work and other stuff

Sorry I have not blogged in awhile, I have been very busy with work... as explained in this post, along with some other things I have been up to. I will post much more this week, because it is my last week here.

After the disastrous first archaeology paper, I got my academic affairs in order. I first went to CAPOD, which helps students with academic skills. It is like KU's version of the math help lab and the writing center all in one. I talked to Mathew for like an hour. He gave me some tips on what to do for my next essays, since both the history and archaeology ones got the same grade and comments. I also was glad to hear that most of the problems in my papers were just cultural differences. For example, in the US, I would have had a great anecdote introduction. Here, I got yelled at because it was  'not how you start a scholarly article.' (The ' ' are English). The archaeology one, I wrote about coins, apparently the man (my co-teacher) grading it was an expert in the archaeology field in coins. And apparently, because I am in the archaeology class, it is assumed that I am an actual archeologists and have gone on digs. It was nice to be told that in fact you do not write like a 2nd grader.He said that I needed to learn how to write formally. And, that I read naive and simplistic. Mathew this that the latter comment has to do slightly with bias. Since my intro included talking about a little girl and the teach related it to naive and simplistic. The history paper got less harsh comments, but the same grade since I was not specific enough. On both papers I was given little feedback. Mathew said it was just the way that things are done over here. Which is weird, considering he also told me that in the school system here, kids are never taught to read, not in high school, and not at uni. I asked if I should talk to the teacher about citing, since the co-teacher said any citing works, and my grader said I used the wrong citing system. He said I could, but a. I would have to ask in person and b. the grad will probably not change, since it is blind graded twice to make sure the first grade was right. The 2nd one being someone not familiarly with the class. Both have to agree on the grade.

Anyway, the getting better part. For the first time ever, I decided to start my castle presentation 3 weeks in advance, since, 4 days after the presentation I had another 2500 word history essay due, and one day after that a archeology assignment due. The castle presentation was great, it took me 3 weeks to finish it.I had to write a 1500 essay and present on it (usually between 10-20 minuets). I practiced Thursday night, the night before, but I do best when there is a little improve involved. I just got it back and got a 15 (out of 20) here that is a 3.3 or B+!!!

 After my presentation, the weekend before the 2 other assignments, my computer got a virus! The IT help people, in the library, do not work on the weekends, and because of that I cannot check out a computer for a week either. I ended up restoring it to the fall of 2009 on Sunday. The paper went considerable well. I wrote about gunpowder and its effects on castles and turned it in on time. I really like turning a hard copy into our teachers box, there is something about it. It is not as fun to turn in the online copy. My friend, Megan did not get hers in in-time. But for history it is .5 a day, not 1 a day, and she was still in the writing body paragraph stage when 1700 rolled around. That night I started my archaeology project. It was so fun! We had to fill out an 8 page form of a dig site. We could make up everything if we did not " take the piss out of it." So, I was going to survey Restrepo, in Afghanistan, since I read a book about collecting during the Bosnian genocide. Dr. Mike Whitaker, was in charge of the dig. I did do some research, like looked up actual classes at Upenn and said he taught them. I also got this one in on time too. When I went to turn in a hard copy about an hour later, the Classics building was locked. But, in class the next day, he said he did not want one. I wanted to turn it in anyway, because it looked awesome. I feel really good about all 3 assignments!

I even had time to go to cricket for 45 minuets during the day. At night, it was the Christmas cricket party. It was a 3 course meal with a glass of wine for 17 pounds at Pizza Express (which is actually a nice restaurant). I had a blast and toward the end, Helen, a senior player, and said that I am leaving them, and since I come to all the practices (at least Wednesday ones) and have really improved bowling, they gave me a cricket medal. They knew how much the other one, from the tournament, means to me. It was so sweet! We then went back to a players house and hung out for a hour or so, then the team went to the union bar and I went  home.

I went to CAPOD again on Friday (the 9th) because I realized I had no clue how to analyze a paper. Mathew again was great and after 30 minuets all my questions were answered and I understood. He also gave me some pointers for my exam on Monday, in 8.5 hours. I have the castle exam tomorrow, it is 4 essay questions, I have to answer one in one hour. Then from Tuesday 10am to Wednesday 10am I have my 24 hour take home archaeology exam. Both of these are different then the rest of the class, since I am taking early assessments because I will be at KU when their exam period is in the middle of January. They have 2 weeks off for Christmas. One week to study, 2 weeks of exams, then 2 week intra-semester break. Semester 2 here starts 6th of February.

I still will probably go to my classes on Thursdays and Friday after my exams. In archeology I am the only JSA. in castles, 10 of 15 are JSAs. I also have a list of about 20 things I still want to do at St. Andrews before I go, like taking a tour of the Castle and Cathedral. I hope I can fit it all in this week. On Sunday, one week, I am leaving... I have not been home in 3 months, and am very excited to go home and see my family, but I am very sad I am leaving St. Andrews. I am having a lot of fun,especially with my flatmates, and I do not want to never see them again. These past few weeks, thinking about staying here for the year, has made me think about my feature, mostly school wise, but also job wise... and I am still no closer to a decision.

 On Thursday we had 90-100 mph winds. that is an F1 tornado or category 1 hurricane. It was so bad coming back from class, that I had to stop a few times, and lean into the wind and brace myself so I would not fall over. Lots of things closed early, and shingles were falling off the roofs and buildings around me. Lots of kids had their classes cancelled. It was so bad that I waited in the facilities building 20 minuets to eat because i was not going to go back to my building (1 building away) and then come back out again. I wanted to go to the caroling service, but not in that wind.

On Friday, I went to Tesco late, like 2130 (everything here is in military time) for groceries. Part of the guys choir or something were doing an impromptus singing of Christmas carols in an aisle. It was sweet.