Classes, Classes, Classes

Ay, ay, ay I know it's been too long.  But I'm here.. writing away.


Classes started!  I am taking four courses.  All classes here at UCC are taught in Spanish, which is a challenge but very rewarding.  The school offers some classes geared towards exchange students.  I am taking two of these courses.  One is the History of Argentina 1912-present day.  It is a fascinating course.  During the last century, Argentina went through many changes on a political, economic and social level.  I can't wait to learn more about what led to so many military rulers and dictatorships and how Argentina still managed to keep it together as a country and be as prosperous as it is now.  The other class offered for exchange students is just a grammar course for Spanish.  The professor also taught my pre-intensive course so I know she is a fabulous teacher and a wonderful person.  Even though I've had many years of Spanish, it is still a great experience to learn from a native speaker, and be able to walk out on the street and use the things I learned in class.  Lastly, every other weekend I have class on Friday night and Saturday morning.  These are two literature classes: the literature of Latin America and contemporary literature of Argentina.  I am excited to bring what I know about literature to class discussions and see what others have to say about their culture through literature.  It should be a very fulfilling experience.  Interestingly, my professor of literature of Latin America moved to Minnesota for ten years after she got married!  She knows Wisconsin very well.  It is strange to find something so familiar in a place that sometimes... well... isn't so.  My classmates in the exchange student classes are great--I have close friends in every class.  Ally and I have two classes together, and Brice, Kelsey, Katie and I share one class.  It is wonderful to mix old friends with new and keep making more each and every day.  In the other classes I have met some very nice people.  The literature classes are technically more for graduate students, so the class consists of either adults coming back to school or older students.  It is a very different dynamic from what I am used to in the classroom but all my classmates are incredibly welcoming and supportive.  I am still a little shy (I know, me shy, right?) to jump right into the class discussion, usually because by the time I assure myself that I know the proper grammatical structure to use, the conversation has moved far beyond.  I know I just have to go with my instinct and start talking!

Well, sorry for the lack of posts lately... I will try to keep everything more updated!