School Days

As many of you know, I'm quite the perfectionist (pretty much to the point of obsession) when it comes to my studies. I have always identified myself as a "good student," and I definitely feel at ease in the school environment... or at least I DID until I started classes at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana here in Cali. I am taking both undergraduate and graduate courses at this Jesuit college, and each type has proven to be very humbling, interesting, and challenging.

My main focus is in a graduate program called "International Humanitarian Rights/Accords and the Culture of Peace" (which is VERY relevant in the context of violent, war-torn Colombia). Our current materials are focused on theories of conflict, and the texts that we're reading are incredibly dense. The classes take place at night and on Saturday to accomodate the schedules of working professionals, and my classmates are almost entirely lawyers, with one sociologist, two psychologists, one anthropologist, one retired engineer, and one professor of "conflict management."...And then there's me!! I am the only non-Colombian; I am very young in comparison to the rest of my peers; and I definitely feel like the "weakest link." I struggle with finding the confidence to express myself with the right Spanish vocabulary during class discussions (I get nervous, and it's usually a bunch of incoherent phrases), and (although I usually understand most of what the professors say) there are times when I get a little lost. The other day, I had the feeling of "the kid that never gets chosen to be on the team" when people were beginning to select group members for a required project, and no one wanted to be with me. I mean, I can certainly understand that I wouldn't be the most "strategic" choice, but I really did feel pretty crummy... Luckily, however, I am happy to report that I now have a group and have befriended many of my impressive classmates. Hooray! =)

My undergraduate classes are not quite as intimidating, but they still are challenging nonetheless. I'm taking a few Latin American political science courses, and the reading for them (which, of course, takes me longer than it does for native Spanish-speakers) is quite hefty. For my "Latin America: Problems and Perspectives" class, we have to turn in a 4-page paper EVERY class!!! Thus, I spend a lot of my time studying... But it's good for me, right?

In addition, riding the bus to and from school takes up a TON of my time. I love the family where I'm currently living (They really have taken me in with open arms and don't want me to leave), but they live very far from my school. The crazy bus ride can last up to 2 hours each way! I would love to take advantage of this down-time to study, but the environment is so chaotic that one can only sit/stand as more and more people hop onboard and the bus zips along unpredictably. Plus, my graduate classes are at night, and everyone says it's incredibly dangerous for me to be out on buses or walking to bus stops during this time (In fact, I've actually had to hire a driver to take me home from most of my classes). Therefore, I am in the process of relocating. I'll keep you posted as I find a new home!