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_yggdrasil
1. What are you writing about Greek poetry? In general, what do your studies entail and is there a particuliar area that you're focusing on? (oooh, another three-parter! The audience quivers!)
At the moment, I'm taking three full year courses along with writing a 10,000 word research essay on a topic of my choice. The courses are Aristophanes, reading all the plays and a lot of fun, Etruscan Art, complex and interesting, a subject I know little about and Athenian History, focusing on how Athenian litigation and democracy play off of each other, also fascinating and something I don't know a lot about. The big scary thing is the research essay, which I'm writing about how storytelling is used by Anacreon, Sappho and Pindar to praise and talk about their lovers, brides and athletic victors. At this point, I'm working on Anacreon and discovering that appartently, he's not seen as that interesting, since there's not a lot of information about him out there. So my job is bigger and scarier since I feel like I don't have much of a net in terms of prior sources.
2. What, for you, has been the biggest change with living in New Zealand as opposed to among us Yanks? (to all you living south of the Mason-Dixie line, please refrain from throwing bottles at me)
I think at this point, the biggest change has been not having found my sort of right place within Victoria University. Its odd since New Zealand's a sporty and outdoor culture yet I feel like I haven't found my best way to stay active and healthy. I know its out there and it worries me that I feel comfortable in my classes but quite afraid to just take a class in martial arts or dancing. But that's not as much the culture as me at this point.
I guess there's actually not that much since this is the second time I've been here. One thing I find hard is that even though the bookstores here are quite nice, there really isn't a Borders type place where you can just sit and be and drink tea and read. You can find a bit of it in some places since Wellington is wonderful for cafes, but the bookstores just aren't good for hiding in though the library's okay. And I miss that sometimes, just being able to surround myself with books and cds and movies, all in one places and close out the world. Though having the harbout there and beautiful kind of makes up for it.
3. Do you have any irrational fears or phobias?
I'm afraid of heights and snakes. The heights kind of makes sense since when I was nine, I was catapulted off a decently high see-saw, but the snakes are purely irrational. They just give me the creeps.
4. If you had to shrink your life philosophy into one small paragraph, what would it say?
Find what makes you happy and pursue it. The more people in your life that you can help and spread happiness and love to, the better you will be. God is not found in any paticular religion or place just in people and places of beauty and peace and where you find joy and bliss. Don't be afriad to take chances and leaps even when you can't see where you'll end up since those are usually the most fun journeys.
5. Is there a place or landmark that you really want to see? What, where, when?
That's quite a hard one for me since its a long list and I'll already seen some of them. I think at this point, I want to see the giant redwoods in California and just walk among them and live with them for a while. I could do with some peace and silence at the moment without too many worries of deadlines and fitting in.
_yggdrasil 1. What are you writing about Greek poetry? In general, what do your studies entail and is there a particuliar area that you're focusing on? (oooh, another three-parter! The audience quivers!)
At the moment, I'm taking three full year courses along with writing a 10,000 word research essay on a topic of my choice. The courses are Aristophanes, reading all the plays and a lot of fun, Etruscan Art, complex and interesting, a subject I know little about and Athenian History, focusing on how Athenian litigation and democracy play off of each other, also fascinating and something I don't know a lot about. The big scary thing is the research essay, which I'm writing about how storytelling is used by Anacreon, Sappho and Pindar to praise and talk about their lovers, brides and athletic victors. At this point, I'm working on Anacreon and discovering that appartently, he's not seen as that interesting, since there's not a lot of information about him out there. So my job is bigger and scarier since I feel like I don't have much of a net in terms of prior sources.
2. What, for you, has been the biggest change with living in New Zealand as opposed to among us Yanks? (to all you living south of the Mason-Dixie line, please refrain from throwing bottles at me)
I think at this point, the biggest change has been not having found my sort of right place within Victoria University. Its odd since New Zealand's a sporty and outdoor culture yet I feel like I haven't found my best way to stay active and healthy. I know its out there and it worries me that I feel comfortable in my classes but quite afraid to just take a class in martial arts or dancing. But that's not as much the culture as me at this point.
I guess there's actually not that much since this is the second time I've been here. One thing I find hard is that even though the bookstores here are quite nice, there really isn't a Borders type place where you can just sit and be and drink tea and read. You can find a bit of it in some places since Wellington is wonderful for cafes, but the bookstores just aren't good for hiding in though the library's okay. And I miss that sometimes, just being able to surround myself with books and cds and movies, all in one places and close out the world. Though having the harbout there and beautiful kind of makes up for it.
3. Do you have any irrational fears or phobias?
I'm afraid of heights and snakes. The heights kind of makes sense since when I was nine, I was catapulted off a decently high see-saw, but the snakes are purely irrational. They just give me the creeps.
4. If you had to shrink your life philosophy into one small paragraph, what would it say?
Find what makes you happy and pursue it. The more people in your life that you can help and spread happiness and love to, the better you will be. God is not found in any paticular religion or place just in people and places of beauty and peace and where you find joy and bliss. Don't be afriad to take chances and leaps even when you can't see where you'll end up since those are usually the most fun journeys.
5. Is there a place or landmark that you really want to see? What, where, when?
That's quite a hard one for me since its a long list and I'll already seen some of them. I think at this point, I want to see the giant redwoods in California and just walk among them and live with them for a while. I could do with some peace and silence at the moment without too many worries of deadlines and fitting in.
