1 Week until PARIS

In exactly a week from today, I will be on the ground in the French Capital, one of the most famous cities in the world. It's pretty surreal and I'm sure it won't hit me until I get there, maybe even a few days after. It's especially crazy considering today I enjoyed one of America's favorite pass times, college football (Hail to Pitt), and soon football will have a completely different meaning from how I traditionally think of it. I'm so glad I went to the game because it is one of the best things about my school. (Here's the best part, Sweet Caroline) Coming from a small high school I really like the huge athletic life here at pitt from the sports to the gym options. I will be very interested to see the variances in sports across the globe and how different people and countries experience athletic activities. Yesterday, we had a meeting about Beijing and some of the things we can expect while studying there. It was reassuring as I have never been to China, or any asian country for that matter. The group will be getting our visas as well as our passports back from the Chinese embassy sometime this week. I'm anxious to get my passport back because not only is it possibly the most important thing I will be bringing with me, but I've grown attached to it and the memories I draw from it. This diagram, Passport Power, shows how valuable various passports from around the world are; I couldn't be more grateful to own an american passport.

foot·ball

noun\ˈfu̇t-ˌbȯl\

1

:  any of several games played between two teams on a usually rectangular field having goalposts or goals at each end and whose object is to get the ball over a goal line, into a goal, or between goalposts by running, passing, or kicking: as

a British :  soccer

b British :  rugby

c :  an American game played between two teams of 11 players each in which the ball is in possession of one side at a time and is advanced by running or passing

2

a :  an inflated oval ball used in the game of football

3

:  something treated roughly especially as the subject of a prolonged dispute <the issue became a political football in Congress>

足球, Le Football, كرة القدم

Week 3

Things are really starting to pick up the pace as I get closer and closer to departure. The rest of Pitt is back in session for the fall and I have been meeting with as many professors, advisors and friends as possible in order to prepare for my extended absence from this country. A lot of ideas and information are running through my head as I try to compose myself for the impending expedition. So I apologize for not keeping to my blog posting schedule. Anyways, Rachel and I, (this her blog: Rachel's blog, also linked at the bottom of my page) Went to the Phipps conservatory on Sunday for a tomato and Garlic festival and it was simply delightful. I practiced my photography skills with my favorite new little picture taking device, my go pro camera, and got some nice shots,

 of course I have to include a snap of the lovely Cathy

 It was a gorgeous day.

 This guy was very enthusiastic about grounding up garlic.

 Outside Phipps.

 In the Jungle.

 There was a yodeling feature with this exhibit, I was very excited.

Main Entrance.

Phipps is one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh, so if you ever get the chance you should definitely go.  That's about it for now, oh also Paris is celebrating it's 70th Anniversary of Liberation from Nazi control and I think this is an interesting article about what it was like to live during that period. I need to remind myself that with all of the beautiful things about the places I am visiting, there is also deep history of conflict and pain. But that's what makes the good things all the better right?

¹flow·er

noun\ˈflau̇(-ə)r\

: the part of a plant that is often brightly colored, that usually lasts a short time, and from which the seed or fruit develops

: a small plant that is grown for its beautiful flowers

: a cut stem of a plant with its flower

花, La Fleur, زهرة 

Week 2

Wow week two is done! I finished the first course of this semester on Friday and I can't believe that this class is already over. And there are only a couple weeks until I leave! The thought of leaving is becoming a little more bitter, as many of my Pitt friends have returned/are returning this week and I love being here with all of those people I became close to last year. I got the chance to celebrate one of my good friends birthdays on saturday and it was jus like last year, but even better. One thing that is a little difficult for me is to explain to everyone how my semester is going to go, clarifying all the details of my complicated schedule to my friends and new friends. It has been nice though to get to know most of the peers who will also be journeying on this abroad program. With our weird schedule, there is a lot of free time for me and another student, my new good friend Rachel, to do a bit of exploring in Pittsburgh.  But others in the group have pretty crazy work schedules so we still have not done anything as a group outside of class. Nevertheless, slowly but surely, I think we are starting to figure each other out, and hopefully by the time we leave we will be able to mesh as a team and face whatever these new places throw at us. With that, I am adding a link to an article about the first PittMAP trip to enhance your understanding of a little background on this unique program: A New State of Mind: Journey Across Three Continents Shakes Up Students' Visions, Notions About the World
Hope you have a great week :)

¹un·der·stand·ing

noun\ˌən-dər-ˈstan-diŋ\

: the knowledge and ability to judge a particular situation or subject

: an informal agreement

: a willingness to understand people's behavior and forgive them

理解 , la compréhension, تفاهم

Week 1

So I finished my first week of class this morning and so far I have been blown away with a whirlwind of information. The group of ten of us, who are participating in this program, are completing a traditionally semester long course called "research methods," in just two weeks. We have class for three hours every morning as we prepare proposals for possible research projects to conduct while abroad. Our professor has been wonderful and almost makes getting up early bearable. almost. But I have the rest of each left to study and enjoy summer in Oakland, as well as Shadyside! Six of us are staying in an Inn about a mile away from the Cathedral of Learning, with easy bus access. Honestly, I am loving having a little "Me time" working on all the things I want to work on, with some space to just breath and think. Can you tell I have been going to a lot of yoga? Again, I am so grateful for this opportunity and it's still hard to believe in just a few weeks I will be on my way to Paris. In other news I have been playing with my new go pro camera. This is a decent picture I captured of my suite (and my carefully crafted dinner ).

¹tran·si·tion

noun\tran(t)-ˈsi-shən, tran-ˈzi-,chiefly British tran(t)-ˈsi-zhən\

: a change from one state or condition to another

过渡 , la transition, الانتقال

Part 1

Tomorrow I begin my Journey! I am headed to Pittsburgh and have my first class at 9 am on Monday. My summer is over, but it has been a memorable break. I'm ready for the rigor of this unique semester ahead of me. I will write more posts while I'm in Pittsburgh to get in the habit, so it's easier to keep up while I'm overseas. With that I will add one of my favorite songs:  Good Life - OneRepublic which always finds its way back into my life as I wander around this world. Listen carefully and figure out why this track is so meaningful for me. (hint: Not too long ago I visited family in Colorado) ;)

¹life

noun\ˈlīf\

: the ability to grow, change, etc., that separates plants and animals from things like water or rocks

: the period of time when a person is alive

: the experience of being alive

生活 , La Vie,  حياة