I'm leaving for Spain exactly one week from today, but I have yet to receive my housing assingment from the PRESHCO coordinator, which is making me feel antsy. I requested to live with a host family, but I would really like to know who they are. Especially considering I have yet to get them some small gifts when I arrive & knowing who, exactly, I will need to get gifts for would help a lot. And of course, it would be nice to know the neighborhood I'll be living in, how far away it is from the university, etc. Hopefully I'll find out soon enough & I'll let you all know when I do.
My program has both a host family option & a residencia /university dorm option. But since I heard the residencia is quite different from American dorms, I really wanted to live with a host family. It will mean even more of the Spanish immersion I'm actively looking for + would have ammenities such as linens or cookware readily available, allowing for a smoother start-up. I would expect if there's something that really isn't running smoothly, I would've been notified there was a problem, so I'm not too worried.
Although considering all of my PRESHCO classes will be in Spanish instead of just one -as has been the case during high school & semesters at Smith- even that alone means a heck of a lot more immersion. I know I'm taking Spanish Art From Velázquez to Picasso & Beyond and Comparative Political Institutions (The U.S. & Spain) for sure. I've heard positive things about both, although I've heard the latter class isn't as comparative as it seems, that the professor pretty much just talks about Spanish government & politics only. Still, as a gov major with a focus in American government, I'd like to think I'm quite familiar with the American political system so I'm sure I'll be comparing the two countries on my own as it is.
My other two classes are a bit up in the air as of now, but luckily we don't need to make final decisions until we arrive. The PRESHCO coordinator this year started a new class called Community Organizing & Local Politics in Córdoba , which includes a volunteer internship with a local NGO for several hours each week. I had to apply to be in the class & for my placement, I indicated a strong preference for the two NGOs on the list we could choose from which serve people with disabilities. Over the summer, I interned in the office of Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (also Smith class of '84!) through the American Association of People with Disabilities' (AAPD) summer internship program. So considering how much I learned about disability justice in the U.S., I think it would be a great opportunity to volunteer with a disability organization in Spain. We'll see if I get into the class. If not, I might take Islam: Beginnings, Introduction into Spain & Contemporary Andalucía, instead, considering how important Al-Andalus was to Iberian history, yet is largely ignored or presented in extremely inaccurate ways. My fourth class would come from the larger University of Córdoba offerings, so I'm going to decide when I get there. Hopefully, I'll be able to take all of the classes I want & there won't be any scheduling conflicts!
Now I'm off to compile a packing list. Considering I'm only taking have a suitcase, an LL Bean backpack (which has to magically fit enough stuff for our immediate ten-day trip) & a laptop bag, I'd like to start organizing what can be packed where to ensure there's room for everything. And in case there's not enough room or something I've forgotten, I can realize it now.
I'll be posting at least one more entry before I leave, so stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment