So I just got back from a rather frustrating day of classes. Before I delve into that discussion I have to mention last nights activities. I ventured out to a discoteque (in case I haven't mentioned it...discoteques are clubs here...but if you use the term "club" it refers to a brothel..so you have to be careful) for what is called "miercoles po" (miercoles being wednesday and po being a random term used here originating somehow from exchange students, but having no actual meaning...it's kind of just a fluff word). Well miercoles po is supposed to be this thing where every wednesday night foreigners get together at a different location to drink and dance and just mingle with people who might happen to speak their own language. This wednesday it was at a bar which happened to have no name...and things were great for the first few hours. People were nice, we danced a bit, sat and talked, met some new people, spoke some spanish..just had a general good time. Well first I have to say that the past two times I've gone to discoteques it's been a lot of fun. People here don't "grind" on eachother like they do in the states. When you dance with someone, there is still usually some space between you. And no one just comes and forces themselves on you. People actually ask before they start dancing with you...and when you say no...they usually leave you alone. Well at this miercoles po...i guess people think they can get away with anything (or else i was just lucky the last two times), because I was grabbed and groped and tugged at and followed and all sorts of things. The entire second half of the night, I didn't have one minute to just dance with my friends...I was constantly being accosted (and at this point the place had become packed beyond capacity and we were all sandwiched together). So needless to say...I felt like I was at a club at home (not to mention the fact that this was the first club that played rap music...I heard 50 cent and snoop dogg where as the other clubs had played either 80s music or alternative stuff). And to top off the evening, I went to find my snow vest that I had worn and left on a table with everyone else's jackets...and to my extreme dismay, someone had taken it. We searched the area top to bottom and even moved tables, but my vest was no where to be found...sooooo sad

To get to today's events...I was already not in the best of moods --still bitter about the night before-- when I rolled out of bed this morning at an hour far earlier than I desired. And then, I arrived at my first actual "lecture" course --art history of the twentieth century. Now I don't like typical art history, but I had spoken with the professor beforehand (who thankfully speaks english) and he explained that the class was more about analyzing more current works and comparing and contrasting iconic art with non iconic art--so i was interested. Well the class was beyond frustrating. I might even go so far as to the say it was my most frustrating moment yet. I knew the topic and I was familiar with the philosophers and artists he mentioned (Niche and foucaux...yay Gero!!!) but I had no idea what he was actually saying about them. I felt so helpless sitting there knowing that I knew the topic extremely well but was completely unable to participate or even just listen and know what was going on. After class, however, I spoke with the professor and he was extremely supportive and sympathetic. He said that readings would be assigned every class and that they would discuss the next day's lecture and that he also put his lectures online, so if needed, I could go back and reread the lectures.

So in the end...things have worked out ok thus far...but not without extreme levels of difficulty and frustration. --and so I once more continue with the struggle...



oh...and on a side note...tonight I am attending an opening for Satoru Takahashi :) It sounds really interesting...I'll post more after...