lessons - session 2

1. On Mandela Day, I heard a conspiracy theory that if Mr. Mandela passes away within the next couple of weeks he must have actually died several weeks ago. His rationale was that the government just wanted to prolong his life for the sake of the people. He also said that making it to 95 sounded better than passing at 94. Welp. I guess we'll really never know.

2. Despite the diversity, I am yet to see anyone of a Hispanic ethnicity.

3. The zebras here are not black and white, they are brown and white. Say what?!

4. My roommate and I have had the pleasure of making friends with other Africans (not simply South Africans) who live in the Nest as well. We've had great (sometimes intense) conversations with our neighbors here.

5. Not all universities have the privilege of administration through the internet. Lecture venues may change on the first day. Consequently, I ran around for 40 minutes trying to find a random building where the dept. faculty offices was located (on the opposite end of campus) to check a piece of paper on the notice board. So my statistics and Media lectures are both located in a physics building...

6. I've met several Aussies, and they have all been so sweet. Many of the Norwegians have been a delight as well. I think I'll have to visit their home countries at some point in my life.

7. In a global view, the scope of discrimination is not limited to race. I have seen nationalism become a factor in discrimination, nationalism being an ideal that I had never previously considered an issue. I'll certainly have several posts about all the implications of such topics at different points in the future.