The Garden of Discordia

We had snow! It's not much left now, but the cold is definitely here. This means I really should get out and buy more warm sweaters (lost one during my Christmas vacation, one is frankly fugly from age and the other two get used a bit much) but since I hate shopping, I've so far only managed to grab yet another Die Ärzte sweater from the fan-merch store round the corner. Oh well, at least it looks warm and cosy.

Exam period is coming up, which means I need to do ALL THE STUDIES and I also have two presentations to do. Bohoo, stressy... That's one verbal exam, one written and two essays which I think (and hope, good lord) that I can hand in after the actual term is over.

To that, there is also the very last bit of the paperwork to extend my stay at Humboldt, but at least I'm guaranteed a place here now ^_^ But I had to print a paper, sign it, then I gotta scan it and send to the insurance person, then get a reply and lastly show that to the administration here. Uuuh...

Because I have so much to do and so little time I got a haircut. Not a complete waste of time, because it was getting messily long, and I was too tired to study more than the two hours I did today anyway. Now, no more haircuts until February has passed! If I can affordid then, however, I'll take the time to dye it in March.

And lastly, an anime blog I want to read in the future when I have time (hah): Karaconner. I need to catch up on the ANN editorials that I follow too and probably buy the latest volume of FMA. So much to read, so little time...

So, a few people asked if I wanted to write a bit about my studies in Germany. All comparsions will be to the Swedish university system, which I shall simply except you to know. If for some reason someone who isn't a Swedish student has questions, do ask and I shall do my best to answer

Since I currently possess the IQ of a mashed potatoe (Tuesday is the Long Lecture Day) you'll get it in chronological order, because everything else would be too complicated.

I should perhaps also point out, that this term, I have mostly taken classes in literature history; that is, thematic studies. They looked more interesting and since it's still not 100% certain that I can remain next term, I'd rather do these here and the pure literary analysis classes (which I'll need for my bachelor) in Sweden.

( Overall impressions )

The names of my modules, btw, are "(German) Literature History III (1800-today)", "ERASMUS Module Literary History I, II, III" (though all my seminars are modern-ish, ehehehe) and "Text- and Media Analysis". I've also got an extra class that falls under Kulturwissenschaft (Cultural Studies?), but I'll get to that later.

( Monday: German-language lyric / Crime and Literature / Franz Kafka )

( Tuesday: Literature & Photography / Lost Illusions )

Aaaand because this post is already massive, I think I'll cut there. Wednesdas to Fridays aren't that heavy anyway, but I'll try to scribble them down later in the week :) Have got some interesting classes there too!

Wrote a mail to the leader of the Projekttutorium "Marginalized identities & their representation" asking for further information, but unless I've grossly misunderstood everything I'll sign up and visit this seminar series.

Of course, before I got that far, I had to figure out what the heck a projektutorium is. Since I activated my Humboldt e-mail account, I've gotten several mails daily inviting me to various things. Some was just crap, some was events happening at the university and then there were all these "projekttutoriums"... Does that mean tutorials? Open lectures? Wut?

Luckily, the one that finally tickled my interest enough to click through to the main site also contained a handy link to the university page explaining what a PT is.

Basically, it's a series of classes/seminars lead by a students about topics that do not fit into the regular study topics (or there's no-one interested in teaching it, I guess, since intersectionality and identities totally seems like a "valid" topic) and you get no points/ECTS-credits for them. However, the university supplies rooms, a bit of money and you can add it to your schedule through the AGNES-system, where you add all regular classes. I think it's a great idea and, even if this PT wouldn't have had a topic which I'm really interested in, I would've liked to visit some PT just to see how it works. I can't think of anything similar on Swedish universitites, there everything seems to be done either through the student union (completely free, but also rarely economic support from the university) or it's part of someone's thesis work, comes from a faculty or similar.

Anyway, I think I'll take part of the PT about Marginalisierte Identitäten und deren Repräsentation. The topics are Queer History, Race, Trans* liberation, Rights of children (ex. Intersexed children), Religion/Visibility of Islam in Europe, HIV/AIDS, Disability Studies and Methods & Language.
It all looks quite interesting, also the time-plan seems well-structured with a (so far I can judge) varied and relevant reading list.

Since I'm strictly verboten from taking regular classes that aren't offered by the Philosophic Faculty II (basically, German + a bunch of European languages) I think it will be a nice break from only lit. classes. And, of course, it connects nicely with my interest in gender-studies. I've also never before had the time or possibility to take classes directly concerning racism or other non-gender opressions, nor a "pure" minorities studies class, so this is a good chance to try something new.

Is anyone else familiar with this kind of student-lead studies? Do they tend to work well?

In further somewhat study-relevant news, I managed to nab a place in one of the super-cheap sport groups that are on offer for students. I'm going to lern fencing! With a sabre! Wish me luck, I'll totally need it ;P

So if you ever want to see a one-woman impression of a plague of locusts, watch me devour a pizza after nine straight hours of essay writing. But don't blink ;)

However, I think it was worth the effort, as I am bloody finished \o/ It still needs a workthough of course, especially the summary and reflection/criticism part is probably very rough since I just wrote them in the space that was left and sent the whole thing off, but in case of emergency it is in a hand-in ready state. With another meeting and a few more days of polish, it will either turn out pretty good or I'll pick at it until I hate it, call it all crap and hand it in anway. We'll see ^^

In less good news, me throat hurts and I fear I might be coming down with a cold. I'll have a cup of tea and put myself to bed soon, which hopefully will keep me together for at least half a days work. I think I have an hour or two to comp out

And then I'll review my textbooks before I have to return the bunch! ^_^

Guh! Sent away the first two room applications to Berlin.
I really have no idea of the etiquette for these things, but the ads seemed written pretty personally (both places advertizing for a co-renter who wanted to have a "real" WG, instead of a just-money-saving neccessity. And hey, that's nice, I'd like to meet new friends during my exchange year. Also, cooking together = FTW!

But I switched to English after a short introductory sentence because I really, really don't feel as if I could write in German at the moment. Hopefully that won't be seen as terribly rude, at least one of the apartments was renting because one member was going to study in the States so they should know English... *mumblemumble second-guessing-self*

Both places are looking for non-smokers, both lie in the East side (in or near Friedrichshain) and come with at least basic furniture. They also both have some form of central heating (yay), and it's shared with at least one other woman. I kind of side-eyed the ad where two guys were looking for a woman to move in (not an either/or) without giving any specific reason. Maybe I'm paranoid, but nah, that's not for me.

Gosh, I'm nervous. Everyone's been talking about how easy it is to get an apartment in Berlin. Sure it is, compared to Stockholm, I mean these places have been out on the market for weeks and they're at least half the price of anything I've seen here - they'd be gone ages ago. But if it's a good deal in Berlin? Idk. Will I like the people there? Idk either, but it seems like too much paperwork and a bit too much rent to try and get an apartment of my own.

So I'll just cross my fingers and hope that they'll reply positively soon. And not be offended my halting German ^^;

I usually am of the "you will have to take this from my cold, dead hands" when it comes to computers. But as mine is borked and mother was kind enough to lend me her, it felt a bit awkward to start complaining when she needs it returned. I'll just move into the school library for a week or two Also, I have a ton of books to read so it's just good for me to go offline

Yesterday I delivered the computer and watched Moon which almost completely lives up the hype. Interesting, thoughful science fiction movie which manages to tell an engaging story and uses its setting perfectly, without drowning in effects or techno-babble. I mean, what I love about sci-fi movies, is when they manage to tell a story which you really couldn't tell with a completely realistic scenario, but treat the issues and the characters with as much respect as any other character. Something like Avatar, which was basically Pocahontas Dances with Wolves in Space, doesn't really use the technological advances and presence of another species to tell a new story. It only throws on a lot of (beautiful, granted) visuals to re-tell something which could pretty much be told in a historical drama. Sure, you can't put the legs back on an amputee in that setting, but it's not like the movies spends much time thinking about that issue

Moon, otoh, uses two sci-fi elements to discuss one timeless and one extremely modern issue:
- The utter isolation of a station on the moon - could be replaced by, for instance, a lighthouse
- ( Spoiler )
- The timeless issue: Isolation, alienation and existenial terror. What to do if I see myself, truly?
- The modern issue: Ultra-capitalism, slimmed productions and what that means

The technology carries the plot, but the plot isn't about these techs - they're not pointed out as "OMG!! How fresh and new!" It's not like a moon base is common in the movie either, but you can clearly see that it's been there for a while, it's not an experiment or so. Especially not the the poor bastard living there...

Anyway, really good movie! And nice use of silence in some parts! The use and not-use of music was a bit destroyed for me because my sister insisted on playing her radio loudly and my mother's house is about as sound-proof as a tent, but I noticed and liked it.

Um. I am also reading a lot of books for class. I bought another Eyeshield 21 lately, and I think that'll have to be the last one. We've got the Hiruma-Agon-Kid moment in the car, so what's left is tedious filler games, some disconcerting racism and... that's about it. Absolutely an issue of manga artists drawing a few extra volumes more than they have inspiration for, just for the bucks.

The university applications proceeds in tiny little steps and then - whoops, ERROR no more application for u until you've mailed someone AGAIN and they've solved the latest problem

How hard can it be to program a form that allows me to fill it out correctly???? (answer: very hard, apparantly)

don't do this to me, world, I just want to go to Berlin. Suddenly I understand and appreciate what STS was for, all those years ago when I went to the gymnasium. You basically throw money on them and they deal with this shit >_

So I signed up for a non-credited (but darn useful, I think) little course in how to write a term paper, which I believe is the English term most comparable to the Swedish B- and C-uppsats.

We had the first seminar today, three more are planned plus two hours of individual guidance if we feel we need that once we have started with out papers. And it was a really good seminar. The seminar leader, a rethorics teacher at the school, briefly went through the different principles if the sciences and humanities and then focused on the different methods and aspects one can choose and which fit best etc.

The seminar series are open to 20 people, but only 14 turned up. Still, this meant that there was plenty of time to talk with each student about their particular paper and what method we would chose/should chose. I also think it was really quite useful that we came from so different areas - economy, pedagogy, economy, linguistics, tourism/marketing, some kind of crosscultural-something-studies* and me from literature.

Next week is a library tour and database search class. Which isn't that valuable to me, as we have that planned in my course too, but I hope they focus on different aspects, and after that we have a seminar on the formal shape and how to plan a paper realistically. If they're as good as this, it might end up the most informative class hours of this term.

* My college has lots of inter-field courses and some of them end up with a bit unyieldy names.

1) Sweden is insanely cold right now. Minus 16 C I heard someone mutter and the roads are covered in thick ice

2) HAVESENTINMYAPPLICATIONFORGERMANY!!!!! And now I can only wait for a reply homg I want to go pick me pick me ;____;

They've promised to reply 14 days after the 15th (that's the deadline). I'm counting hours here!!!

Jag hade nog hellre varit sjuk denna vecka än förra, det är nu vi har tråkiga föreläsaren.

Blir alltmer besviken på hans tematiska inriktning också, först tyckte jag bara han var trist att lyssna på men nu blir jag purken på ämnet också. Ska ev försöka klaga, om inte annat under utvärderingen :/