So, how this exchange began.
During freshman year, I was talking with some friends who attend schools in New York. They talked about how the school systems were out there and we got to joking that I should transfer out there. For fun, I decided to see if there was an exchange program. Lucky for me, there does exist such an organization.
The National Student Exchange (NSE) is a national program that allows students to exchange to another school within the U.S. and parts of Canada. The student remains a student of their home institute, but is also submerged in the host institution, just the same as a study abroad.
After finding the program at UNC, I looked at different schools in NY. Most of the SUNY schools were members, as well as the school I will be attending: Skidmore College. I looked into Skidmore and found that it is a very nice, small, liberal arts school. It is about 45 minutes north of Albany, in a city called Saratoga Springs. Whilst the school itself is very appealing, I also thought the location was very interesting. As I have stated before, U.S. history is not one of my favorites, less military history. The Battle of Saratoga is perhaps one of the most important battles in the American Revolution. The school and the campus are close to that very battlefield.
Anyway, I went to the NSE office and talked with Dee Schriner and asked if there were any openings for the 2009- 2010 school year. Unfortunately there were none, so I had to wait a year in order to get my application completed.
Starting in about October of 2009, I started all the paperwork together, which consisted of filling out the papers and thinking about the application questions. The application itself was not due until late February. I got most of the application completed in December, except the letters of recommendation and the fleshed out essay questions.
As it got closer to the deadline, I got the letters of recommendation that I needed and worked on the essays. Finally, I got everything together, paid the fees, and waited rather impatiently for the NSE conference, in which the exchange placements would be decided.
I waited for about a week for Dee to get in contact with me.
Finally, I got in touch with Dee and was told the good news: I was accepted to Skidmore! \^o^/ This was the Friday before spring break. It took all of my strength to not hug every single person I saw on my way back from class. n_n
After that, more paperwork ensued and I had to get in contact with Kendra Nelson, the NSE coordinator at Skidmore. Throughout the rest of the semester, I filled out paperwork, course requests, and other needs for the exchange.
As of now, everything is in order and I am awaiting housing assignments.
"Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, such shaping fantasies, that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends" ~William Shakespeare
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog for my school exchange for the 2010-2011 academic year! I am super excited for the school year to start! \^o^/
A brief introduction is in order. I am currently a student at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. I am a History and Education major with a minor in Asian Studies. I also am an Honors student. Although this will be my third year in higher academics, I have enough credits to be considered a first semester senior. >.< Yet, I have two more years after this in order to complete all of my degrees and certificates (*cough* education *cough*). That is only for undergraduate work. Add two to three more years of graduate work and study and about five gazillion dollars in tuition fees.
As I mentioned, I am a devoted student of history. My concentration is European (including British) history. Specifically, I enjoy wars and military history. I have recently begun to greatly enjoy the Regency period of England, with a focus on the social history. This has stemmed for another interest of classic literature. Particularly, I enjoy Jane Austen and other Romantic authors. (Thank you Count Worley). I also greatly enjoy the two World Wars and all their mayhem and destruction.
From my minor, I greatly enjoy Japanese history. Truthfully, this has a great deal to do with my personal heritage and national pride.
On that note, it is slightly embarrassing to say that U.S. history falls close to the bottom of my list of history topics. I mainly enjoy the wars of which America has been a part. After that, not much sparks my interest. Sub-Saharan African history is perhaps at the bottom of my list; only to be surpassed by Antarctic history. n_n
Outside of history, I enjoy a plethora of activities.
El Guapo: Many piñatas?
Jefe: Oh yes, many!
El Guapo: Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?
Jefe: Oh yes, you have a plethora.
El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora?
(For the non-edumacated reader, this tête-à-tête is from the 1986 film, "Three Amigos".)
As can be seen, I like quotes. My interest in this came from my eighth grade history teacher, Mrs. Van Sickle, who had a Quote of the Day board in her room. I copied down the quotes in one of my composition notebooks and continued to fill it in the following years. It took me four years of high school to complete the task. I literally sat at the CU Events Center on graduation day filling in the last two pages of the notebook. As close as it was, I did it. I have started another book for quotes I collect during my years in college. I like all sorts of quotes, ranging from humourous to inspirational to quotes collected from friends and schoolmates.
Another activity that I greatly enjoy is judo. I have been doing judo for seven years at the Denver Buddhist Temple. I am currently a brown belt and have hopes of earning my shodan (first degree black belt) sometime in the near future. There are many tangible appeals to judo, but I think it the intangible that I find particularly attracting.
Beginning junior year of high school, I started to learn to knit and crochet. I find both very therapeutic and enjoyable. I like knitting because the simpler knits, such as those for a scarf, are constant and very little counting is required. Crocheting allows for a more creative outlet for creating things.
In my free time from the aforementioned activities, I like to watch movies or see a play. I like all kinds of movies, the exception being horror films. As far as plays, I have been going to the theatre since I was about 5 and continue to enjoy all kinds of plays. The majority of the plays I have seen have been Shakespeare and have been from the Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder. The ironic aspect of this is that the majority of the plays I have yet to see or read are the histories. >.< After this summer's season of CSF, I will have seen or read the Bard's canon less the histories. n_n
Finally, through all of these, I would be nowhere without the continual support and guidance of family, friends, and the Buddy Group. I like spending time with all three...perhaps not all at once, or sometimes in larger quantities of time, but each is important to me and I value all that they have to give (even if I grumble).
Anyway, I said a brief introduction was in order. I hope you, the intelligent reader, either understands or will come to understand that what looks like half a paper to one person, is but a brief blurb to me. (That's to you, Kate and Hailey).
More is to come about Skidmore and the exchange!
"Do or do not, there is no try." ~Yoda
A brief introduction is in order. I am currently a student at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. I am a History and Education major with a minor in Asian Studies. I also am an Honors student. Although this will be my third year in higher academics, I have enough credits to be considered a first semester senior. >.< Yet, I have two more years after this in order to complete all of my degrees and certificates (*cough* education *cough*). That is only for undergraduate work. Add two to three more years of graduate work and study and about five gazillion dollars in tuition fees.
As I mentioned, I am a devoted student of history. My concentration is European (including British) history. Specifically, I enjoy wars and military history. I have recently begun to greatly enjoy the Regency period of England, with a focus on the social history. This has stemmed for another interest of classic literature. Particularly, I enjoy Jane Austen and other Romantic authors. (Thank you Count Worley). I also greatly enjoy the two World Wars and all their mayhem and destruction.
From my minor, I greatly enjoy Japanese history. Truthfully, this has a great deal to do with my personal heritage and national pride.
On that note, it is slightly embarrassing to say that U.S. history falls close to the bottom of my list of history topics. I mainly enjoy the wars of which America has been a part. After that, not much sparks my interest. Sub-Saharan African history is perhaps at the bottom of my list; only to be surpassed by Antarctic history. n_n
Outside of history, I enjoy a plethora of activities.
El Guapo: Many piñatas?
Jefe: Oh yes, many!
El Guapo: Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?
Jefe: Oh yes, you have a plethora.
El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora?
(For the non-edumacated reader, this tête-à-tête is from the 1986 film, "Three Amigos".)
As can be seen, I like quotes. My interest in this came from my eighth grade history teacher, Mrs. Van Sickle, who had a Quote of the Day board in her room. I copied down the quotes in one of my composition notebooks and continued to fill it in the following years. It took me four years of high school to complete the task. I literally sat at the CU Events Center on graduation day filling in the last two pages of the notebook. As close as it was, I did it. I have started another book for quotes I collect during my years in college. I like all sorts of quotes, ranging from humourous to inspirational to quotes collected from friends and schoolmates.
Another activity that I greatly enjoy is judo. I have been doing judo for seven years at the Denver Buddhist Temple. I am currently a brown belt and have hopes of earning my shodan (first degree black belt) sometime in the near future. There are many tangible appeals to judo, but I think it the intangible that I find particularly attracting.
Beginning junior year of high school, I started to learn to knit and crochet. I find both very therapeutic and enjoyable. I like knitting because the simpler knits, such as those for a scarf, are constant and very little counting is required. Crocheting allows for a more creative outlet for creating things.
In my free time from the aforementioned activities, I like to watch movies or see a play. I like all kinds of movies, the exception being horror films. As far as plays, I have been going to the theatre since I was about 5 and continue to enjoy all kinds of plays. The majority of the plays I have seen have been Shakespeare and have been from the Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder. The ironic aspect of this is that the majority of the plays I have yet to see or read are the histories. >.< After this summer's season of CSF, I will have seen or read the Bard's canon less the histories. n_n
Finally, through all of these, I would be nowhere without the continual support and guidance of family, friends, and the Buddy Group. I like spending time with all three...perhaps not all at once, or sometimes in larger quantities of time, but each is important to me and I value all that they have to give (even if I grumble).
Anyway, I said a brief introduction was in order. I hope you, the intelligent reader, either understands or will come to understand that what looks like half a paper to one person, is but a brief blurb to me. (That's to you, Kate and Hailey).
More is to come about Skidmore and the exchange!
"Do or do not, there is no try." ~Yoda
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)