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Published: February 5th 2007
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Ariel
Because everyone loves her This week was the first real week of classes. I like all of them very much and they seem really interesting to me. In human health and disease (HHD), we began learning how to take a patients history, the questions to ask about different aching body parts and when to ask them, and so on. Though I have shadowed my uncle before, who is a cardiologist, this was my first time actually being told the formality of the whole thing. I was fascinated by it all, and it definitely served to reinforce my future career plans.
All the people in the class have some background knowledge with the topics, but I feel Wofford prepared me very well as I knew quite a bit of what we talked about and about what we are going to talk about. The class is very exciting and really gives everyone a chance to see what medical school will be like, a rare opportunity and one I am exceedingly grateful for.
Another class I found interesting was photojournalism. Taking photos, I believe, is innately fascinating, but I have never taken photos in the way demanded of me for this course. Our subject matter is
My Host Family
Birgitte and Peter people. We have to go up to people, getting fairly close for the right angle, lighting, etc. and ask if we can take their pictures. I got a few very blunt “NO”s but many also agreed. It’s very interesting to see how people change the way they are acting or their facial expression, even if I have told them to ignore the camera. Because of this course, I feel I have a new way of looking at people. I am constantly observing others, which can only help me develop a better understanding of the people in this culture.
The more I look at people across cultures, the more I see many more similarities than differences. Family is so important to everyone, and it is wonderful to see the interactions and smiles that only come when one is around family. My host family is very fun and though I am family, I do not interact the same way with my parents and their children for obvious reasons. But watching them interact with each other is still very powerful and really brings a sense of home. It magnifies my own need for companionship, and why it is so important to me
Flower
If you call it by any other name... to find people to be with so that I am not alone for an extended period of time. I am increasingly glad that I chose to live in this environment. It makes understanding a true foundation of Danish society possible; I think I will take a lot out of this part of my experience alone.
I mentioned before about stereotypes in society. As an American, I am categorized as ignorant about politics, Europe, worldly issues and languages, and I am Republican, lazy but work too much. Defending myself is getting tiring. While some things could be true of a majority; naturally, it is not true for everyone. And when I fit a stereotype, I feel I have done Americans a disservice. It is a shame that we have this cloud of hate around us. I don’t really know if people in America realize how the rest of the world views us. America is known, to most who live there, as this free nation where we have so many rights and privileges and yes, problems, but it is home. And no one is exempt from problems.
At first, my stance was to tell everyone I disagreed with many issues in America, which is true but irrelevant. But now, I find myself defending America, not because I don’t love the country I am in or traveling to other new places. But I can appreciate those places without bashing my own country or making it seem like I am above my fellow countrymen because I oppose the war in Iraq. I defend America because, in the end, people are the same everywhere. We are a product of our own culture and, as such, have formulated certain beliefs. Maybe many Americans are ignorant to politics, but every European I have talked to is ignorant to religion. It isn’t that they have chosen a path that conflicts with mine; they haven’t even considered deep religious debate and follow, blindly, to church on Christmas only. And, though I am democrat and did not vote for Bush, the fact of the matter is that some people did. And the majority rules, and that, to me, is fair. We all get a voice. Someone here asked me if women or blacks or poor were even allowed to vote, yet. They were kidding but still. I feel we are a very progressive nation though we have had definite set backs. There are things we should be doing that we don’t do, like recycle more. But that is true everywhere, and I wish people would get over their own stereotypes enough to ask the questions “how” and “why” and try to understand life from another perspective just as I am doing here. Visiting New York and San Francisco, does not mean you understand American culture.
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Dr. Akers
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Thanks, Sarah, for a thorough Blog: it's good to hear about your class experience, your photos and your feelings. Can you copy this blog and starting posting all of these on the forum as well, or is that very cumbersome? Thanks for keeping me up on things; I look forward to your photos in your deliverable for SI.