Begin

The semester has officially begun and I am so excited for this semester! I'm not going to lie, its going to be a lot of work. Really a lot of work. It takes me twice as long to read documents in German as it does in English...so kiss those days of quickly skimming 300 pages of history reading in a couple days. This is legit. And its wonderful! I am in two large seminars/lectures in which I basically just have to come prepared and observe (soak up the intelligence of others). Those two are about the beginning of the Cold War in Europe, and the culture during that time (1945-1961) and the other is a history of nature and environmentalism in European politics in the 19th and 20th centuries. (this class wasn't my first choice, but it was the only one that fit...more to come on that) I am in one advanced seminar which is probably going to kick my butt (I have to do a long oral presentation and write a long research paper) but the topic is the history of chronology and time conceptions, which I am really excited about. Finally, I am in two small seminars (about 10 people in each) that cover alternative movements and cultures in Germany during the 1970s and representations of the Holocaust and Holocaust memory in film. So, here I am at the beginning of yet another year of school, and I feel nothing short of awe when I think of the path that brought me here. Sometimes I want to pinch myself as I walk around this historic campus and take part in these incredible seminars...is this real? I will be receiving my masters degree in the year in which the University celebrates its 625 anniversary! So, thank you for standing by me as I cross the threshold of yet another beginning in my life. I am speechless with gratitude and love. Here's to another adventure in which to thrive and survive! ~love~