This semester has flown by. Most of it has passed in some sort of unacknowledged mutiny on my part. It was nice to take some time off and drift for a bit. That being said, I have three seven-page papers to write, a couple of centuries of art history to relearn and final paper for my quantitative methods course to do. S'okay though, since I have a better idea of who my friends are (and sadly aren't) here. At least I can procrastinate on my health paper. The class was cancelled for most of the semester, and we now have a major research paper, but the new professor said finish the other stuff and then think about it. He just wants a solid topic by the end of the semester.
So... one paper a week for internationalisms... studying for the arts and politics exam... and dealing with everything else as it comes. I can do this.
On a side note, the mutiny is fun. Very very fun. Like reading for fun, fun. Yeah, crazy. Been doing a lot of thinking, need to get over myself and start writing again. Can't let past failure cripple my future. Too stubborn for that.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Experiment... what experiment?
I picked the worst week to do this food experiment since I am on campus every day this week. So some modifications are in order. I'm allowed to eat one meal out either at the on campus cafeterias or the hummus bar (or some other place relatively healthy and cheap). Normally I wouldn't be on campus at all on Tuesdays, and only for one class on Wednesdays so this would be easier. Caffeine is officially exempt from the budget this week, primarily because I have to stay awake through these lectures!
I'm still waiting for my grades, and still frustrated that two of my teachers haven't even looked at the papers yet. I bet they'll ask for extensions. Deadlines are foreveryone students.
Time for dinner, soup of some kind!
P.S. Really good video (although it might take some explaining, since so many people don't know what cisgender means):
What Does a Feminist Look Like?: A Transmasculine Perspective with a Challenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq8_fJDioKQ
I'm still waiting for my grades, and still frustrated that two of my teachers haven't even looked at the papers yet. I bet they'll ask for extensions. Deadlines are for
Time for dinner, soup of some kind!
P.S. Really good video (although it might take some explaining, since so many people don't know what cisgender means):
What Does a Feminist Look Like?: A Transmasculine Perspective with a Challenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq8_fJDioKQ
Monday, January 24, 2011
Yeah. Blog. That thing, umm... Hi!
I would like to not summarize my life in bullet points, but bullet points make things simple (usually). Here's my attempt. I swear I used to be able to write before the break.
I'm back in Budapest for the Winter Term. I knew going back would be difficult, so I'm dealing with it as expect. Future frustrations will arise around the beginning of Spring Term and when I have to watch all the 1 year students graduate. I should be sleeping right now, but somehow I can't. By somehow, I mean a giant cup of Earl Grey tea plus tomato sauce induced heartburn.
I'm waiting for results from Fall Term, but the deadline for grade submission is the 28th of this month. I find the lack of feedback quite frustrating. I did get results from one class, Modern Historiography. Leave it to History to be on their game while Gender Studies ... is Gender Studies. While I enjoy my classes from gender, I prefer dealing with History admin. far more.
On to other news: no France for me. Actually chances are that anyone who reads this blog already knows this, but it is still worth mentioning. Based on a number of factors, I have decided that it is in my best interests to go to the University of Nottingham. It seems like a better fit both financially and academically. They're rated fairly high and I can get student loans while there. Also, I hope to go for a whole year instead of one semester (which I would financially be forced to do if I went to France). This means I will be able to be at the same school as my thesis supervisor while working on my thesis.
On that note, I'm thinking of making a list of warnings/cautions/tips/etc. for students that might follow my path. While I have enjoyed my time at CEU, it turns out that it just isn't a great match for me. There are many good things about the school and living in Budapest, but in looking back at my undergrad experience, there were certain locational, organizational, and safety factors that I tend to appreciate. Also, if I were in a 1 year MA, I think some of these factors would matter less, but at the thought of having to come back here to write my thesis, I realized that it just wasn't a good idea.
Switching topics, I'm trying an experiment this week. I am going to attempt to not eat in the dorm cafeteria at all. There are a number of reasons...
Anyway, that's all for tonight, really random post, I know. Sleep, minus the heartburn.
I'm back in Budapest for the Winter Term. I knew going back would be difficult, so I'm dealing with it as expect. Future frustrations will arise around the beginning of Spring Term and when I have to watch all the 1 year students graduate. I should be sleeping right now, but somehow I can't. By somehow, I mean a giant cup of Earl Grey tea plus tomato sauce induced heartburn.
I'm waiting for results from Fall Term, but the deadline for grade submission is the 28th of this month. I find the lack of feedback quite frustrating. I did get results from one class, Modern Historiography. Leave it to History to be on their game while Gender Studies ... is Gender Studies. While I enjoy my classes from gender, I prefer dealing with History admin. far more.
On to other news: no France for me. Actually chances are that anyone who reads this blog already knows this, but it is still worth mentioning. Based on a number of factors, I have decided that it is in my best interests to go to the University of Nottingham. It seems like a better fit both financially and academically. They're rated fairly high and I can get student loans while there. Also, I hope to go for a whole year instead of one semester (which I would financially be forced to do if I went to France). This means I will be able to be at the same school as my thesis supervisor while working on my thesis.
On that note, I'm thinking of making a list of warnings/cautions/tips/etc. for students that might follow my path. While I have enjoyed my time at CEU, it turns out that it just isn't a great match for me. There are many good things about the school and living in Budapest, but in looking back at my undergrad experience, there were certain locational, organizational, and safety factors that I tend to appreciate. Also, if I were in a 1 year MA, I think some of these factors would matter less, but at the thought of having to come back here to write my thesis, I realized that it just wasn't a good idea.
Switching topics, I'm trying an experiment this week. I am going to attempt to not eat in the dorm cafeteria at all. There are a number of reasons...
- Financially - eating two cafeteria meals a day exceeds my budget (1600 HUF, so 830/meal x 2, well you get the picture...)
- I miss green vegetables!
- I'm tired of the same stuff: butter, extra salt, usually mediocre soups, more butter, and too many potatoes (usually with extra butter!).
- Even with eating in the dorms last semester I managed to lose weight. I'm hoping the process will continue but at a faster pace with me eating healthier.
- I just want to see if I can manage. How creatively healthy can I be? We shall see...
Anyway, that's all for tonight, really random post, I know. Sleep, minus the heartburn.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
ummm... yeah about that whole blog thing...
Okay, almost two months since I've updated. Life + school = crazy.
Major events:
Have pictures, of the good stuff, will post eventually. Which reminds me, really need to get a picture of the "Rooster Testicle Stew" from the Christmas market. Will be posting pictures upon return to the states.
Major events:
- Went to Vienna to see aforementioned art exhibit, that was great!
- Got horribly sick on the way back, remained so for days
- Managing to get good grades so far
- Final papers are coming up (5!)
- Currently dealing with a bout of insomnia
- Returning to the states on the 14th!
- David visited! It was awesome!
Have pictures, of the good stuff, will post eventually. Which reminds me, really need to get a picture of the "Rooster Testicle Stew" from the Christmas market. Will be posting pictures upon return to the states.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Draft: Social/Political post... maybe I shouldn't write first thing in the morning.
Disclaimer: Draft Status, may be edited, points clarified later.
I'm really getting tired of my room being so hot at night. A trade off though - I can either sit here with the window open listening to road noise and smelling residual smoke from the guy the next street over's bonfire - or I can go try to sleep and sweat more with no road noise or smoke, but lots of light.
As a result: I'm online, and the first message of the day I get is a link to facebook. One of those event invitations. Me event? no? maybe? rarely yes. But the link took me directly to the page. I usually just delete these from the main page unless they're actual events with people I know doing stuff, or something interesting. The event: "Spirit Day - Stop Homophobic Abuse". Does something seem a little off with the title? Yeah, the comments and description somewhat fall in line with this trend. In typical facebook style:
No one started caring until this one university student died and there have been far more than six deaths. And, from personal observation, it seems to me that most of these suicide have been swept under the rug in the media, and that the non-white (and female and trans!) victims seem to be even more ignored. (I'm saying on a general scale - the talk shows are a whole other story here - Ellen and Oprah, if I remember correctly, have focused on this issue before.) It is sad that media attention finally got people paying attention to this problem that's been going on for a whole lot longer than most people assume.
I'll say it again: this has everything to do with politics and religion. Those influences are everywhere. You can't take either of these out of the equation here. Politics - the legal rights one has to physical safety, ability to function if one so chooses in public without fear of harm. But who am I to say? These rights have been violated so many times in the course of our history (human I mean, U.S. if you're making me specific). On the issue of religion, well that's a tough one. I could write volumes on this, but I'll limit myself to the "love the sinner, hate the sin" mentality prevalent in this event and its comments. As evidenced by the comments, you can't just take the bible out of this (or any religion for that matter). People who use religion as an excuse for hate really frustrate me. It just seems too hypocritical. (I know, back to the whole history of hate thing. One of the largest teams out there? Do I even need to say?) And this politically/religiously flavored nimby-ism (footnote 1) present in the comments is very representative of my point. "Oh, you're gay, well stay away from my family, I don't want to infecting us, but oh I'll totally wear purple in some half-hearted attempt to make sure you don't get beat up." Or the other side of things "Oh, this is a sin, I'm not going to participate because this is wrong and you should change" thus perpetuating the hate in the first place. Many of the comments, especially of the "why would we do this" variety reference the experience of Jewish people in the holocaust. Somehow, they magically forget that homosexuals were a targeted group. (footnote 2) From that perspective they do no address the isolation and loneliness that is so common amongst lgbt youth, especially when you have few role models or peers who even acknowledge homosexuality in a positive manner. (And, to be fair, it is not easy for me to speak from that perspective, my high school environment was very open, and very accepting compared to most, even more so than the university I attended for undergrad.)
I'm not a teen counselor. I don't want to be in that I would find it too emotionally draining. Yet, a few common sense points come up making it impossible for me to resist commenting in the subject of teen suicide. This whole "let's love everyone" attitude is a nice thought, but ineffective. Yes, it would be nice to have less hate in this world, but what about actual ways to prevent suicide? Teen counseling programs, or something... something concrete. I'm not the best person to make the recommendation as to what - but this whole tolerance thing of let's love everyone - doesn't translate into reality or acceptance. Again, it's hard to take someone that "says love the sinner hate the sin" seriously.
Do I think wearing purple will change things? Probably not - do I think it could be a nice gesture? Sure, it has great potential in that regard. Instead of wearing purple, or doing something that most people won't understand, why not do a larger "Gay, fine by me" campaign? Just saying since it has clear message and could be used as a fund raising tool to benefit ... say a glbt youth organization. Well look at that, making yourselves feel good and making a difference. We could even make the shirts purple.
The thing that gets me most about this, aside from the few gay/bi/lesbian people who have actually posted on this, is that it is all about helping them. The language used seems to perpetuate this idea of "other". In saying "they're humans too" does that language then bring into question again "they're" humanity? Not the best example I know, and the comments are filled with better ones.
Okay, I've been working on this thing for two hours, posting provisionally in draft status because I might like to add more/correct later. And I need coffee - like now.
Footnotes:
1.) NIMBY-ism = not in my back yard, as in environmental circles where communities or individuals may not want a toxic dump in their town, but don't mind if its in a second town 50 miles away. (Usually the second town is of a much lower socio-economic status and in a position where they have a much harder time fighting back.)
2.) A good book to read for more information is The Pink Triangle by Richard Plant.
I'm really getting tired of my room being so hot at night. A trade off though - I can either sit here with the window open listening to road noise and smelling residual smoke from the guy the next street over's bonfire - or I can go try to sleep and sweat more with no road noise or smoke, but lots of light.
As a result: I'm online, and the first message of the day I get is a link to facebook. One of those event invitations. Me event? no? maybe? rarely yes. But the link took me directly to the page. I usually just delete these from the main page unless they're actual events with people I know doing stuff, or something interesting. The event: "Spirit Day - Stop Homophobic Abuse". Does something seem a little off with the title? Yeah, the comments and description somewhat fall in line with this trend. In typical facebook style:
Wear purple on the 20th of October to honor the six boys who recently committed suicide as a result of being tormented by peers for being gay.A few things bug me about this - no one started caring at all till the most recent death - it has everything to do with politics and religion - there's a lot more to preventing teen suicide than just saying: let's love everyone - and wearing purple as an ineffective message.
This is not about gay rights. This event has nothing to do with politics or what the Bible says. This event is about loving people. We need to make an effort to show love for every single human being, so that the teen suicides end. I only wish we had done this before these young men took their lives.
p.s. For those of you who are having issues with the title. We're trying to stop abuse that is homophobic in nature, not abuse of homophobes. Otherwise the title would be "Stop homophobe abuse."
p.p.s. PLEASE. Do not spread hate on this page, whether that be hate for gays or for anti-gays. This page is about loving other people, so let's please all be good examples of that love in our actions and words. Thank you.
No one started caring until this one university student died and there have been far more than six deaths. And, from personal observation, it seems to me that most of these suicide have been swept under the rug in the media, and that the non-white (and female and trans!) victims seem to be even more ignored. (I'm saying on a general scale - the talk shows are a whole other story here - Ellen and Oprah, if I remember correctly, have focused on this issue before.) It is sad that media attention finally got people paying attention to this problem that's been going on for a whole lot longer than most people assume.
I'll say it again: this has everything to do with politics and religion. Those influences are everywhere. You can't take either of these out of the equation here. Politics - the legal rights one has to physical safety, ability to function if one so chooses in public without fear of harm. But who am I to say? These rights have been violated so many times in the course of our history (human I mean, U.S. if you're making me specific). On the issue of religion, well that's a tough one. I could write volumes on this, but I'll limit myself to the "love the sinner, hate the sin" mentality prevalent in this event and its comments. As evidenced by the comments, you can't just take the bible out of this (or any religion for that matter). People who use religion as an excuse for hate really frustrate me. It just seems too hypocritical. (I know, back to the whole history of hate thing. One of the largest teams out there? Do I even need to say?) And this politically/religiously flavored nimby-ism (footnote 1) present in the comments is very representative of my point. "Oh, you're gay, well stay away from my family, I don't want to infecting us, but oh I'll totally wear purple in some half-hearted attempt to make sure you don't get beat up." Or the other side of things "Oh, this is a sin, I'm not going to participate because this is wrong and you should change" thus perpetuating the hate in the first place. Many of the comments, especially of the "why would we do this" variety reference the experience of Jewish people in the holocaust. Somehow, they magically forget that homosexuals were a targeted group. (footnote 2) From that perspective they do no address the isolation and loneliness that is so common amongst lgbt youth, especially when you have few role models or peers who even acknowledge homosexuality in a positive manner. (And, to be fair, it is not easy for me to speak from that perspective, my high school environment was very open, and very accepting compared to most, even more so than the university I attended for undergrad.)
I'm not a teen counselor. I don't want to be in that I would find it too emotionally draining. Yet, a few common sense points come up making it impossible for me to resist commenting in the subject of teen suicide. This whole "let's love everyone" attitude is a nice thought, but ineffective. Yes, it would be nice to have less hate in this world, but what about actual ways to prevent suicide? Teen counseling programs, or something... something concrete. I'm not the best person to make the recommendation as to what - but this whole tolerance thing of let's love everyone - doesn't translate into reality or acceptance. Again, it's hard to take someone that "says love the sinner hate the sin" seriously.
Do I think wearing purple will change things? Probably not - do I think it could be a nice gesture? Sure, it has great potential in that regard. Instead of wearing purple, or doing something that most people won't understand, why not do a larger "Gay, fine by me" campaign? Just saying since it has clear message and could be used as a fund raising tool to benefit ... say a glbt youth organization. Well look at that, making yourselves feel good and making a difference. We could even make the shirts purple.
The thing that gets me most about this, aside from the few gay/bi/lesbian people who have actually posted on this, is that it is all about helping them. The language used seems to perpetuate this idea of "other". In saying "they're humans too" does that language then bring into question again "they're" humanity? Not the best example I know, and the comments are filled with better ones.
Okay, I've been working on this thing for two hours, posting provisionally in draft status because I might like to add more/correct later. And I need coffee - like now.
Footnotes:
1.) NIMBY-ism = not in my back yard, as in environmental circles where communities or individuals may not want a toxic dump in their town, but don't mind if its in a second town 50 miles away. (Usually the second town is of a much lower socio-economic status and in a position where they have a much harder time fighting back.)
2.) A good book to read for more information is The Pink Triangle by Richard Plant.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Je suis trés bein!
Okay, today was officially all kinds of kick ass! Yeah, I said it. It's soooo true though. (I understand I sound like a teenager, but, well, its been a pretty awesome day.)
More on the exhibit: http://www.bankaustria-kunstforum.at/en/exhibitions/preview/46
- I woke up able to actually concentrate! I haven't been able to focus on anything at all yesterday or for the entire weekend. Managed to get my reading done!
- I get to do my Reading Women's Literature project on one of Ursula K. Le Guin's novels. *grin* Not only do I enjoy her work, but it is text I am familiar with so I'll actually have a clue what I'm talking about (for once in that class).
- In my French beginner level class the teacher invited me to attend the elementary level (next level up) class, so I will be attending Elementary French on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Beginner on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- The Gender Studies department is doing fee/transportation paid field trip to Vienna. (Vienna, deserves its own bullet point!)
- The field trip is to a FRIDA KAHLO exhibit!!! (I love her work. It will be amazing to see so much of it in person.)
More on the exhibit: http://www.bankaustria-kunstforum.at/en/exhibitions/preview/46
Monday, October 4, 2010
Politics Continued
So, election results... (Interesting side note: April was the sixth parliamentary election since the official end of communism...) Here is the promised link, best overview I could find so far:
http://www.politics.hu/20101004/right-makes-dramatic-gains-in-hungarys-municipal-elections
Also, in reading up on the party (Jobbik) and group (the guarda) mentioned in the previous post, it turns out that they did spawn from the far-right wing party. It seems from the elections that the far-right gained in the poorer areas, while the right/center-right gained overall and won most of Budapest. From the previously posted link:
Anyway, schoolwork to do. I really am curious as to how all of this will play out. So yeah not leaving the dorm on the 24th, yay for not having classes on that day. On a random side note: David will be here at the end of the month, I'm really looking forward to it!
http://www.politics.hu/20101004/right-makes-dramatic-gains-in-hungarys-municipal-elections
Also, in reading up on the party (Jobbik) and group (the guarda) mentioned in the previous post, it turns out that they did spawn from the far-right wing party. It seems from the elections that the far-right gained in the poorer areas, while the right/center-right gained overall and won most of Budapest. From the previously posted link:
"Fidesz is providing mayors for 22 out of 23 major cities and will control all 19 county assemblies, according to official preliminary results."Yes, in almost every democratic country it seems there is a political pendulum that swings from left to right and back again, but what is so significant about this is that even Budapest went right of center this time. Let me clarify: Budapest swung right, something that has not happened in the 20 years since democracy returned to Hungary. On top of all this, Hungary has the EU presidency in January. (After the first two of the trio, Spain and Belgium.) Should make things interesting, especially since we've already seen a tax debate where the EU has cautioned the new government to hold off on the proposed (dramatic) tax revamping for the next 2 years, which it sounds like they've agreed to it.
Anyway, schoolwork to do. I really am curious as to how all of this will play out. So yeah not leaving the dorm on the 24th, yay for not having classes on that day. On a random side note: David will be here at the end of the month, I'm really looking forward to it!
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