Tuesday, August 28, 2012

July 16, 2012 – First Day of Class


I’ve got first day jitters! I couldn’t wait to get to my first class. I woke up extra early, toasted my outfit nice and crisp, and got ready. My bag was already packed form last night so it didn’t take me a long time to be out the door. Mission: to find this Nutrition class. I’m quite familiar with the campus, but it’s so huge that sometimes it gets confusing. I made it to the vicinity where the building was, but it had a few entrances. After a few embarrassing cases of trial and error, I finally made it to the inside of the building. Dang, just when I thought I was safe, I realized that I don’t know where the classroom is. ME14 it says on my schedule. I asked a lady where ME14 was and she said, “it’s the room next to this one.” LOL I totally knew that.

I slowly opened the door, thinking that everyone was going to turn and stare at me as I walked in late…but nobody was in there! I figured everybody else was running late also. I took out my laptop and took advantage of the free Wi-Fi. Of course I went on Facebook to pass the time. I watched a funny video that Theo sent me. OMG! Anybody who knows me is aware that I go ballistic when I find stuff funny. I almost cried watching that video. Fortunately, nobody walked in to witness my crazy side. I don’t know what kind of first impression that may leave. Why didn’t anyone walk in yet? I tried to use the 20-minute rule (if a teacher doesn’t arrive in class after 20 mins, then the students can leave), but then I realized that this is not America. Nobody cares about a 20-minute rule.

I got fed up and started walking around the building in hopes of finding this class. Why was I so determined? I could’ve easily gone back to my room to eat some food and sleep. I went into an office and asked a lady where the Nutrition class was. She brought me downstairs to the bulletin board and there it was…ME11. This classroom was right across from the bulletin board, which was right next to ME14. I walked into the classroom and found only three other students there. I thought the teacher was going to scold me for being late, but she was actually elated to have a fourth person in her classroom.

She handed me a syllabus as I took a seat in the front row. I turned to the page that everyone was on and followed as the teacher explained each bullet. On the next page were paragraphs that explained Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Proteins. The teacher looked at me and asked me to read the first paragraph. I did. After I read, there was short silence the teacher then proceeded to ask me the same series of questions that I hear everyday.
o   Are you from America?
o   Where in America?
o   Why did you come to South Africa?
o   What are you studying?
o   Where are you staying?
o   Do you miss home?
o   What have you done here so far?
o   How long are you staying here?
o   Do you like it here?
… And I say Hell Yea, hell yea, hell yea….LOL!

These are among the popular questions that all the American students get asked everyday.
My teacher is a very nice, soft spoken, short lady who probably wouldn’t hurt a mosquito. I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about Nutrition. Her syllabus is a little lengthy, but I’ll see it through.
We continued discussing the syllabus and the other students read as well. Class was over in 10 minutes. I went to my room and slept like a baby. 





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