Today I'm feeling sappy. Not bad sappy, but happy sappy (lol puns). As I was going to leave the classroom at 5pm, our translation class instructor told us that Bob Woodward, one of the journalists who uncovered the whole Watergate scandal in the 1970s was giving a talk at 7pm this afternoon, sponsored by the College of Law here at U of I. I decided that heck, I was gonna go hear this guy who has witnessed and has been history. I gotta say, the talk was terrific. He talked about 8 presidents (the talk is the first of a series on Abraham Lincoln and his influence) and it was truly interesting. After I left the auditorium, I started thinking to myself about how lucky I am to go to such a great school, and the opportunities and experiences that this university has given me:
- I got a Master's from a top school in the field.
- My advisor is the king of his field.
- Had my very own, movie-like American graduation.
- I presented in two different conferences and got published in the first's proceedings (fingers crossed for the second one!).
- I have now almost 3 years of teaching experience and 5 different courses under my belt, ranging from 100 to 400 level.
- I never had prom in Spain, so I got fraternity formals and semiformals. And one of them was at the Sears Tower in Chicago.
 |
| (I am NOT wearing flats) |
- I have been to the place North Shore High (Mean Girls' high school) was based on. And the Walker Brothers Pancake House. And Old Orchard Mall. Mean Girls is my favorite movie ever.
- I have traveled to NYC and Oregon, and been back to Colorado.
- I have rediscovered Chicago and have fallen in love each time.
- I've seen plenty of famous people like Bob Woodward...
 |
| Major Lazer |
 |
| Jeff Dunham |
 |
| MCLOVIN (and okay, Dave Franco) |
 |
| Piper Kerman (OITNB, anyone?) |
 |
| JOE BIDEN (and he held my hand) |
 |
| Nev Schulman (aka my future husband) |
- Got into an honors society.
 |
| Phi Kappa Phi |
- I am currently the president of the graduate student RSO from my department.
- I am part of a retail industry based RSO that no matter how little it has to do with my studies, I love.
- I am about to start leading conversation groups in Spanish.
- I have been able to start translating and being certified by it, and I have been offered really cool translation jobs.
- I have fallen in love and also fallen out of it (sappy alert).
- I have made lifelong friendships.
- I have had an experience I would never have imagined.
Man, I love this place.
Love,
- Ane
No comments:
Post a Comment