My classes are getting more interesting by the day. All classes have to be three hours long - whether it is three days of one hour classes, two days of 1.5 hours or one hell of a three-hour class. Those are my favourite ;) Currently I'm studying 'Images of Childhood in Israeli Literature and Film', which is quite different. I must admit I haven't read so much Israeli literature, and I actually quite like it. It's in a classroom in the main library, with these really low and comfy chairs, in which it is extremely easy to get quite comfortable and even manage a little shut-eye(especially for me, the one who always somehow slept through her film classes in first year - but come on, the class began at 9 SHARP every wednesday morning! It was expected that we ALL slept for the first couple hours... after that, well...). But thankfully that hasn't happened to me yet, and hopefully it never will. The class is quite good, with some thought provoking questions and answers, but its still on some basic level. I think I have good rapport with the lecturer because I answered "It was remeniscent of the Holocaust" to one of the questions that she was asking from a silent class. Seriously, its the answer to everything!
But i think they just don't have it as much in their mindset... but then again maybe I am little obsessive.
I am also taking a Publishing and Editing class, a little similar to Vivid last year, we are working on a student anthology - but learning all different types of programs and completing all this reading about editing and the publishing world. So I guess an upgrade on last year's subject. The main reason why I chose this subject was not only the tangible conclusion of the class - I actually was on the editorial board for this publication - but the fact that it is a small class and therefore has more potential to make more friends. The people in the class seem quite friendly and intelligent, so I think it looks good from here. I've become friendly with a New Yorker called Rachel, and we went to hear a talk given by the Art Editor of the Time Out New York Magazine - way cool. This woman was in the art world for over twenty years, but she landed this job by chance. I think that's the way it sometimes is in this world - right place, right time. But being here fits that description of the right place, right time. So much is going on, whether you want to be a part of it is up to you. But then again, it's also difficult to be a part of everything. As I've discovered.
I've been involved in First Call, previously mentioned here on the Nomad, and we had our first layout gathering yesterday in this tiny computer lab in the basement of one of the college houses. Yesterday was my learning session, getting the feel of InDesign (again) and the magazine as a whole. It was really fun getting to know the different people in the group - what was really funny was that out of all of us, only one was not Jewish. The stats are in boys and girls, over a third of the white population of Penn is Jewish - can you believe it?! Penn has the nickname of JewPenn, or the Jewniversity of Penn - and I love it! So different to Melbourne Uni, or anything I've ever really experienced. People understand when you say kosher, and there are heaps of veggie opportunities everywhere. There's even a vegetarian (and most popular) food truck. What's a food truck? I'll get onto that later, when I can show you a picture of it. They're the centre of food traffic around University City in Philadelphia. It's definitely something that's unique to this city. Oh, what the heck, I'll talk about it now.
Food truck - a vendor/truck that sells any cuisine, at the lowest price, specifically attracting students and those residents of West Phildaelphia...if you catch my drift. They're really good - clean, cheap, accessible food all over campus. But I don't have a photo of them now, perhaps later...it's true, you always leave it wanting more....
Not really, but it sounds good.
I made a friend in my History class - I'm studying the Cold War - an International History 1945-1991, with this AMAZING professor, one of the smartest people I have ever been in contact with, he knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING, and then some! And he's very nice as well - he let me into his class because I am an exchange student, and had to turn scores of others away! Awww, I felt bad until I knew I lucky I was, esp. because all of his classes are really popular. Anyway, my newly acquired friend, whose name is David, invited me to join his friends for dinner on Tuesday night - where? At this food truck that sells carribean soul food down on 30th street. (By the way, I live just near 40th st.) It was a brisk long walk, and a little FREEZING cold, but we made it down there, only for me to tell them I'm vegetarian. 'No Jerk chicken? Arghh, what are you going to EAT?" they couldn't believe it. But two of the group were jews, so all is understood. I hade some vegetarian carribean food, which was yummy, but extremely sweet, and huge servings! I couldn't finish it. Neither could most. We ate in the train station, which might sound a little seedy, but to those who have seen the 30th St Station (ie Mum), it's a beautiful place to eat yummy unhealthy carribean soul food. Here's a picture of the station, just to reiterate.
Ok, well this blog hasn't been so interesting, but I guess that's just because this week has been same old, same old. I'm trying to get myself involved in a lot of activities - First Call, I might be a Stage Manager for a production of King Lear, and I might even join a basketball team - a little but nervous as to how that goes.. I haven't played in a while.
Last night I went out with my roommates for a roommate dinner. I'll some pics of it later. We went out for Italian - and they were HUGE servings. Now we all know why Americans are fat. I can't finish my dinner most times (I know what you're saying, what? Sarah isn't finished her dinner? Sarah the incincerator? What has gone wrong in this world?) But its true. I love doggy bags...
Afterwards, I joined my aussie girlfriends, Amma and Jess, and a new Aussie we discovered (she didn't make it into Philly in time for orientation, Maija) for a night out on campus. Our host was another exchange student from Melbourne Uni, who has been here for a semester already, Daniel Gold. I vaguely remember him from Maccabi Carnival in Melbourne, to all those who were there in 97/98/99 (can't remember which year). He's sweet and a typical jock, introducing us to his fellow football friends (he plays varsity football for Penn) through their positions of field. It was quite funny, coz none of us girls really knew nor cared where they played in the team - it was one jock after the other. But he was a nice host, and it was an enjoyable night.
I slept in again today. It's the heating in this room. It makes me want to sleep on and on, even though the bed is quite uncomfortable. I guess that was another piece of unwisdom from me that doesn't really stop the world. My roommates and I are hooked on this one tv show that we watch every week - project runway, one of the better reality tv shows. It's a competition between fashion designers, and they actually create something every week. And they're so talented. Quality trash :D
Hope the heat didn't kill you. I wish for some of that now. It's not so cold right now, but I know the worst is yet to come.
Oh, and about writing comments - thanks to those who do! I love hearing from you, and don't be afraid if others that read the comments will see them. We can all end up discussing some trivial thing over these comment threads. Who wants a topic? Okay, here's this: Turkey eggs. Why don't we eat turkey eggs? We eat chicken, some people eat quail... And here in the USA they eat Turkey goddamnit! So why the absence of their eggs from the supermarket shelves?
Here's a bone for you to chew. We were mulling over it at the First Call meeting yesterday. Enjoy.
Love sarah.
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