Czech Republic @ MindSay

Hello world. Being my first blog since Xanga or OpenDiary (which I suppose aren't real blogs but more online diary keeping) I thought I would open up by saying its been a long time since I've written freestyle and I apologize for any confusing statements I may make however this is pretty informal so I expect not too many people will see this. So here we go.

This past semester has been a hectic one to say the least. I decided to study abroad in Prague this upcoming semester which in order to do so is a class unto itself in paperwork and decisions and preparations. On top of that, the classes I have been taking have pretty much consumed my free time. Being enrolled in two production classes is a lot of work and outside of class work (which is the most time consuming kind). On top of that, I began working as a production assistant at Goddard Space Flight Center (very exciting I might add). All of these things however are not the most exhausting things I've ever done. I can deal with school, paperwork, regular work and anything else that requires exorbitant amounts of energy.

So that being said, this is not what I want to rant or rave about. What I want to rant or rave about is one of my classes in particular in which the content really affected the way that I look at things now. This class is documentary production. Now ordinarily, the class would be taught in a way that teaches you the basics and principles of documentary making, no big deal. The professor that taught it didn't see it that way. This man is a super leftist liberal (bless his heart) and decided to teach the class with an activist edge to it. So he began showing us documentaries of heavy content and readings that supplemented what we were seeing. Still doesn't seem too bad right? I didn't think so either. When he went through our syllabus and discussed the structure of class and some of the content we would be learning about, I thought, "Hmm, perhaps we'll talk about how George Bush is the worst president to ever see inside the Oval Office". No, that was not the case. Although my professor did have his biases against the president, he did not vocalize them. Instead he subverted his views of George Bush's style through material that would truthfully show us the bad in what goes on in the heart of our corrupt society. We were eased into all of this with a few short videos like "The Story of Stuff" and Stephen Colbert's speech at the White House Correspondent's dinner. He then hit us with other liberal sided docs like Sicko, The Corporation, End of Suburbia and What a Way to Go. Being brought up in a highly conservative house and closing my mind to politics yet attending a liberal arts college did not prepare me for all these one sided view points. Most of the opinions in the films we watched maintained that everything it talked about was in fact the truth. Well who knows what the truth is? Its better to keep an open mind and let everything wash over you so you can have a more informed opinion. Me, personally, I like to stay in the middle and try to avoid our bipartisan country's conflicting ideals. I don't usually like discussing the latest controversial issues that I do have opinions about (unless its with my conservative father who I then just take the other side for the sake of pushing his buttons).

Keeping that in mind, I am glad that I took this class before my departure to another country. Before the class, I think I was pretty open minded but my mind was pretty vacant in terms of knowledge of issues. However, now after a semester of learning and gathering opinions (granted they are a little one-sided) I feel a little more prepared for my trip than before this semester. Now I feel motivated to learn and search for all the information I can to broaden my perspective on local, national and worldly views. My anticipation for my trip this fall is that I can add experience to my perspective as opposed to just news print. As much as we rely on news print to retrieve our information on what's going on in the world, I think its just as important to experience these things so we have more passion and conviction in the things we talk about. It is a shame and unfortunate that not everyone is able to travel the world and see different sights and talk to different people and experience a different culture. It is with this idea in my mind that I appreciate this opportunity I've been given and really take full advantage of it as I embark on this adventure this fall.

 

The old KGB fox and current President of Russia flamed Secretary of State Rice and Secretary of Defense Gates in negotiations to find a common ground on a missile protection system the US is offering to build in Poland and the Czech Republic as a counter measure to a potential Iranian missile attack.

 

The quickly fading ally Russia views the Missile Defense Umbrella as a threat to Russian missiles, meaning in old Cold War terminology the erasing of the Mutually Assured Destruction deterrent between Russia and Europe/America.

 

I mean Putin is furious! Now this begs the question: Why would a Missile Defense Umbrella which potentially even aid in protecting Russia from long range Iranian missile infuriate Putin?

 

Let us speculate a little.

 

Could it be that Russia is clandestinely aiding Iran build a nuclear arsenal with some kind of secret mutual defense pact? I mean Russia openly has provided nuclear technology to Iran. Russia has provided military arms to Iran. Russia is back to pushing the envelope on British air space. Russia is attempting to control any resources in the Arctic North Pole region.

 

Do all these act sound or look like the practice of a Western allies? Is Russian democracy based on the Western model devolving back to Russian despotism?

 

I am just speculating now; however there is the appearance of a Russian/Iranian secret pact that a Missile Defense Umbrella might just screw up.

 

Then there is on last question for you readers to speculate on an answer: What is China’s agenda in regard to Russia’s antics and Iran’s increasing belligerence as the West allows Iran to become a nuclear power? Hmm ???

 

well i was  excepted in to program number 2 about 2 weeks ago. i didn't  write about it because thats all i really could say. now things are getting ugly. time is ticking i need to get a ticket and a visa and helth insurance.  im not that ups set though because i am going to prague any way and i think the CUNI program may be better and cheeper!   it is all very frustrating because i need to get my visa. if you have ever tryed to do this my heart goes out to you.  you need notorized copies of  like every thing including proof of insurance, and bank statements and letters in czech  saying that you will be supoted wile you are there. it is insane!!!!  that's the good thing about CIEE  it takes care of all of that for you. they send you all the documents you need  and all you have to do is send them to the embasy. but for  something like half the cost i supose i can take care of everything my self.  i just need to desided CIEE or  CUNI  so i can know  who to put on the  visa App. and so i know i f i need to track down all the records and go to school to get classes apoved. its such a mess.  atleast i knwo im going now though.  i was  alot more  worried about it but now i just want to leave. i've read soo much and talked to so many people  i just want to be there.  pluse i kinda feel like  need a break from the boy.  he whent home yesterday and i was relived. he asked me to come to his house  ( 50 miles away)  tonight  and i made up excuses.  i love him but  i don't trust time and part of me wants to just go and find my own way.

it's  so cleche to do it in europe but then i never said I wanst cleiche. any way im really leaning twards teh CUNI program less  suport and  sturcuter but the same basic positives and  threre is this one really cool class that i really want to take hopefully i can get anthro credit for it. i may just pass/fail it and take it for fun. but it is an actual class where they just  take you around the country and teach you about the culture. you go to pubs and museums and you get credit. that sounds amazing to me. im just soo excited to go... only 3 more mounths... but ahhh soo much to do be for i get there!!!!

Today, May 5, Cinco de Mayo, 2006, is the official season finale of BlogAbroad.com Season 3.  It's been an amazing adventure where Taylor (LittleLadyLuck), Tammy (TammyCamera), Sarah (BritLit ), and Jeff (CzechIt) have taken us on virtual tours of Japan, Costa Rica, England, and the Czech Republic.  It has been educational, entertaining, and moving.  So many have been touched by the changes they have experienced.  They truly are new people, and it was amazing to witnesses their transformation right before our eyes in these past few months. 

We thank you, Taylor, Tammy, Sarah, and Jeff, for showing us what it means to be human, and what it takes to stretch beyond our means and grow in ways we never thought possible. 

You are true inspiration.

Sincerely,
The BlogAbroad.com Team.


And now, to the good stuff:

The winner of the first ever BlogAbroad.com photo contest is Tammy for her stunning picture of white cranes in flight:



And, finally, if you have been following along with the BlogAbroad.com Express Newsletter, you know about that contest.  The winner, for guessing that today, Cindo de Mayo, was the season finale, is William Patterson from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  Congratulations to William for winning a shiny new iPod Nano.  The staff at BlogAbroad.com has been oggling it all week and is very jealous.

Well, that's it.  The season is over.  Now, don't worry too much.  The four bloggers will still be finishing up their semesters and blogging about their return to America.  The season isn't really over until their experience is, but the color commentary on the season has ended.

Don't forget about them, though.  They need your support.  And don't forget about us, either.  We'll be back soon with an all new group of terrific and daring study abroad students.  But it will be hard to match these four inspirations.  We wish them all the best of luck.

BlogAbroad out.

It was awesome getting to meet Gunnar from BlogAbroad.com, and we had a chance to talk about Prague.   Be sure to click and check out the video.