Thursday, August 20, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A - Page 7
Rising Sun calls to KU student
Internship offers politics in China
By Augustus Anthony Piazza
Kansan Staff Writer
It's 1998, and interns have been making a name for themselves in the world of politics.
For one KU student, the opportunity to work as a political non-paid intern allowed him to practice his Chinese language skills and get real world experience in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Cody Simms, Wichita senior, spent two months interning for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in China and spent two weeks helping organize an environmental round table that President Bill Clinton attended Aug. 2 in Guilin, China.
"It was a good way to get to China and practice my Chinese again," said Simms, who studied Chinese last summer in Beijing.
"I told myself when I was studying last summer that I wanted to get a real experience type of job," said Simms, who is the forums coordinator for Student Union Activities.
"I felt that if I just studied again, I wasn't getting real world experience out there."
writing economic reports for the Commerce Department and interviewing Chinese people for nonimmigrant visa's at the U.S. Consulate's Office in Guangzhou, China.
Simms said the interviewing was the most difficult part of his job because it was hard to determine if the people actually, were telling the truth that they would return to China if they were issued a visa.
Simms spent most of the summer
He said the most exiting part of his internship was Clinton's visit to Guillin.
During the visit, Simms escorted American guests invited to Clinton's speech and some members of Congress to the round table.
Cody Simms, Wichita senior, sits outside the Kansas Union. Simms worked as an intern for the U.S.State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in China this summer. Simms helped organize an environmental round table that President Clinton attended in Guilin, China.
"I got to stand there and watch the environmental discussion, which was really neat," he said.
After the round table, Simms rode in the Presidential motorcade.
Simms worked very close to the President during the visit but never talked to him.
"I was working, and I felt that it was unprofessional to talk to him while we were working," Simms said.
He also was very impressed by the President's enthusiastic approach to the round table.
Photo by Augustus Anthony Piaz-a/KANSAN
"I thought that this was very interesting for Clinton, this late in his term, to be focusing on the environment," Simms said. "He must really care because he wasn't just doing it for votes."
Although the internship kept him extremely busy, two months away from home caused him to miss some American conveniences, such as waiting in an organized line or getting away for some private time.
He found that many of the Chinese people he encountered did not understand the concept of waiting in line. Instead, they would all surge to the front of the line.
Simms was missed at home, too
"I hated to see him go so far away
this summer," said Kathyrn Simms, Cody Simms' mother, who spoke to him once a week by phone.
The first thing she said to him when he got off the plane was that he looked skinny.
Now Simms is thinking about applying to law school next fall.
Simms' mother knows he has a tendency to get bored with things and is always trying something new.
"I want Cody to be challenged by whatever he did," Katherine said.
Child-theater group to give performance
Kansan staff writer
By Mariana Paiva
For those in doubt about what to do this weekend, Liberty Hall may have the entertainment solution.
The Seem-to-Be Players theater company will hold a variety show, including a creole dinner, cultural show and a performance by The Band that Saved the World. The fund-raising event will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday in Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St.
Tickets for the dinner, show and concert cost $20 and are available
at Liberty Hall and at Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets for the concert cost $5 at the door.
"It will be Lawrence's biggest party," said Shane Schele, director of the event and the company's managing director.
The event will start with dinner and will be followed by the cultural show until 10 p.m. The band will play from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Schele said the variety show was
"The group is a great party band, a funk-soul-pop music band that has been playing in Lawrence for a long time," Schele said.
formerly held in January but the company decided to have it earlier to attract more people.
"We'll have a bigger and better party this year," Schele said. "We have a variety of attractions that include singers, dancers, ballroom dancers and even a fire-eater."
The Seem-to-Be-Players is a professional theater group that traditionally performs for children. The group began in Lawrence 26 years ago, but its 1989-99 tour will travel from coast to coast, moving from Rhode Island to California.
Kristen Paludan, assistant director of the show, said the event's performers were mostly Lawrence residents and included several students from the University of Kansas.
"People are graciously participating as volunteers," she said. "It is always nice to have people who want to support the company."
Paludan said she also would be participating, singing All That Jazz from the musical "Chicago." She said that anyone interested in participating in the Seem-to-Be Players' future events should call its office at 843-5067.
Come see why students love our GREAT FURNISHED 2 Bedroom Apartments
2
CALL
*HANOVER PLACE 841-1212 Reserve Yours Today! MODELS OPEN DAILY
MASTERCRAFT MANAGEMENT A DIVISION OF MASTERCRAFT CORPORATION 842-4455
Rent-To-Own Center SM
Monthly Rentals • Lease Purchase • Retail Sales
FURNITURE
Livingroom-Dinettes
Bedroom-Tables & Lamps-BEDS
APPLIANCES
Refrigerators—Ranges—Washers—Dryers Freezers—Dishwashers—Microwaves
TV/CR
TWVCH
Quasar-Sharp-Hitachi 20" ,25" & 27"
STEREOS
STEREOS
Pioneer-JVC-AIwr
Computers
FASTFREEDELIVERY!
842-8505
CALLTODAY
2204 Haskell
M-F 9-6, SAT 9-5
1. APPLY SHAMPOO TO WET HAIR.
2. MASSAGE THOROUGHLY INTO RICH LATHER. 3. PHONE RINGS.
4.MISS CALL. 5. MISS OUT ON THE EXTRA FRONT-ROW TICKET YOUR FRIEND HAD FOR THE BIG CONCERT TONIGHT.
There are lots of reasons you should be using *69 Call Return. Primarily, because it's already on your phone. Another is that it's only 75¢ per use.
Can't get there in time?
Your friendly neighborhood global communications company."
Call Return.
018AD