Ladies and gentlemen, I am thrilled to announce my finalized summer plans! I was recently notified that I have been accepted into the summer study abroad program in Cordoba, Argentina. Additionally, the Latin American and Iberian Studies (LAIS) department offered me a generous scholarship to help alleviate the program cost. I cannot wait to spend my summer exploring a whole new culture all the while earning credit towards my LAIS degree!
               Through the program, I will take classes on Latin American/Argentine culture and Spanish-American literature at Blas Pascal University during the week and explore different parts of the country on the weekends. Weekend excursions include visits to small historic towns of Alta Gracia and Villa General Belgrano in Argentina’s Cordoba Province with other UR students in the program. We will also venture on hikes and horseback outings to explore natural wonders such as Valle de la Luna and Talampaya National Park. Then, we will spend the last five days of the program in the nation’s historic capital of Buenos Aires.
               In addition to exploring the country through excursions, I will have the once in a lifetime chance to personally get to know the Argentine people and culture. I will be staying with an Argentine host family during my four weeks in Cordoba. Through home-stay, I will experience family customs and enjoy home-cooked meals. I will also be partnered with a student from Blas Pascal who will show me how the average Argentinean college student lives.
               Sharing my summer plans with you has only made me more excited for my Argentina adventure. All this to show that the University offers amazing summer opportunities in addition to everything else, so you should definitely scope them out when you’re here!
I have just returned from nine blissful days of spring break, only to be welcomed by dreary rain. However, spring flowers are starting to bloom and little tufts of green are popping out of the ground, so campus will be gorgeous soon!
The week leading up to spring break was quite miserable, to say the least. I had a midterm in every class, two papers and a presentation due. Â All this to say, spring break was very much needed and came just in time.
Now that I am back on campus, I am focused on finishing up my year! I am very proud to say that I have successfully survived three quarters of my first year of college! Only five more weeks of classes and one week of finals until I am completely done; it’s unbelievable!
Besides schoolwork, there are tons of activities planned for the rest of the semester. This week’s highlights include St. Patrick’s Day, my birthday, and a class of 2012 celebration! Of course, the school will go all out for St. Patrick’s Day like it does for every other holiday, so I will definitely keep you updated. Also, I am turning the big 1-9 on Thursday, and to celebrate that, I will continue my search for delicious eats by trying out a new restaurant. And to end the first week back, the Richmond and Westhampton class of 2012 will throw a luau on the Westhampton Green to celebrate our survival of freshman year. I will be taking pictures, so keep an eye out for updates on this week’s festivities!
It is that time of year where everyone is scrambling to secure roommates and scope out dorm choices for the next school year, so that they will be prepared for room registration the week after spring break. Unfortunately, I will not be going through this year’s room selection process, so I will not be able to give insight on that.
However, there is a plus side to my missing out on the registration process. I have been accepted into Opening Nights, a Sophomore Scholars in Residence program that is offered exclusively to rising sophomores of the class of 2012. The Sophomore Scholars in Residence initiative combines academic courses with co-curricular learning activities. It allows you to live and learn with those who share the same interests. The Opening Nights program specifically, focuses on the role of arts organizations in society by exposing students to different areas of arts through guest speakers and experience trips to Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Along with all other Sophomore Scholars in Residence programs, Opening Nights takes place in Lakeview Hall, the newest and consequently (in my opinion), nicest dorm building on campus. I will be living in a suite with either double-double or double-single rooms, a bathroom and a mini parlor that connects all three rooms. I will share a particular section of Lakeview with the fifteen other students in my program. In addition to living in luxury, I will attend two classes a week and travel to experience sites with the same fifteen students.
The Opening Nights program is a new addition to Lakeview this year and as such, has generated quite a bit of excitement. I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to join the program. That being said, I cannot wait for next semester!
