HOLA HOLA!! Okay, I know I haven't written in forever, but I have been meaning to. I promise. So here it goes.
I finished out my summer just having worked and organized my apartment a little bit better. July and August happenings included a Hootie and the Blowfish concert, my friend Elena from Chicago coming to visit which included a James Blunt/Sheryl Crow concert, working at Crawdaddy's all the time, spending time with Amelia reminiscing about Costa Rica, and helping my roommate, Sam, and her fiance, Joe, organize their January 3rd wedding. Their wedding will be the first I have ever had the opportunity to coordinate, so if anyone has any sort of DO and DON'T list for weddings, let me know, please. I may not take your advice, but I will most certainly listen to it. I also sent some goodies to my Costa Rican host family, sort of as a thank you for all they did for me. My host sister, Melissa, LOVES Hollister clothes and REALLY wanted a pair of rain boots because they are super expensive there. I sent she and her boyfriend, Marco, some really cute clothes, some rain boots for Melissa and her friend Ana, some Pop Rocks for all of my four nieces and nephews, and some Bath and Body Works goodies for my host mom. Everything apparently arrived wonderfully and they were extremely happy. I can't wait to go back and see them. I miss them so much.
Classes officially started on August 25th, and I <> began attendance. It has been so strange acclimating back into my own university culture. In Costa Rica, "college life" doesn't really exist like it does here. There really aren't dorms, sororities and fraternities, BIG football games to attend on Fridays, or cookouts for religious organizations. Everyone there attends school for the sole purpose of learning, not for the socializing that comes with our university life. That could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on who you are, but for me, it's just another difference to keep in mind when I attend my classes.
I now am trying my best to walk to school everyday instead of driving, not only because of the parking situation, but because I am accustomed to the practice. It just takes about ten to fifteen minutes to walk from my apartment, so the only time I drive is if I am in an absolute hurry before or after classes. I walked through the parking lot at about 7:30 am the other day only to see a half empty parking lot with dozens of cars surveying for a space as close to the buildings as possible. Never mind the fields of space they could just pull into quickly and begin walking to their first class. They had to spend all their time searching for a space that would help them save a few steps. Remembering that I used to exercise this exact practice, I giggled to myself and continued walking. Since the school is undergoing some construction, there is less parking space this year, and Tech is suggesting parking close to Tech Village and the softball fields (I would say about a ten minute walk from the main heart of campus). Obviously, this is too far for our already lazy and overweight university population to have to walk, so they have also started a bus route system that will pick students up from this and other parking lots and drive them to the main quad. After finding out this information for myself, I could do nothing but sigh.
This past weekend (labor day weekend), I packed my bags and headed to Raleigh, North Carolina to see Ellen at NC State, where she lives during the school year. I ended up driving solo when Amelia decided not to come, but it was a great trip and didn't take as long as I thought it would. I have decided that there should be a karaoke game for car drivers because I would totally win every time! Ellen showed me around her campus and we had a get-together with many of her friends. We had a great time at Pullen Park where we rode paddle boats and made up some excellent duck calls. I was sad to leave that Costa Rican familiarity, but we shall meet again soon. Thank goodness for true friendship.
I finished out my summer just having worked and organized my apartment a little bit better. July and August happenings included a Hootie and the Blowfish concert, my friend Elena from Chicago coming to visit which included a James Blunt/Sheryl Crow concert, working at Crawdaddy's all the time, spending time with Amelia reminiscing about Costa Rica, and helping my roommate, Sam, and her fiance, Joe, organize their January 3rd wedding. Their wedding will be the first I have ever had the opportunity to coordinate, so if anyone has any sort of DO and DON'T list for weddings, let me know, please. I may not take your advice, but I will most certainly listen to it. I also sent some goodies to my Costa Rican host family, sort of as a thank you for all they did for me. My host sister, Melissa, LOVES Hollister clothes and REALLY wanted a pair of rain boots because they are super expensive there. I sent she and her boyfriend, Marco, some really cute clothes, some rain boots for Melissa and her friend Ana, some Pop Rocks for all of my four nieces and nephews, and some Bath and Body Works goodies for my host mom. Everything apparently arrived wonderfully and they were extremely happy. I can't wait to go back and see them. I miss them so much.
Classes officially started on August 25th, and I <
I now am trying my best to walk to school everyday instead of driving, not only because of the parking situation, but because I am accustomed to the practice. It just takes about ten to fifteen minutes to walk from my apartment, so the only time I drive is if I am in an absolute hurry before or after classes. I walked through the parking lot at about 7:30 am the other day only to see a half empty parking lot with dozens of cars surveying for a space as close to the buildings as possible. Never mind the fields of space they could just pull into quickly and begin walking to their first class. They had to spend all their time searching for a space that would help them save a few steps. Remembering that I used to exercise this exact practice, I giggled to myself and continued walking. Since the school is undergoing some construction, there is less parking space this year, and Tech is suggesting parking close to Tech Village and the softball fields (I would say about a ten minute walk from the main heart of campus). Obviously, this is too far for our already lazy and overweight university population to have to walk, so they have also started a bus route system that will pick students up from this and other parking lots and drive them to the main quad. After finding out this information for myself, I could do nothing but sigh.
This past weekend (labor day weekend), I packed my bags and headed to Raleigh, North Carolina to see Ellen at NC State, where she lives during the school year. I ended up driving solo when Amelia decided not to come, but it was a great trip and didn't take as long as I thought it would. I have decided that there should be a karaoke game for car drivers because I would totally win every time! Ellen showed me around her campus and we had a get-together with many of her friends. We had a great time at Pullen Park where we rode paddle boats and made up some excellent duck calls. I was sad to leave that Costa Rican familiarity, but we shall meet again soon. Thank goodness for true friendship.
Now it is back to the grinds of school. I am taking fifteen hours this semester that include:
--Integrating Instructional Technology in the Classroom (education with computers class)
--First Aid, Safety, and CPR (required for Education certification)
--Spanish Special Topics: Don Quijote Honors Section (if I don't respond to phone calls, I'm reading this book)
--Social Intelligence (just a one hour elective class about etiquette)
--Survey of European Civilization I (History 1010 but the woman teaches like it is History 4010)
--Intro to Teaching and Technology in the Classroom (another Education class)
--Intro to Field Experience in Teaching (I go to a classroom for an hour each week for 8 weeks just to observe teachers)
It should be a full and interesting semester. I'm really worried about the Don Quijote class, but I am trying to get the ball rolling and start out right. I'll keep you updated on how that goes. I am also trying to save up for another Costa Rica trip in the works because I HAVE to go back. We'll see how that goes, too.
As for the rest of life right now, I shall blog soon. Promise this time.
Chau. Besos.
