Since July 12th I have been in Boone, NC for a three week INTENSIVE graduate school institute. The way it works is I come here for three weeks, work really really hard, and leave with 6 credits (2 classes) of graduate school hours. Classes are definitely intense. The work in and of itself is not too hard...just A LOT of it. I have one class from 9am-12:30, lunch with
the program, then my second class from 1:30- 5pm every day. Then I
have to go eat dinner in the dinning hall and then I spend the rest of
the evening reading thousands (ok, that is an exaggeration) of pages,
writing papers, and working on projects. It is just non-stop.
However, I do like the classes. My morning class is a Hispanic
Culture Studies class that is fascinating. It is taught by this sassy
lady (who is a professor at App State) from Columbia, South America. We are
looking at the history of the Americas and then evaluating how that
effects their current actions and customs and beliefs. It is fun to
discover why it is some of my friends do some of the things they do.
My afternoon class is a methods class. This means were are learning
theory and methods behind teaching second languages. This particular
class focuses on teaching reading and writing in second language
classrooms. Teaching is what I love, so I enjoy the class...just not
the homework. Also, I prefer learning more about the practical things
that I can actually use in a classroom more so than the theory behind
them....but we have to study/research both. So there you go. My brief summary.
This is my room! (sorry mom, I didn't straighten for the picture)
This is the upstairs part of our suit where the 4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms are.
This is the downstairs where there is a full kitchen and living area.
My living situation here is pretty sweet for dorm life (yes, I am living in the dorms again...I thought these days were over!). I actually have a dorm room to myself. I'm in a
suit which means there are 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 full kitchen/living area and
four people. So, I'm not lacking for space, it is more just the
atmosphere that was takin' me back to the good 'ole days of college (well, last
year).
But if you really miss me, don't worry, I will be home on the weekends!
