January 14th-random day

Wednesday January 14, 2009

Today I came to this amazing realization. I have come here, not to be revered and fondled over as the exchange student, but to learn. I will no longer hide in my hole, and wait for people to come to me, but I will go out, explore, and question. Life is not about sitting and waiting for it all to go to you, it is about getting out there and going. I have done that today twice.

First, I was randomly wandering around campus, and I came across a person whom I have been slowly acquainting myself with for the past few days, and I basically invited myself along on his walk. I may have invaded his space, but I learned a ton about the culture. I was rather excited about the whole culture thing. Apparently I am crazy, mainly because girls are not supposed to climb trees. It is considered to be anathema, or a sign of the evil demons in a girl if she were to climb a tree. I find it highly amusing, because I was telling Isaac about how I like to go around campus at night and climb trees, just to clear my head. He was slightly astounded, and laughed for a few good minutes. It was cute. I promise.

I'm slightly disappointed, because I am at a western style school, doing western style things most of the time. However, I am slowly realizing that that is how the world is going. People want to become westernized. The want all of the new-fangled technology that we come around with. They want the 'easy' way of life that everyone has. The land of opportunity. It really is the land of opportunity, but only if you know how to play your cards, which very few people know how to do. It's sad, but real.

One of the most interesting things I have learned is from class. I never thought I would say this, but I miss the classes, the math and the science that I am not taking this semester. However, I am loving my IR class. Especially because it is taught from the point of view of my professor. Even jaded teachers in the states teach a certain curriculum, and here, the opinion of the people whom we have suppressed is really refreshing. I love it. Especially because it is so close to my own that I am questioning what the professor is saying. If someone agrees with me, then I get frustrated and have to find something wrong with the argument that they make, which is extremely healthy for me, as I have such an inflated ego, and I love to learn about things such as this.

Quote of the moment:
Education without being able to change the world is useless.
-girl in my IR class