First days of class

So, the fist two days of classes are over and though I had a feeling, I now know that these next 6 weeks won't just be fun. The syllabus is intense, the reading list is INSANE (for today we had 180 pages of reading...try again!). There is a stupid group research paper, a role play, a class discussion to prepare, and a 4-hour final exam. No walk in the park, it seems. But we've already divided the readings for tomorrow among each other, so that we can form study groups and not everyone has to read everything. Smart, right? Luckily, I don't need this class for credit, so (even though I will) I technically don't have to sweat the grades.

The class itself (on Peace Research, by the way, taught in conjunction with the Peace Research Institute of Oslo) is very diverse. Students are all at least in their late 20s, all the way to their 50s and they come from all over the place (Russia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan, USA, Germany, Kenya, etc., etc.). I hardly know them yet (we've only met twice), but they all seem nice enough. Strangely (or not) I've mostly been hanging out with a group outside of my class - a older girl from Russia and some younger guys from Belorus and the US. Keeps it interesting, I guess. That may or may not change after a cabin trip our class is going on for two nights tomorrow. That'll definitely bring the group closer together and promote some cohesion...at least that's everybody's hope, I'm sure.

Alright, time to read. I'll be back on Friday, after the cabin retreat. I'm sure there'll be lots to report.

Until then...