Besides a few GPS complications, which were mostly programming errors, I made it to my orientation at Bard College safely. The campus, in middle-of-nowhere, New York, is pretty funky. It has an eclectic mix of buildings, some beautiful gardens and modern sculptures scattered around the college.
We started workshops almost immediately. On the first day, the workshop was rather boring/awkward (what first days aren’t awkward though?). We got a lecture on safety, our rural stay schedule and our role as an ambassador of America. Then, we went around the room, introduced ourselves and tried to answer some vague questions: Why are you here? What is culture? What do you hope to learn from this program? What are human rights? Finally, it was time for dinner and a stroll along the Hudson River.
Today was much more engaging. We met with a student who attended the International Human Rights Exchange (IHRE) last year and basically picked her brains for a few hours. After lunch we watched Cry Freedom (1987) and discussed some of the assigned Steve “Black is beautiful” Biko readings.
My flight to South Africa leaves bright and early tomorrow morning. In total, I’m going to be spending about 15 hours in the air. Once we land, we get a quick break and then head to Acornhoek, South Africa for a weeklong rural stay. I’ll update you when I get back.
On a random side note, I took the worst shower of my life today. The water pressure was so intense that it kept blowing the shower curtain open. The only way to stop that from happening was to use my body to shield the curtain, which kind of felt like I was getting pounded with a stick of lightening.
6.30.2009
6.22.2009
Movin' out
I’ve decided to create a blog. Here’s why:
1. Keeping in touch-- As you may know, I will be leaving for Johannesburg, South Africa in one week and will not be back in the US until November. Besides a seven-week stint at debate camp in Ann Arbor, this is the first time I’ve ever really left home. I’m hoping that this will be a good way to update all of you (my “followers”) on my experiences abroad. My goal is to post at least once a week, hopefully with visual documentation as well!
2. It’s the cool thing to do—Two of my college friends, Amelia and Catherine, have also created blogs about their overseas journeys. I’ve really enjoyed their posts and thought I might as well jump on the bandwagon. Why not?
3. Apparently it’s an art!—Wikipedia identifies five different types of blogs. My blog falls under the “Personal Blog” category, the most popular kind. Apparently, personal bloggers tend to take extreme pride in their work, regardless of their blog’s popularity. The blog represents an extension of self into cyberspace, the next frontier. For them, “blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art”.
Stay tuned! I’m going to miss your smiling faces.
1. Keeping in touch-- As you may know, I will be leaving for Johannesburg, South Africa in one week and will not be back in the US until November. Besides a seven-week stint at debate camp in Ann Arbor, this is the first time I’ve ever really left home. I’m hoping that this will be a good way to update all of you (my “followers”) on my experiences abroad. My goal is to post at least once a week, hopefully with visual documentation as well!
2. It’s the cool thing to do—Two of my college friends, Amelia and Catherine, have also created blogs about their overseas journeys. I’ve really enjoyed their posts and thought I might as well jump on the bandwagon. Why not?
3. Apparently it’s an art!—Wikipedia identifies five different types of blogs. My blog falls under the “Personal Blog” category, the most popular kind. Apparently, personal bloggers tend to take extreme pride in their work, regardless of their blog’s popularity. The blog represents an extension of self into cyberspace, the next frontier. For them, “blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art”.
Stay tuned! I’m going to miss your smiling faces.
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