marathoner452 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
marathoner452) wrote2004-01-07 06:01 pm
marathoner452) wrote2004-01-07 06:01 pm
Entry tags:
more than sunshine and palm trees
As I walked to class today, I realized something about the palm trees. Before coming here, I thought all palm trees were the same, but there are dozens of kinds just on this campus. Coconut palms like you see on postcards, ones with fronds more like fans, palmettos, tall graceful ones and short stumpy ones. Just as no two people are the same, no two palm trees are the same. And just like there are lot more kinds of palm trees here than I expected, there's a lot more to this campus than I expected.
I'm beginning to understand what diversity and multicultural understanding are all about, and what it means to truly get out of my comfort zone. It means being shaken up for a while, accepting that here I'm the odd one out here. It means accepting others and having a good attitude no matter what, because I'm realizing how much I don't understand about living here.
I guess I expected that coming here would be like going to St. Mary's, only in Florida. So much here is different and yet some things stay the same. I'm glad I came here, and not just because the weather is perfect.
Spanish dance is going to be interesting. Class today made me realize how much I have to learn here-I may have done 12 years of ballet and a semester of Modern Dance, but I know nothing about flamenco. Or the history of South Florida. Or the intricacies of Caribbean politics.
But I'm willing to learn. I'm trying constantly to be open to the way things are done around here. I'm at a big university in a big city and sure it's scary. But if change is scary, than not being able to adapt to change is even more so. You'll never know what you've got in you until you push yourself to your limits.
I know this is a bit long and rambling. Forgive me. I'm still trying to figure this place out.
~Bethany
I'm beginning to understand what diversity and multicultural understanding are all about, and what it means to truly get out of my comfort zone. It means being shaken up for a while, accepting that here I'm the odd one out here. It means accepting others and having a good attitude no matter what, because I'm realizing how much I don't understand about living here.
I guess I expected that coming here would be like going to St. Mary's, only in Florida. So much here is different and yet some things stay the same. I'm glad I came here, and not just because the weather is perfect.
Spanish dance is going to be interesting. Class today made me realize how much I have to learn here-I may have done 12 years of ballet and a semester of Modern Dance, but I know nothing about flamenco. Or the history of South Florida. Or the intricacies of Caribbean politics.
But I'm willing to learn. I'm trying constantly to be open to the way things are done around here. I'm at a big university in a big city and sure it's scary. But if change is scary, than not being able to adapt to change is even more so. You'll never know what you've got in you until you push yourself to your limits.
I know this is a bit long and rambling. Forgive me. I'm still trying to figure this place out.
~Bethany
Stop the Presses
The longer you are there they more things you will start to see, don't try to figure everything out quickly because you will become bored there very quickly. -Katie
Re: Stop the Presses
I'm here on National Student Exchange for the semester. I'll be back home by the end of April and back at St. Mary's in the fall to finish things up. After that, maybe I'll move back to Miami, maybe not. It's way too early to tell.
Right now, I'm lovin' it here. Mostly because it's different. I felt like things at St. Mary's were getting too repetive, like I was stuck in a rut.
I like being shaken up. Sure it hurts at first, but in the end it's good for you. Kinda like running-hard training hurts, but it's the only way to get better.
~Bethany