Fantasies of Senior Year

1. Sitting on the porch of my beautiful, Civil War era off-campus house with a nice cold glass of something (I just turned 21!) chatting away with my best friends and watching people at Keep Coop across the street do circus tricks on the lawn.

2. Holding some badass, earth-shaking, ground-breaking, revolutionary meetings of the Nicaragua Sister Partnership Committee...perhaps in my living room? perhaps over hot chocolate? Also, planning amazing educational events on campus and fundraising our butts off for the Winter Term trip.

3. Finding more Oberlin secrets. I've already explored some hidden tunnels (not saying where).

4. Cooking! Living with a host family is great, but I REALLY miss being in control of my food. Also, I love Mexican food, but not every day for four months. Especially Sonoran food, which is usually fried and covered with cheese. My host mom doesn't understand my deep love and desire for vegetables. She says, "That's rabbit food" when I make myself a salad. Both my house and the coop next year will give me ample opportunities to cook vegetarian to my heart's content.

5. Dancing! I've been trying to keep up my tango and salsa in Tucson, but it's been hard with no time, money, or car. Luckily, you don't need any of those things to get your dance in Oberlin (except a little time, I suppose). The tango ExCo is great for beginners and the teacher is certainly a character (he will tell you to push the woman as you would a refrigerator). I also carpooled a couple times for tango events in Cleveland, as a special get-out-of-the-Oberlin-bubble treat. Gentlemen, take tango. We need more of you. You are guaranteed a beautiful dance partner.

Tango ExCo at the Cat

Me getting my tango on with a visiting dancer the College brought from Buenos Aires

6. I hope it doesn't reflect badly that I've put academics last, but as I said in an earlier post, I'm nervous for readjusting to traditional classroom learning after this semester out in the field. NEVERTHELESS, I have some great teachers lined up, plus my two incredible advisers who are so cool they blog along with me: David Walker and Steve Volk. (Fun fact: Volk looks exactly like Salman Rushdie.)

Okay, gotta stop thinking about next year, or I'll never be able to finish my 25-page research paper, my 15-page ethnography, or my activism materials. Wish me luck!