We're going where?

So what exactly is SIT? That is a great question, and I will get back to you once I figure it out for myself. I got my syllabus, but half of it is in French... so, it may be a while until I figure out what is required of me. Despite this vagueness, I have high hopes that this will be a great semester. For once, I'm focusing on a particular topic that I'm interested in rather than taking random classes. I feel as though the burden of requirements and grades has been lifted, and I can bring my attention to a field that I hope to have a career in.

With that said, classes are not the same as Wheaton. Though we have readings and assignments, our seminar is more of a discussion about the reading (which tends to lead us off topic at times) rather than our advisor telling us what we should think. And its not always at the same place. First, we had class in a church and then a gym ( where we will continue to have French classes). I kid you not. But we also have gone to the United Nations, International Labor Organization and World Health Organization. We have had the pleasure of listening to professionals talk about their field of interests and different research papers they have published. So, as you can see this has been a very exciting past few days. I have a confession: when I miss home, I look at my UN library card and that feeling goes away fast. Turns out we can reserve a table in UN for research papers; I think I'm just going to go to see the view of the Swiss Alps or hang out with the peacocks. Oooo yea, they let wild peacocks roam the campus. And yes, my group did chase one and got amazing photos.

Now after, all those lectures and talking with important people, we have one month for our Independent Study. This is an extremely long paper including an extremely long presentation in May. Exciting, right? Ummm, I'll let you know in May. And that's all I really know about my semester with SIT.

Including the many benefits about this particular program, there is one thing I haven't mention yet, EARL. This is my academic advisor, and since the moment he walked into the youth hostel, I knew everything was going to be okay. Aside from being absolute genius, I think its his charisma and personality that gets us. Now, I know you are thinking that I'm being extreme, but you haven't met Earl. All the men want to look like him (yes, 2 guys started to wear scarves like him) and the girls, we just want to learn his dance moves. He is just someone you need to meet and stand in awe of.

I would also like to mention how I locked my host mom and I in the bathroom for a good 10 minutes. Granted we were in there together for her to teach me how to lock the door. It took me about 4 days to realize that I wasn't really locking the door. If it wasn't been for her, I'm not quite sure if I would have ever gotten out. But I now know how to lock the bathroom doors.