The Token Americans

Suz and I have both started our programs and have quickly found out that we are the only Americans in our particular program, or is it programme. Regardless, the students seemed to ask a variety of interesting questions... the most interesting questions I got were, "Is it sunny every day in so cal?" (Yea pretty much), "The beer sucks there doesn't it?" (compared to here, kinda....but I still miss blue moon), "Have you been to mexico?"(random but yes and made it back across). Suz has been told "we dont really like your president, sorry" and asked "how come people from America dont wear enough clothes? (aka why do we dress so scantly)"

My program is pretty sweet, only have to meet once a week and the other days I will be working at home on my research/reading/collecting and analyzing data. I guess I still will be very busy but just in a different way from undergrad. I then get to start an internship in the winter which I am excited and cant wait. They seem to have a great number of contacts so getting a job shouldn't be a problem, even one near home at UC Berkeley!

A key difference over here are the professors. They are brutally honest and within the first day we had already been to the bar and they were more then willingly share their life stories; never had such a great experience and look forward to the lectures. 

Suzanna decided to switch her whole program to focus in History of the Middle East. She is now taking Arabic, Modernity and Transformation and Research Methods. After many days of deliberation and stress she finally seems to be happy. Plus she has a great opportunity to possibly continue into a phD program over here. She is such a smarty pants!

We move into our new place tomorrow, pictures will follow shortly after! Also, soon to come: pictures from our adventure at the Natural History Museum.