On Campus Event: Campaign luncheon

I went to the brown bag luncheon about foreign policies in the 2008 campaign. I know it wouldn't really be a stretch for most people, but I'm not quite as politically involved or aware as I should be. Regarding that, this was a pretty interesting event for me. I wish they could have talked a little more about each candidates views on foreign policy, just because I'm not very familiar with them. However, I'm sure I was one of the only ones in attendance who needed a review session.
One thing I was particularly interested in was the emphasis the speakers put on Pakistan and the danger it poses. Their argument was that, since Pakistan has developed nuclear bombs their potential threat to us and other countries has drastically increased. I really hadn't considered this as an issue and I'm glad they brought it up.
My knowledge about the political situation has really improved since I started Paideia, which is definitely something that needed to happen. Between our discussions and reading Newsweek I feel much more informed about the goings-on of the world and the US, though I could still use some improvement.

I wish that we would have had some more time to discuss my topic, but I think it went well. The majority of our discussions could last for days so I was expecting that. One thing I wanted to bring up that I didn't have time to was the percentage of black men who no longer have their voting rights, about 1.4 million or 13%. I'm interested in what everyone thinks about this. I was torn between two thoughts. The first is that ex-convicts should have to deal with the consequences of their crime. The second, however, was pure astonishment that so many members of a demographic are not represented in the voting process. I'm not sure what the laws are regarding this topic, but I think that after a certain amount of time voting rights should be regained.
Another issue I wanted to bring up was the comment about the cyclic nature of this issue. (Parents go to jail, are no longer around to raise their children, these children are then "more likely" to commit crimes themselves, etc. etc.) This reminds me of the cycle of low-income families and a lack of education. In my FYS (The Quest for Educational Equality in America) we discussed this at length and it really interests me as a possible venue for our service project. I know we haven't really started sharing our ideas yet but this article presented a good motivator for me to start brainstorming.

Study Abroad

I'm pretty positive that I'll be studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a 6-week summer program. The obvious way this fits into my education at SU is through my Spanish minor; after completing the Buenos Aires program I'll only be 1-2 credits short of the minor. I also know that I really don't have any hope at fluency unless I spend some time immersed in the language. I feel that this will be helpful in almost any career I choose, not to mention that I would just love to be completely fluent in another language.
More than that, however, I think that studying abroad is a very appropriate part of a Liberal Arts degree. There are few better ways to broaden your horizons than by spending time in a country and culture and with a family all completely foreign to you. I know that this will give me so much more perspective on my life and others' than I could ever acquire in Georgetown or Temple, TX. I spent two weeks in Jamaica this summer on a service learning trip and the impact that trip had on me is invalueable. I can only imagine how much I could gain in a six week trip. I love learning about other cultures and seeing the similarities and differences, specifically the family dynamics. I find it so interesting to see the things parents teach their children to value and to spend time with a family in their normal, casual lives.
I think this aspect fits well into the Paideia program in that it strives to ensure that its students are well informed about the world around them and have plenty of experiences with that world. In addition to this, studying abroad will also help to make me much more self-sufficient, another characteristic I beleive Paideia values. Being forced to rely on only myself, and in another country with another language at that, will be an enormous task for me. However, I know that when I leave the country and I am completely confident in myself and my ability to survive in unfamiliar situations it will all be worth it.
My primary concern with studying abroad is time. Since I switched my major this summer, I am bit behind and my schedule has to be somewhat strict (and full) for the next 3 years. In addition to studying abroad, I need to take at least one class this summer, and take more classes and find an internship during the next summer. It's a little stressful wondering if I'll be able to fit everthing in, but I really don't want to give up my Buenos Aires trip, not that I really have a choice.

What I Expect from Paideia

I first heard about Paideia from Dr. Hunt, who was my FYS professor. The prospect of being with one group of students and one professor for three years really appealed to me as it was still the beginning of my first year and I was missing the close knit group of friends I'd always had. My interest was solidified when I discovered the study abroad and civic engagement requirements, two things that I desperately need to do but may or may not have followed through with on my own. The Understanding Human Behavior theme intrigiued me because I feel like regardless of the field in which I end up, I'll have to interact with humans, so I might as well attempt to understand them.
I really hope to broaden my perspectives with Paideia, both through the diversity of our cohort and as a result of the different requirements. I also want to strive to have a well-rounded college experience, which I believe will be made easier through Paideia.
As of now, my plan is to study abroad in Argentina this summer. I'm attempting a Spanish minor, so this would be practical as well as really really enjoyable. Honestly, the prospect of spending a semester abroad is a bit intimidating to me, not to mention the fact that I'm not sure my schedule would allow it.
I would really like to do a project centering around the world of education. There are numerous teachers in my family and I've grown up being taught the value of an education. Also, with my FYS (The Quest for Educational Equality in America) my eyes were opened to the devastating gaps in the quality of educations children are receiving today.
My only worries are just of time management and commitment; I'm not positive that I'll be able to devote the amount of time I should to Paideia, though I'm going to try.

Welcome

So...I have no idea how to do this, but I'm set up and ready to go!