Well, the first week of the semester is over and the second week is now beginning. I might as well tell you some updates.
I have sadly had to drop Algebraic Topology. That is truely sad, but my background is not big enough to get what the teacher is talking about (stupid Gen Ed's keeping me from taking real classes!)
I had my first exercise session for my differential geometry class today. It was very confusing. The math wasn't confusing (a couple parts were because they were using random theorems that I hadn't seen before). What was confusing was the purpose of the meeting. We had previously received an exercise sheet with two sets of problems. One set was called "attendence problems" the other set was just regular problems. I figured that we would pass in the "attendence problems" at the exercise session.
But it wasn't like that. We came in, and sat down, and just kinda did the problems there as a grad student watched (I had already prepared all the problems beforehand). From time to time the grad student would offer tips. Then at the end of 2 hours we left. We didn't pass anything in. We just left. It was weird. I don't understand the purpose. It also seems quite out of pace with Germany's general university policies (they really couldn't care less if you come or not). This is something you have to come to, but it doesn't seem to have much of a point. I emailed the grad student (who I had met before the semester started) and maybe he'll explain the purpose.
Anyway, since I dropped topology, I decided to pick up a class on German pronunciation. I don't need the class for any requirements or anything. I missed the first class session, since I wasn't expecting to take part in it, but it begins this Thursday.
So, let's get some votes. Should I come back to Germany next spring or not? Of course, I have ultimate veto power over everything you guys say (ha ha!), but I'm still interested in hearing what you have to say.
Archived comments:
Katherine:
Well, it all depends. Are you happy in Germany? If so, I think you should go for it. The US'll always be around to bum around and go to grad school in and whatnot, assuming we don't do anything stupid and blow ourselves up, or the structure of society implodes, or anything like that. But now's the time of life to be immersing yourself in other cultures and things of that sort. Besides, there's so much more to get to know about a place than can be learned in a semester. I mean, if Germany gives you the impression of "nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there" then come back to the states. But it sounds like you're settling in pretty well, so I would say, keep going with it! Besides, we need more langauges in the family.
Mom:
Some questions: would you be an undergraduate or a graduate student at that point? That is, would you have graduated from UConn in December, and if so would you still be in Germany under UConn's auspices? If you were done with UConn, would this complicate anything? Would you be taking courses for fun & general knowledge, or towards a degree?
Katherine's right: this is a good time of life to be immersing yourself in other cultures. (Dad almost stayed on longer in Israel after his summer semester there; I've never actually asked him if he wished he'd done so.)
But that would be another semester during which you wouldn't get to drive your car or bang on your drums....
mikepn:
I would still be an undergraduate. I would reapply to UConn to persue a second undergraduate degree, so then I would be qualified for free money and whatnot.
Well, maybe I'll make friends who have drums and cars...
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