New semester, new classes. The best thing about school this semester is definitely the schedule: Monday and Tuesday packed with classes, and then practically a five-day weekend every week starting on Wednesday (minus one movie class on Thursday evenings). My "American" classes are Syntax, a course on Cervantes, and then a Spanish cinema class. I'm really enjoying them all so far and like all of the professors.
One of my "Spanish" classes is Contemporary History. I do like it, but it's really hard to stay focused in that class. It starts at 8:30 in the morning, and the teacher just sits in her desk and talks at us for ninety minutes. It's interesting, and I can understand her well when I pay attention. However, it's very easy to drift off for a minute, and then after that it's pretty much over. But as long as I'm sitting next to someone with a computer to peek at, I can usually find my place again. Like a lot of Spanish classes, the entire grade for the class depends on the final exam, so it requires very little work during the semester and then a lot of pressure on that one test. Unfortunately, I just discovered all of the mandatory "lab" days we have for the class are scheduled during my other classes, so there's a good chance I'm going to fail this class anyway for lack of attendance. This is a problem I still need to resolve.
My last class brings up a whole new load of problems I have with our program. I was bent on taking a class in the College of Psychology (which we aren't allowed to do), and I wasn't going to let lack of resolve be the reason I wasn't able to. I talked to the professors of the classes I wanted, the registrar's office at the university here in Madrid, and even an advisor back at Cal Poly to make sure all of my bases were covered. Everyone said okay, and I just needed my program to give me permission. Well, the directors we have here in Spain both said no, it's not possible (even though in the program brochure we received before arriving it explicitly says that it is possible). So, I wrote to the main office in Long Beach. The email exchange was so outrageously frustrating I couldn't even believe it. I received emails about irrelevant topics, then I was ignored, and then I was told I was prohibited from contacting them again. I don't understand why these people work for a university if they aren't willing to deal with students.
I didn't come to Spain to not take a single psychology course. One of the main reasons to study abroad is after all to learn about your own field of study from another cultural perspective. So, even though for my fifth class I am technically enrolled in a philosophy course, I'm taking it credit/no credit; I haven't attended once, so I'm intentionally failing it and won't receive the credit. Instead, I travel every Monday and Tuesday to a farther campus where the Psychology School is located, where I have a Psychology of Language course. I love what I'm learning there, and it's probably my favorite class. I'm not technically in the class and I won't receive a grade for it at the end, but I still participate in all of the work we have like a regular student. It's pretty sad that I have to fail one class in order to have another that I enjoy, but IP has done me enough academic damage this year. They will not keep fucking with my education.
I just summed up about two months of constant problems in two paragraphs. I could easily write an entire blog, if not a short novel, on the grief they have caused me, and I probably will. But, the director of the entire CSU Study Abroad program is going to be in Madrid in a couple of weeks and asked to meet with me. I honestly can't wait, and I do feel reassured to be able to talk with him one-on-one. I just hope the positive feelings remain after the meeting as well. Vamos a ver.
One of my "Spanish" classes is Contemporary History. I do like it, but it's really hard to stay focused in that class. It starts at 8:30 in the morning, and the teacher just sits in her desk and talks at us for ninety minutes. It's interesting, and I can understand her well when I pay attention. However, it's very easy to drift off for a minute, and then after that it's pretty much over. But as long as I'm sitting next to someone with a computer to peek at, I can usually find my place again. Like a lot of Spanish classes, the entire grade for the class depends on the final exam, so it requires very little work during the semester and then a lot of pressure on that one test. Unfortunately, I just discovered all of the mandatory "lab" days we have for the class are scheduled during my other classes, so there's a good chance I'm going to fail this class anyway for lack of attendance. This is a problem I still need to resolve.
My last class brings up a whole new load of problems I have with our program. I was bent on taking a class in the College of Psychology (which we aren't allowed to do), and I wasn't going to let lack of resolve be the reason I wasn't able to. I talked to the professors of the classes I wanted, the registrar's office at the university here in Madrid, and even an advisor back at Cal Poly to make sure all of my bases were covered. Everyone said okay, and I just needed my program to give me permission. Well, the directors we have here in Spain both said no, it's not possible (even though in the program brochure we received before arriving it explicitly says that it is possible). So, I wrote to the main office in Long Beach. The email exchange was so outrageously frustrating I couldn't even believe it. I received emails about irrelevant topics, then I was ignored, and then I was told I was prohibited from contacting them again. I don't understand why these people work for a university if they aren't willing to deal with students.
I didn't come to Spain to not take a single psychology course. One of the main reasons to study abroad is after all to learn about your own field of study from another cultural perspective. So, even though for my fifth class I am technically enrolled in a philosophy course, I'm taking it credit/no credit; I haven't attended once, so I'm intentionally failing it and won't receive the credit. Instead, I travel every Monday and Tuesday to a farther campus where the Psychology School is located, where I have a Psychology of Language course. I love what I'm learning there, and it's probably my favorite class. I'm not technically in the class and I won't receive a grade for it at the end, but I still participate in all of the work we have like a regular student. It's pretty sad that I have to fail one class in order to have another that I enjoy, but IP has done me enough academic damage this year. They will not keep fucking with my education.
I just summed up about two months of constant problems in two paragraphs. I could easily write an entire blog, if not a short novel, on the grief they have caused me, and I probably will. But, the director of the entire CSU Study Abroad program is going to be in Madrid in a couple of weeks and asked to meet with me. I honestly can't wait, and I do feel reassured to be able to talk with him one-on-one. I just hope the positive feelings remain after the meeting as well. Vamos a ver.
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