Coping with frustrating English classes

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My uneventful weekend: Ran errands on Saturday and ordered pizza for supper, because the canteen is closed weekend afternoons/evenings. Sunday morning church at the cathedral - beautiful music from the boys/mens choir and organ, but an empty "message" from the sermon. And all the Americans got together for tacos on Sunday night! They're going to make it a weekly event - some American dish - at the Missouri people's 4-person house. The ingredients were a little...off, but it was the thought that mattered. We pooled 3 pounds each and then hung out, talking a lot about what we missed from back home. We decided we're in the "second stage" of culture shock - the "distress phase" - because we're starting to get over the initial "quaintness" of our new surroundings and getting annoyed with the differences. An interesting discussion - I don't know if I'm necessarily "distressed," but I'm definitely settling in and starting to miss certain things about home.

Today I had my World Religions class, for which the lecture was mind-numbingly boring and the seminar discussion over my head, since the library and the bookstore were out of the books that we were supposed to read from to prepare for the discussion. At least we only study a certain religion for two weeks, then switch, because I think I would go crazy with a ton of theology! I thought I would like a religions class, but it's not presented in a very interesting way, and the books are very dry.

My Creative Writing class (Creative Non-Fiction) was MUCH better - probably the only class I like. It's only an hour-and-a-half, and the professor is AMERICAN! I was really happy; you wouldn't believe how comforting an American voice can sound when you listen to accents all day long. Plus, she uses vocabulary I understand and isn't constantly making references to English things. For today's class, we were supposed to read a novel, which I bought two hours before the class! So I tried to speed-read through it to be somewhat prepared for the discussion - it turned out fine.

The class itself involves more writing then reading, like a people profile we're doing for next week with a partner we were assigned. Just like what I'm used to back home, we're writing in the journalistic style!! I'm looking forward to improving my writing from the creative angle, though, since she is actually a fiction writer, but has done journalism, also.

I accidently missed an appointment with my "personal tutor" (academic advisor) because I fell asleep while doing some reading for history. I feel so irresponsible! It's because I didn't write it down that I forgot...I need to get into my normal routine.

Now it's after supper and we're making plans to go out - I'm FINALLY well enough to have some fun again! Cheers...

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Comments

[road less traveled]

Travels through Italy
A train is probably the cheapest and fastest way to go, if you can find another that's better for your schedule. A bus might work too, but that's slower and not as pleasant. I don't know of any other train deals though... try looking through their website some, www.trenitalia.com. you can read it in english if you need to. Hope this helps, have fun in italia!!