Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Monotonous Diversity

These days go by incredibly slowly, and I love it.  My class is fun, the people are all engaged, I’m starting to actually learn the campus layout, and every day I feel more and more like part of a huge family.  All the people here are so nice!  Anyone you run into could be your next friend; all you have to do is ask.  I think because people here don’t know many other people, everyone is really open and willing to meet new people and befriend them.  At the start of the program, I worried a little that I was going to know some of the people that I would be living with, and that would make me less prone to meeting new people, but it’s the complete opposite.  I keep making more and more friends everyday and I love it.

It is so hot.  I’m not used to it.  The only part of the east coast I’ve been to during summer is Florida, and this feels so much hotter.  It is so humid and muggy; I’m sweating practically all the time.  But it isn’t weird, seeing as everyone is doing the same!  I do miss the temperate weather back home, but I’ve found I enjoy the heat, and it will help prepare me for when I go to the Bahamas in a few weeks.

The food continues to be good.  I had a grilled cheese and tuna sandwich for lunch, and it was amazing.  I had turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and baked beans for dinner, and that was even better.  I didn’t expect the food to be this good, but I guess that’s what you pay for at an Ivy. 

One of my favorite aspects of this program is talking with the people.  There is so much diversity, and seeing how different people from myriad other countries is fascinating, inside and outside of the classroom.  As I was walking to my dorm thirty minutes ago, I had a discussion with my Spanish friend about tolerance, or lack thereof, in Spain, especially surrounding homosexuality and Muslims.  How different people’s perspectives differ is really interesting to me and I think will really help broaden my horizons.  Also, after meeting some people, I have someone to practice French with!

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