Living the dream

Er and hello again…

I’m slightly behind in these so I’ll churn out another one while I’m here. I guess I’ll start with a typical weekday for me. This semester I have very late classes because it’s my last semester so I figured it would be the last time I could ever enjoy a leisurely morning past 8 am. I usually wake up around 11 and lay in bed checking my phone for emails and whatnot. I typically stay in bed reading for class/doing work and then I get up, get dressed etc and head downstairs for a breakfast of toast with peanut butter and orange juice. Depending on the day, I like to go to the gym for about an hour before class. Thankfully we have a nice gym right on campus so that makes things a little easier. I bring my iPad with me to watch television or listen to music because the gym is not my favorite spot to be.

After classes I usually hang around in one of the buildings on campus catching up with friends then head home to make dinner (if I’m not too lazy). Then back to my bed to do homework, go on Facebook, etc. My weekdays are not too thrilling and get radically less exciting if I went out the night before. Late classes definitely facilitate a healthy social life.

On the weekends it really depends on what’s going on that day. Because we’re in basketball season it is not unlikely that I get up early to start drinking and head into Philadelphia where many of Villanova’s big games are held. If the game is at noon I wake up around eight and get on a bus with a bunch of my friends to tailgate. I’m not sure if tailgating exists in Brazil but it consists mostly of drinking, eating hot dogs and hamburgers, dancing and getting riled up for the game. I know it may seem extreme to start festivities so early but it is one of my favorite times in college.

If Villanova does not have a game on the weekend I tend not to set an alarm and just wake up whenever I want (around noon probably). Then I try and head to the gym but often spend much of my day hanging out with my friends and recapping the night or shopping and running errands.

I wonder if any of that sounds interesting or exciting to you guys. It’s a very low key lifestyle but I only have one more semester so I’m trying to enjoy it! I’m interested to see if we have any similarities in our schedule as well.

-Meagan

When you wish upon a star...

Hello again,

Geez, the three wishes question is surely a loaded one. Although there are many things I would love to have, I also love my life currently so I’m assuming there are no hidden catches or weird caveats to this one. So here it goes:

My first wish would be financial stability. But when I say that I’m talking financial stability so I never ever (ever ever ever) have to worry about finances. This way, I can pursue any career I see fit without any pressure. Also, while money can’t buy you happiness it certainly would be nice to let my parents retire and be a benefactor to many charities.

My second wish would be for the absence of greed. Although my first wish may sound hypocritical now, I think that if everyone was happier with what they had life would be a lot simpler, happier, and more peaceful. Greed is often the vice that breeds many other problems.

My third wish would be to find someone to spend the rest of my life with. Ridiculously embarrassing and cheesy but the three wishes question is really asking for it. I’m not breaking any of the Genie’s rules (aka Mike Myers in Aladdin) because I’m not forcing anyone specific to fall in love with me but knowing that eventually it will work out would be nice.

Hope that wasn’t too painfully formulaic but clichés do exist for a reason!

-Meagan

Post #1--Introduction: Dr. Silvia Nagy-Zekmi

Hi everyone both in Brazil and in the U.S.!

I am a professor of Hispanic and Cultural Studies and director of the newest (and coolest) major in Cultural Studies, http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/culturalstudies.html
at Villanova University in Philadelphia. I am also the director of the graduate program in Hispanic Studies. http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/romancelanglit/graduate/

My research is focused on questions of unequal power relationships and social justice mostly (but not excluisively) in the postcolonial world. I published in English, Spanish, French and Hungarian. Right now I am working on a manuscript titled, The Postcolonial Condition: Eurocentric Discourse in Latin America and on our second co-edited book with Dr. Kayn Hollis, Global Academe. My books (both authored and edited) include, Truth to Power: Public Intellectuals In and Out of Academe (with Karyn Hollis 2010); Empire Colonization or Globalization?Postcolonial Exploration of Imperial Expansion (with Chantal Zabus 2009), Moros en la costa: Orientalismo en America Latina (2008), Paradoxical Citizenship: Edward Said (2006, paperback 2008); Arte de vivir: Aproximaciones críticas a la obra poética de Pedro Lastra (with Luis Correa-Díaz 2007); Democracy in Chile: The Legacy of September 11, 1973 (co-edited with Fernando Leiva, 2005), which won the Arthur P. Whitaker prize as the best book in Latin American studies; Le Maghreb Postcolonial (2003), Paralelismos transatlánticos: Postcolonialismo y narrativa femenina en América Latina y Africa del Norte (1996) and Historia de la canción folklórica en los Andes (1989). More on my website: http://www19.homepage.villanova.edu/silvia.nagyzekmi/

My other passion besides research is teaching. I believe teaching should be an interactive endeavor in which students and teacher take an active role. I see the role of the professor as a mediator who leads the discussions and not just passes on information. New ideas are explored in my classes and originality is rewarded. I often ask questions without seeking a specific answer. In fact, one of the most challenging aspects of our profession is to ask the right questions. I do not see myself as a teacher of a particular subject, but rather, as a facilitator for critical and analytical thought. I encourage students to be independent thinkers and be critical of themselves, as well as others in a constructive way that leads to improvement, rather than discouragement. In my view, teaching demands respect of the subject taught, and of the students, in addition to intellectual and academic rigor, accompanied by creativity, flexibility and collegiality.

I hope all of you will like this new class on Writing Brazilian culture. We prepared it with much interest and care and we hope it reflects our admiration for this amazing culture.

My First Blog Post...Ever

Hi new friends!

My name is Meagan Burke and I am a senior English major from Armonk, NY (about 45 minutes outside of New York City). Although my major is English, I will clear the air right away that I do not want to become a teacher. I had an internship this past summer at PepsiCo in their internal global communications department and that was a fascinating opportunity that opened my eyes to the world of communications. I would love to work for them again when I graduate but unfortunately their company is going through some growing pains and are on a hiring freeze. Instead, I have set my sights on potentially doing sales for a large television company such as FOX.

But enough about life after college, I love to live in the here and now. I am currently in a sorority called Delta Delta Delta which basically means I have an automatic group of 30 close girlfriends in my grade and 100 other girls who have similar interests as me. I live in a house with three of my friends right now and my senior year has truly flown by. I am also extremely close with my family; I have an older brother who went to Villanova as well and a younger sister who was just accepted! We may soon be a family full of 'Nova Nationers (a nickname for basketball fans fromVillanova).

One thing I love to do is to travel. I have been to a ton of states here in the U.S. and I spent a semester living in Barcelona last fall semester. Living in Spain was one of the most inspiring and challenging semesters of my life. I lived in a dorm with all native Spanish students and unfortunately I did not speak the language. By the end of my trip not only had I conquered Barcelona (and a tiny bit of Spanish) but had also taken trips to Rome, London, Prague, Galwayand many other parts of Spain. I also travel a lot with my family and we plan to travel to Florence and Croatia when I graduate.

My other true passion is food. I think that goes well with traveling because there is no better way to get the feel for a country than by eating the local cuisine. I have eaten some rather strange things which sometimes can lead to stomachaches but also to some of the best meals of my life. My dream job would be to be a food critic but alas I do not think that is in the cards for me at the moment. Maybe one day the world will know my opinions on where to get the best ice cream sundae or the most succulent lobster.

I suppose that is all for now. I look forward to hearing more about everyone!

Best,

Meagan

Post #1--Introduction: Fernando Meruzzi

Hi Everyone-- My name is Fernando, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I'm 21 years old, student of engineering in Federal University here in my city. Despite my study area, I love to study different languages and other subjects not directly related to my career. I think it's because I like talking about anything and not only math and physics...


I did my high school at Colégio Pedro II, a famous school in my country, called like this because of D. Pedro II, the last Emperor of Brazil, before it becomes a republic. Certainly it was a very happy time in my life that I'll never forget.


I have lived in Rio for all my life. Here is summer all year long! Actually, there's a time it rains so much and it is cold too, but it is usually hot and people are always on beaches. There are also some tourist spots here, like Sugar Loaf and Christ the Redeemer. Besides, there are many beaches (as I told you before) and pubs and discos for an amazing night here.


Rio is really an extraordinary city, but I visit other places whenever I can. I love to travel, but I've never been abroad. That's one of my most cherished dreams. I hope to be in America soon and then visit some countries in Europe. That's why I'm always trying to brush up my English and to learn other languages.


That's it for now. I wish I knew some people and made new friendships here while I help you to know whatever you want to know about my country.

Hope to read about you too!

We talk soon!

Welcome to the VU/Brazil Blog!

Hi There Everyone!

We hope you will enjoy sharing information about yourselves and your culture on this blog.  Each week we have given you a topic to write about, and hopefully we will all get to know each other and our countries better this way.  Blog Assignments can always be found under the Blog Archives area on the right side of the blog.  Just look for January and then "Blog Assignments."

First of all, please click on "New Post" and introduce yourself.  Say a little about your life and current activities--and don't forget your picture!  You will see that Dr. Hollis was the first to post on the blog.  Now you be next please!  This will be “Post #1:  Introduction: Your Name.”

Always number your posts and give them a title.
Peace!
Drs. Hollis and Nagy-Zekmi
PS--Don't hesitate to click on the Comment button to leave a comment about an epal's post.

Post #1--Introduction: Dr. Karyn Hollis

Hi Everyone-- Dr. Hollis Here.
This is my 21st year at Villanova! I've been very happy since I got here. One reason is because before VU, I spent 5 years at Dickinson College, and I was tired of the small town life (Carlisle, PA). I am going backwards, but before Dickinson I did my Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. I really enjoyed California--especially all the sunshine. I was used to that being from Texas (Corpus Christi) originally.

I did my Masters at the University of Texas in Austin, and that's where I met my husband. In 1988 we had a son who's now 22 and a senior at Syracuse University.

Our greatest family activity has been our house trading ventures to Europe every summer. Through a home exchange organization (Intervac.com and HomeExchange.com), we have traded with families from Spain, Italy, and France. They venture to our house in Wynnewood, PA to live for about 3 weeks, and we go to their homes--most have been right on the Mediterranean coast. This summer we went back to Provence in France, but the middle week of our three week vacation, we went to Senegal--the hardest but most meaningful trip we've ever taken. I hope you can all go to Africa for the very enlightening experience it is!

I also travel to South America over spring break with students in my travel writing class. I've been to Costa Rica, Chile, Peru and Brazil. This spring break I willtake my travel writing class to Argentina to see Buenos Aires, Iguasu Falls and the glaciers of Patagonia! Anyone want to come with us? See me.

I lived in Europe 7 years quite a while back: three years in Paris, three in London and one in Bilbao, Spain. I speak fluent Spanish and French. While in London I was assistant editor of Harper's Wine and Spirit Gazette. That was an exciting point in my life--I was paid to report on wine tasting events all over London! And that's where I got most of the experience that relates to many of my courses. I also have a BA in Journalism from the University of Texas.

I have recently published a book about the way writing was taught at the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers, 1922-1938. And I have just finished editing a book about the role of intellectuals in society with Dr. Silvia Nagy-Zekmi, Director of the Cultural Studies Program here at Villanova.

At Villanova I have been director of the Writing Center and Writing Program. Then seven years ago, I established a Concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. Maybe it will interest some of you. You can combine the Concentration with any major, but it goes especially well with English or Communication majors since "double dipping" of courses is allowed. It will certify that you have taken extra courses in order to become a better communicator and writer. This course can count toward the Concentration. Check out the Concentration here. http://www.writingprogram.villanova.edu/concentration So that's about it. Hope to read more of your self-introductions soon! Dr. Hollis --