Classes Have Begun

So classes have begun. I don’t think I will be skipping any classes this semester (especially since I figured out that each individual class is costing me $425, plus they can all hold my attention). All the text I have been assigned has been very interesting and well worth the hefty amount of time I have spent reading. I am really happy with all of my classes except Global Studies. I am finding it rather boring. It is almost like he is trying to prove that the world has become “flat,” which is what I believe to be an obvious observation. I wish instead of focusing more on the problems we discussed solutions. After writing this though, I am convinced that this will come later. I suppose it is necessary to set the stage for potential solutions.

The nice thing about being contained in a ship is the strong community between students and faculty. They cannot escape us and we cannot escape them. So far I have had lunch with Dick, my Terrorism professor and I have run into my Women’s Studies professor quite frequently. They have all extended sincere invitations to join them for meals and conversation. It is impossible to avoid them. They are all super interesting and cover several different fields:

Sustainable Environmental and Economic Development for Emerging Nations with Professor Dan Duran:
Although the title is a mouthful, the first reading I have begun for this class is amazing. We are reading Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman. I would recommend this book to anyone and I will lend you my copy as soon as I get home. It is an overview of why living the lifestyle of Americans is not sustainable and gives me hope that American can and must be on the forefront of ensuring a sustainable future, however that is to be accomplished.

Freedom of Movement from a Cross-Cultural Perspective with Professor Farzaneh Milani:
I am already enjoying this class. The details Prof. Milani offers us are superb. She points out oppressions that are often overlooked, even (or maybe especially) by women. The original Cinderella is based off of the Chinese tradition of footbinding. The ancient tradition involves the breaking of a woman’s foot in order to have small “beautiful” feet. With small feet a woman would have a better chance of marrying into wealth. This theme is found in many heroines of modern literature and film (ie Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Repunzel). A film everyone should look into is Killing Us Softly by Jean (her last name escapes me now. And although the reading list for her is very hefty it is worth noting: Dreams of Trespass, A Border Passage, The Handmaid’s Tale, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Scheherazade Goes West, and The Three Inch Golden Lotus (this list is mostly for the benefit of you, Ellen J).

Terrorism and Insurgency with Professor Dick Farkas:
I will dedicate a whole blog to this course in the near future.

Global Studies with Brian Winchester

Sorry if this blog is a little dry. I will get into the social stuff that is going on soon too.