Semester @ MindSay

This is my blog for my semester in Rome, Fall 2008! I have never been to other country or even outside California. It should be fun. Weeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

So here I am at 12am the day I'm leaving still packing...Like this is a surprise.

I'm so excited and yet so nervous! But still über excited! As I'm packing things, it's all starting to sink in that I will be in germany on my own for 6 months! This is fan-freeking-tasmic! (yeah I made that word up) I still have so much more to pack; I'm totally going to go over the 50lb no charge. My one suitcase feels like 70lbs or so already. I still have all my other clothes to pack and I don't think they're all going to fit in my one suitcase. How do airlines expect people to pack so lightly? The way I'm packing things, it's like I'll be living there for a few years! Hahah..

I'm taking a break right now. I'm sweaty and stressed. I also can't seem to find a lighter and I really want to smoke. Oh about that. I'm going to quit smoking as soon as I reach Germany. I only have a few more cigarettes left and I will finish those before I leave for the airport. Oh listen to this bullcrap. I leave pittsburgh international airport and arrive in North Carolina, then I fly over to Frankfurt, and then finally Nürnberg. The last time I went to Germany I only had to fly to philly then straight to Munich. What's up with this bullcrap? It's like I'm flying backwards, just to fly forwards again....and you'd think airlines would want to conserve gasoline...

Oh well, I won't be able to update until thursday night or friday! Wish me luck!

Tschuess!!!

Day one of the semester is is coming to a close and has been decent enough for a first day, in spite of the fact that I've managed to throw up twice and have had multiple moments of nervous nausea. Explanations are to come.

Anyway, I kicked off the day by going to Fin. Aid. and picking up my check. Thank God it was in--I was sure that the university would have screwed me over like they usually do and not given me my check until the following week. However, the full amount was there and is now sitting happy in my bank account (*sigh* oh how happy having money makes me!).
From there I went to my US History after 1877 class. It's a class that has multiple sections and is televised to other rooms on campus as well as other branches of this university in surrounding areas. I was annoyed by where I had to sit (small'ish room in which all the good seats were already taken) because I managed to snag the seat that was the closest to the televised camera. Sooo, I was on the tele for a bit until the professor came in and began her lecture, at which point the camera switched over and began broadcasting her as opposed to me (thank God!). I later ran into a friend who's in the class at one of the other locations that it's broadcast to on campus and she said that she and her boyfriend, Josiah (also a friend--one of my group, one of my besties, if you will. lol) were trying to find me on their TV and then they were like "There she is!" when I took my seat in front of the camera. lol Needless to say I plan to arrive extra early on Wednesday and get a much better seat.

After History my sister and I walked down to Pizza Hut and had lunch. Although it was good, it was a little hard to keep my gag reflexes under control and actually enjoy my meal. The reason for this is as follows:
When I get nervous, stressed, and/or excited about something, I have oral issues, so to speak, and will gag at the thought of ingesting most anything. It's weird and in no way appealing, I know, but we all have our nervous ticks I guess and my stomach happens to be mine.

Now then, why on earth would I be nervous, stressed, and/or excited this early in the day? Well, I got a call while I was in History. And when I got out of class I saw I had a voicemail. So, I listened to it. It was Ryan. Oh my. He seemed very apologetic about things and thanked me for the gift, saying he was "so undeserving" (this is true, is it not?), the gift was so "unbelievably thoughtful," and that he would "do a better job keeping in touch this time", give him a call, etc. He never specifically mentioned the whole "stood you up" issue, though. So, I don't know. Obviously in hunky-dory land I'd like to think everything's golden and jump at the opportunity. However, whatever it is/was that caused him to do away with me, so to speak, is not something that is magically cured and disappears after you're given a gift. And so, I know full well that that call was only out of guilt. And what better way to relieve a guilty conscience than by making things "right"....surface deep, anyway. If he really wanted to keep the lines of communication open and flowing his message wouldn't have told me to call him, he would have said he'd try back later. Or he would have said something along the lines of "Please call me when you have a chance, I'd like to talk." Or even, "Give me a call back. I'm not in classes/busy as these times ________." But none of that. I'm sorry, maybe he is being honest. But if he is then maybe he needs to get a clue and stop putting the ball in the girl's court and making her have to do all the work. I refuse to be the person that "holds the friendship together" anymore. It takes efforts on both parts. So anyway, I sent him a short sweet text in response to his message, telling him I was sorry I'd missed his call, was glad that he likes his gift, and that I hope he has a good semester, too.

At 1:40 I had Marriage and Family. Seems like it's going to be a great class (in spite of the 75+ students in it! Oi!). However, on Wednesday she wants us to introduce ourselves to the class and tell one important/descriptive thing about ourselves. So just what exactly am I supposed to say?...."Hi, I'm Mea. I'm a klutzy dork and public speaking makes me nervous," ? lol I don't know...

After classes and everything my mom, sis, and I went to Target where I bought two hoodies and two shirts (I may return the two shirts....or at least one of them, I have yet to decide).

Hm....I hope tomorrow has lots of good things in store...

So, here's what my spring semester's shaping up to be (if all goes according to planned, of course):

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have US History Since 1877 with Prof. Storie. This class, although not being taken along side any of my friends, should be okay in that the professor seems nice and (if all goes well) her TA will be Amy (Friend and former French classmate).
Mondays and Wednesdays I'll have Marriage and Family with my former Sociology professor, Betsie, from 1:40-3:00pm. Again, none of my friends are taking this class. However, I'm really looking forward to it because I love Betsie and her teaching style, the course material seems interesting to me, and I know I will learn a lot from her.

Tuesdays and Thursdays will be my art days. From 8:15-11:05am I will have Foundations in Painting (UGH! OI! NOOOO!) with Mira. I've heard all sorts of stuff about her as a prof. and I'm really kind of worried about the class. I'm no Monet/Van Gogh/Renoir/Marc/etc. when it comes to painting and I've heard that she'll tell you she loves your work then rip you apart during critique. So....oi. Keep your fingers crossed that don't tell her to go screw herself or something. lol Anyway, Paula from last semester's 3D & Drawing, Drew (also from Drawing), and Sis are all supposed to be in the class. So...hopefully it won't suck too much. Also, Josiah's going to try to get in (right now it's full), but it doesn't look very promising. :(
Directly after that class I'll have Lithography with Hilton from 11:15-2:05pm. This class it definitely looking better to me than painting (after all, the work focuses more on drawing skills). Sis, Paula, Jerome (cool guy; friend of sis), and [hopefully] Ariel will all be in this class. So, I'm kinda psyched about it. :)

As far as work goes, the plan is that Subway will have my soul on either Friday nights or Saturday mornings (I have yet to determine which) and I'll volunteer at Girls Inc. on Tues and Thurs.

In terms of preparation for the start of classes goes (week after next)...I still need to do a bunch of stuff which includes but is not limited to: Cleaning my room, coming up with ideas of projects in Lithography, finishing my sewing projects so I'll have some rad threads to sport during the semester, get into the habit of walking 30 mins a day [again], learn to wake up early [again]--no more 10am sleep ins, catch up on laundry, etc.

Oh hey, also, good news is that in terms of text books, I'm pretty much set! I need one for History...but I'm not sure that it's going to be required since the bookstore says it's not even in stock/available. So, yay! That means I won't be 100% broke after buying all the art supplies that I'll be needing (eek!).