CLASS :)

We now have officially started our classes’ wooo hooo!!!! I started the day with the required class of everyone on the ship, global studies. We had an introduction from our teacher and then a presentation from a cartographer. I usually am not a fan of geography and mapping, but this presentation may have possibly been the most interesting lecture I have ever been in. I have a feeling I will have a lot of those this semester though.
We were taught about how the map that we go by most often is not true to size of countries at all. He showed us how Greenland was shown as the same size as Africa on the map, but in reality Africa is 14 times bigger than Greenland. It was extremely interesting when he changed the map to be true to actual land mass size… it looked WRONG… but really the mapmakers were wrong. It is so funny how something is so embedded in your brain so when all this time it has been wrong, how hard it is to accept the new view of that idea. Then he asked us if we ever thought about the fact that most of the northern hemisphere is filled with 1st world and 2nd world countries, and how the southern hemisphere is 3rd world. He questioned if it is possible that because the south is on bottom and the north is on top that we are just richer and better off because we are on “top.” If it is possible that it is a way of living and status and power based on top and bottom and how we see the world. Then he flipped the map upside down in a picture and asked what we would think if the map was like this. Because in reality we are floating in space and why should the northern hemisphere be northern when it could easily be seen on bottom. SOOOO INTERESTING. It is hard to explain on here but I wanted to at least give you a sense of how much this one teacher could make you question sooo much that you thought was set in stone.
Then we got into groups for a project that we will be doing on one of the countries we are going to. It is a group project on a main theme that your group decides on that you can find in your country of choice. Our group chose Brazil and Poverty. It will obviously become more focused on a specific topic within poverty when we have our next meeting. My group is filled with interesting people and it is really cool bouncing ideas off of them. There is a girl with a propeller hat like those little kids have (DAD). Hahahaha I know you own one ☺. She is an interesting bird, but although her fashion might be a little strange she is a very nice and smart person, who I definitely got along with, surprisingly because of the hat. Haha. We also have a girl that speaks fluent Portuguese, which will be helpful in case studies on land in Brazil since she can interview locals. I’m really excited to have that asset to our group.
My next class was surviving good intentions-development in the global south. I don’t need to fill you in on this class because I am DROPPING IT! Although I am an economics minor I did not enjoy the idea of this class. Once my teacher started going over the syllabus and describing all of the requirements of the course and the expectations it was extremely overwhelming. It did not sound interesting and it definitely wasn’t something I wanted to commit my time to.
The next day was a B day in which I start my day at 12:15 with consumer behavior. The woman teaching the class is very nice, and the class sounds really interesting. The funny thing is she talked about how we have to have a marketing introductory course to be in the course, which I have not. I didn’t tell her though because I have had tons of classes relating to that with merchandising and economics. I think I will be fine with the course structure without it. We didn’t do much in class today though, other than introducing ourselves and going over the syllabus.
The next class was international perspectives of family violence. The teacher is from London, so I really like her voice (naturally) ;). I think this might be the class that I most looking forward too. We have to journal all the time and keep her updated with them. Documenting our reactions to readings and class and what we see in each country we visit sounds amazing! Ever since my project last year on the portrayal of women in fashion and media I have been interested in topics related to women and harm. I can’t wait for this class, and the teacher directed programs off ship sound amazing as well! I will definitely have to keep you fully updated on this amazing class.
Lastly was my world poetry class, which was the replacement for the HORRIBLE ECONOMICS CLASS that I previously mentioned. This class also sounds interesting, following poets from each country we are visiting and keeping a journal in poetry! I can’t wait!!!!! I think my brother would LOVE this class, too bad he is stuck in snowy flagstaff hahahahah SUCKER ☺ love you kev.
Tonight is my friend Chelsea’s 22nd birthday and her parents ordered her a cake, don’t know if it fructose free but hell I cant celebrate with her without eating the cake haha. Im excited to do that and have a fun night with friends. (well acquaintances since I just met them but still)
THAT’S ALL FOR NOW.. Dominica the next two days, I will check back in after that ☺ xoxoxo
-me-