely not enough.A lot of my ideas are not based on what I’ve seen with my eyes, so that’s why it’s sometimes hard for me to draw my ideas, because I don’t have a lot of physical references to draw them down from. Why do I do art? Maria Meteleva 12T 16 | ART Art is also a way of communication. Where maybe people can’t understand the written language, they can connect to the picture on the frame. I am really passionate about communicating across language boundaries. bringing unseen things to life. To put into form what I am experiencing. For example, in drawing someone’s portrait, you basically draw the core of who they are, which is pretty cool. A look in someone’s eyes is hard to express with just words.One stroke more or less on the portrait,a slightly different colour, and it’s not them.Therefore, it is a massive responsibility and I take every portrait very seriously. This is why I love art.. self portrait I love drawing eyes!! Sea of His Glory Harvest Overflow

ENTERTAIN -MENT 17 | ENTERTAINMENT

November coz y songs to fall asleep to coz y songs to fall asleep to Playlist Anti Hero - Taylor Swift Good Parts - Lesseraf Show Me How - Me im n I Trus Lo t ve Me Like That- Sam Kim Here With Me - d4vd Astronomy - Conan Gray Ghosting - TXT Cinnamon Girl - Lana Del Rey You’ re On Your Own Kid - Taylor Swift Pano - Zack Tabuldo Shinunoga E-Wa - Fujii Kaze dear parents - sundial Playlist by: Shwe Sin Design by: Maria Meteleva 12T 18 | ENTERTAINMENT

EVANGELION: ANIME REVIEW “ Lik e a c r u e l a n g e l, y o u n g b o y b e c o m e a l e g e n d!” T h e s e e m p o w e rin g fir s t f e w lin e s o f “ A C r u e l A n g e l ’ s T h e sis ” a r e t h e s t a r t o f w h a t y o u c o u l d s a y is o n e o f t h e m o s t a n a l y s e d a nim e o f a l l tim e: Evangelion. In school, we’ve all analysed multiple works of Shakespeare, diving deep into the hidden meanings behind every single detail. But if you think you are well-prepared, I challenge you to take on this psychological thriller. Despite the tempting few lines of the opening, the show is closer to reality than it is to fiction when it comes to what’s going on in the characters’ minds. Imagine you’re an ordinary 14 year old, and you just got tasked with saving the world by fighting in a giant robot. Most other mecha anime will show the protagonist as inspired, positive and brave - your typical “Hero.” But Evangelion portrays reality. You’re scared. You don’t want to fight. You don’t want to die. Everytime you make a mistake, everyone blames you. And the only person who comforts you, everyone seemed to be against that person. You want to RUN AWAY. In the meantime, the show introduces us to the Hedgehog’s dilemma. In winter, hedgehogs would feel cold like any other animal would. A normal solution would be to stay close to one another and let the collective bodily warmth keep everyone warm. However, when hedgehogs get too close, they get pricked by each other’s spines and thus are forced to stay at a distance from each other. The same principle could apply to humans. Humans would get close to each other with hopes of opening up. Eventually someone would get hurt along the way. Scarred by this, in further interactions, we would never truly open up or never truly get attached so that we won't experience the pain again. 1 9 | E N T E R T AIN M E N T

1.0 (2007-21): Just like its name suggests, this is the revamp of the original. The rebuild kept the original's deep themes but toned down the intensity, while introducing brighter colours and new character who add to the story. Despite the feeling of impending doom and sheer hopelessness, the show teaches us to NOT RUN AWAY from all our problems. The final showdown felt more like a therapy session than a bossfight as the protagonist was presented with a choice of running away like he always used to or facing his problems and accepting his failures. The ending of the Rebuild series highlight a theme of maturity since the protagonist chooses to fight his obstacles instead of fleeing from them. 20 | ENTERTAINMENT Written by: Kaung Khant Kyaw Swar Designed by Pan Wut

HOW TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN COLLEGE INTERVIEWS So, you are writing your essays for your college applications but you have no idea how you should go about describing yourself and your values. Well, you came to the right place. I’ll be listing out a few tips and tricks so you can get into that dream school of yours. If there’s a unique aspect of your background that you believe is worth highlighting in their college application, don’t hesitate! Colleges are eager to hear from applicants with experiences during their upbringing that reveal grit, determination, or ambition. As this diversity is continually being recognized as a driver of innovation and equality, colleges are giving applicants more chances than ever to describe their background and what factors have shaped them into the person they are today. 1) DESCRIBE YOUR BACKGROUND 2) USE STORIES Consider this: Which one creates highlights more about the person and compels the readers. Obviously its example 2. So as the age old saying goes, show not tell. Help the readers, in this case the admissions officer, visualize your struggles and narrative so they can gauge into your personality.That is the essence of a good college essay. Example 2: I lost many nights of sleep trying to nurse the stray cat back to health. Its leg infection was extremely painful, and it meowed in distress up until the wee hours of the morning. I didn’t mind it though; what mattered was that the cat regained its strength. So, I stayed awake to administer its medicine and soothe it with loving ear rubs. Example 1: I care deeply about animals and even once rescued a stray cat. The cat had an injured leg, and I helped nurse it back to health. 21 | ENTERTAINMENT

You should always put your best foot forward. The whole point of your essay is to market yourself to colleges so don’t be shy about your accomplishments, skills, or qualities that you want to highlight to the admissions officer But at the same time, don’t brag. Don’t be that guy who talks about how they were first in the swimming competition in all of their essays. Be humble when discussing your achievements. A common way to achieve this is to show what you’ve learned from your accomplishments and how much you worked to achieve it. How the COVID-19 pandemic changed your life. How a sports injury changed the way you live. How a pet death altered your entire outlook on life. College admissions officers have seen more essays on these topics than they can possibly count. Unless you truly have a unique angle on said cliche, then it’s in your best interest to avoid them entirely. You are writing the essay to showcase who you are to the admissions officer. YOU. not anybody else. In order to bring authenticity to your essay, you’ll need to write in your own voice. Don’t be overly formal but also don't be too overly casual. You want the reader to get to know the real you, not a version of you that sounds overly stiff. You should feel free to use and employ vocabulary that comes naturally to you. Don’t try to copy someone’s voice because it made them get accepted. You’ll need to be authentic and real in order to show the admissions officer who you really are. Arguably, the most important aspect of your application. The foundation of a great essay is choosing a topic that has real meaning to you. If you’re passionate about the subject, the reader will feel it. Alternatively, choosing a topic you think the admissions committee is looking for, but isn’t all that important to you, won’t make for a compelling essay; it will be obvious that you’re not very invested in it. Hopefully, these tips will help ease your mind and get you on track to writing the best essays you have ever written. Remember, always, to be you and nobody else. W rit t e n B y : S ain g A u n g N ain g Win @ P a u n g P a u n g D e sig n e d B y : S u A p ril A u n g 3) DON'T BE AFRIAD TO SHOW-OFF ... WHILE MAINTAINING HUMILITY 4) AVOID CLICHES 5) USE YOUR VOICE 6) SHOW PASSION, WRITE ABOUT THINGS TRULY MEANINGFUL TO YOU 22 | ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS 23 | SPORTS

Governed by FIFA, every year historic tournaments are hosted and seize the world's eyes hostage with its extravagant plays and unique and memorable players. This event that is awaited by fans all over the world started in 1930 and then continued down to this year, 2022. It has come a long way since it was first launched, and the delighted fans and non-fans of football watch it with enthusiasm greater than most other sports. Unfortunately, this year the he World Cup, is an internationally beloved football competition. watch it with enthusiasm greater than most other sports. Unfortunately, this year the fans are disappointed as Qatar, the host of this year's World Cup has created several concerns and controversies throughout the hearts of the fans fans. Such a prestigious event has been struck by fear from citizens worldwide after migrant workers exposed some secrets about how Qatar had built the stadiums with the lives of hundreds of people. Several media sources, athletic experts, and human rights organizations criticized the event, citing issues such as Placeholder Placeholder experts, and human rights organizations condemned the event, citing issues such as Qatar's lack of football history, high estimated costs, the local climate, and Qatar's extremely questionable human rights record. There have also been allegations of bribery, resulting in the biggest controversy in the history of FIFA surrounding a host country. THE CONTROVERSIES OF THE WORLD CUP Enner Valencia heads home his second for Equador as Qatar becomes the first host nation of the World Cup to lose at its opening match. T WRITTEN BY ABHIVYAKT BHATI DESIGNED BY PHONE MYINT MYAT 24 | SPORTS

The system “offered” in Qatar is downright slavery. It monitors migrant labourers and rips them of their free will. It works by seizing the worker's passports and controlling their living, work, and permit to leave the country. Human rights organizations have criticized this practice for creating accessible opportunities for exploiting workers, and it is worse that Qatar used it for the FIFA world cup. Hundreds of workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Philippines came to Qatar in search of better opportunities to provide for their families but many have been enslaved, and numerous migrants have died from harsh working conditions. It is reported that around at least 6500 workers have died. Days before, Hundreds of supporters of their nations paraded around the city of Doha, the capital of Qatar. The only catch was that they were not real fans of their respective countries. It was reported that many were bought here from other nations with the promise of free flights and accommodation along with three meals per day. All they had to do was to show support for their assigned nation in parades or in stadiums. This is just the start of an already downhill occasion. Qatar overtook Russia as the most expensive world cup with a whopping $220 billion in comparison to Russia's $16 billion. The enormous sum was spent on building new stadiums and hotels while improving the infrastructure to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of fans. Rumors of illegal money laundering have been spreading too. Most hosting nations, already have many football stadiums in place from their domestic league along with proper infrastructure for traveling fans. Qatar back in 2011 when it won the world cup bid was nowhere close to this. Though given 12 years to prepare, it would have been a difficult challenge for most nations. KAFALA SYSTEM DESERT HEAT The World Cup is typically held during the summer but that seems rather impossible under the Qatari sun despite assurance from the government. Now it is held in Winter, disrupting the flow of league and continental football as well as the fitness of many players. Qatar has spent a fortune to cool their stadiums for the fans and the players. OUTRAGEOUS PAID FANS SPENDING 25 | SPORTS

Football, the beautiful game has an ugly side. Millions of fans have lost hope in actively supporting this year’s FIFA World Cup and a small fraction of them protesting, but the world cup seems stronger than ever as the controversy hasn't stopped hundreds of thousands from booking with millions, if not billions from watching at home. When Qatar won the bid for the 2022 World cup back in 2010, its people celebrated while skepticism was quickly raised by the international community. A country with almost no history of football got to host. How? Corruption. To host the world cup, a country must be voted for by the members of FIFA, Qatar won with 14 votes. Many leaked emails of money being transferred to some of these members by the Qataris surfaced over the years with whistleblowers confirming bribery. They were essentially buying votes. Other votes were bought using various methods, but most notably trade deals. One of the voting members and president of UEFA, Michel Platini admitted that his original vote of USA was changed to Qatar after a meeting with the Qatari officials in the French president's estate where the president told him to vote for Qatar. It is said that his change caused other members to change their W votes as well, tipping the scale in favour of Qatar. O R L D C U P B I D BEER WORTH €75 MILLION Alcohol is considered 'haram' meaning forbidden in Qatar. Despite that, months ago, the Qatari official stated that beer consumption will be allowed for the fans but that statement was taken back when they announced beer cannot be consumed in 8 stadiums just a day before the event started. Budweiser had a 75 million euro contract with Qatar for exclusive rights to sell. Jokingly, Budweiser tweeted that the winner of the world cup will take home all the beer they had stored for it. LGBTQ Acts of homosexuality are illegal in Qatar and people can be fined or face imprisonment if they commit it. Though Qatari officials have assured that they are welcome to watch the world cup in Qatar and will not face any charges for minor offences while allowing LGBTQ flags into their stadium. Although the national team captains are forbidden from wearing the 'OneLove' armband--something that promotes acceptance. 26 | SPORTS

T H E R I S I N G P H O E N I X T E A M W ri t e r s : A b h i v y a k t B h a t i H s u M o n Z a w K a u n g K h a n t K y a w S w a r K h a n t H t u t K h a n t Z a w H e i n K h i n T s u T s u L w i n M o e M y a t A u n g M y a S h w e T h w a y C h a l P h o o H a y m a n K h i n S a i A u n g N a i n g W i n S a i T h u r a i n W i n T i n S h w e S i n Y e T h w a y T h a n T h a r Z a w T h e t M y a n m a r L w i n Y a r P y a e L w i n P h o n e D e s i g n e r s : A h l i n k a r C h a n M y a e T h u K h a i n g N y e i n H s u K h a n t A u n g H e i n K h a y m a r A u n g M o e L i n n L a t t L a t t M o e M a ri a M e t e l e v a M a y M y a t N o e C h i t M e l M a d i N a y A u n g Y e Y i n t P h y u S i n M o n P a n W u t l w a r P h y u P y a e P h o o H a y T h i S u A p ri l A u n g C O N T A C T U S E D I T O R I N C H I E F : M A Y M Y I N T M O Z A W 0 0 0 4 1 3 @ m i s y . e d u . m m M A N A G I N G E D I T O R : T H I N N T H I N N S A N 0 0 0 4 1 8 @ m i s y . e d u . m m E D I T O R : K H A Y M A R A U N G M O E 0 0 0 4 2 5 @ m i s y . e d u . m m D E S I G N T E A M H E A D : P H O N E M Y I N T M Y A T 0 0 0 4 3 6 @ m i s y . e d u . m m T E A C H E R E D I T O R : M R . O S C A R N I L S S O N o s c a r. n i l s s o n @ m i s y . e d u . m m

T H E R I S I N G P H O E N I X e s t 2 0 2 1 R o o m 3 0 3 r i s i n g p h o e n i x @ m i s y . e d u . m m N o . 2 4 , S a e M y a u n g S t r e e t , 11 t h Q u a r t e r , Y a n k i n , Y a n g o n , M y a n m a r