First Day of School

I was actually pretty nervous for my first day of school. I wasn't sure if I would know anyone in my classes and I didn't know where all my buildings were. Normally I take an afternoon and go searching for my classrooms before school starts at UNC. Here I just didn't do that and on Monday morning at 8 a.m. I was starting to really freak out. Kerstin, however, told me she would meet me after my first class and show me where to go. My buddy saves the day again!

The first class I went to was British Culture (History and Society). Now this class is going to be interesting. I learned a lot of stuff but the professor was all over the place! I couldn't get a good handle on how his notes were being organized so consequently mine are not too organized either. Oh well, such is life. I will just rewrite them later.

My next class was American Cultural Studies (Alternative and Counterculture in the US-America). This was an intense class! The professor came in and started reading off a list of names of 24 students. If you weren't there, you were off the list and de-registered for the class. She then continued onto the waiting list. I was on the waiting list and name after name was being called. I was nervous already! But I reminded myself that if God wanted me to take this class he would make it happen. And he did, second to last name called. It was fun to sit through class and hear what everyone thought were countercultures in America. I think I've decided it's hard to say we have countercultures because America is based on a "melting-pot" idea that everyone and every culture is apart of American culture. I'll save my ranting for class. We were assigned 150 page read and a short paper due next Monday. That's the most homework I have ever been assigned.

My third and final class of the day was Survey of American Literary Studies I. I liked this class a lot. We will be reading parts of different books throughout history covering six centuries of literature. I liked the professor and I think it will just be a fun class to go to.

On Tuesday I just had one class, American Culture (History and Society). The teacher seemed like a real hippie and he doesn't care if we come to class or not. Which is good for me for when I travel! We didn't take notes or anything, just talked in groups about important dates in the US. I haven't quite figured out the best way to study for that class yet. Time will tell!

One strange thing I have noticed about the university here is that the bookstore doesn't guarantee they have the book. You mostly have to find it on your own. While cheaper I'm sure, it was very odd for me to hear that. I was planning on going to the bookstore but I guess I'll have to find another way to get the books I need. Graz has a very strange system for it's school here. I don't know if it's that I'm not used to it or if the US system is more efficient, but there seems to me that there could be better ways of doing things. I say this in the most polite way possible and in no way is putting down Graz.

Today I have two classes, Introduction to Literary Studies I and American Cultural Studies (Indian Studies). I'm really excited about the Indian course and I think it will remind me of 5th grade when I had to do a project on the Ute Native Americans. I'll be sure to keep you updated.

Otherwise things in Graz are good. The sun is starting to come out (FINALLY!) and I leave for Paris in a week and a half. I am so excited to see Molly and Kate, some familiar faces from home. Time is flying by here. I realized I have only 4 months left before Zach and I are on a plane back home. In that time I will be in Paris, Spain, London, around Graz, Germany and probably some side trips to Prague and who knows where else. That's the fun part of being over here, never knowing where you will go but knowing it will be somewhere fun.

Keep sending the emails and comments. I love them all and loving hearing from you back home.

Love,
Studious Sara