Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The Basics

I signed up for Paideia because I thought it was a program that really championed the ideals of a liberal arts institution and that it would help me to become a person more accepting of other opinions as well as better able to form my own. I signed up for the Human Behavior group in particular because I think it will yield some wonderful benefits and open some great windows for me as an English major that I wouldn't otherwise get to enjoy.

As far as study abroad is concerned, I know I want to go to Scotland and, in particular, St. Andrew's because I think studying in a smaller (but still prestigious) school would better enable me to spend time with Scottish people rather than living in a dorm full of other American study abroad students.

I don't know yet what I want to do as far as approaching this issue for civic engagement/community service but illiteracy in America is a problem I feel very personally and immediately threatened by and something I hope to help fight whether as a part of my Paidiea experience or not.

The only real challenge I can see for myself in regards to Paidiea (besides my car's non-existance) is simply getting myself organized and dedicating enough time to really stretch the program for my fullest benefit. Of course, while I am anxious about my own hectic schedule, I can't see this as becoming an issue of any real substance.

4 comments:

margaret said...

I really like your thought about doing something with illiteracy for the civic engagement project. Good idea!

Dr. G said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dr. G said...

Love the title of your blog :-). No worries about the car; I'm sure that our cohort will carpool to activities! Dr. G

Steven Michael Jurgens-Ling said...

I've not read enough to know yet what came of your plans for Scotland, but I do want you to know that the Turk family can reasonably trace it's lineage to Scotland in the 1600s/early 1700s. There is a place called "Brig O'Turk". Apparently the Turks moved from Scotland to Ireland through a royal incentive to move "troublesome" Scots to "the island"..... L, SMJL