Speak up or Be Forgotten

2 June 2013

I just experienced my first taste of Cambridge classes. It is quite different than American Universities. Just like Oxford the classes are more discussion based and interactive than a typical class in the United States. This approach came across as scary and intimidating when I first encountered it at Oxford, but as I became accustomed to it I learned that I prefer that style of teaching. It is not hard to ask questions and present your ideas clearly in class. For me, once I got over the fear of asking “bad” questions and understood that I have just as much of a say as anyone else in class, I was golden. Now I enjoy presenting my ideas to and asking questions of the professor and my classmates. There is no better way than to learn from the people around you. I have learned that it is either speak up or be forgotten…

I sat in on four different classes today and by the end of the day I was dead tired! European History, Travel writing, International Management, and Creativity and Business Innovation were the four and they were all very good. Sitting in on that many was probably not the smartest thing and it definitely stretched my mental capabilities on the first day of class… As far as mental strain on my body goes, I am exhausted, but I think I figured out a good plan as to which classes I am going to take. I will end up taking European History and Business Creativity and Innovation, while auditing Travel Writing and hopefully the Marriage of Spirit and Matter (painting) as well.

I was in class all day so I really did not have any time to take pictures. I got home this evening and realized this so I snapped a few of my dorm room that I will be staying in over the next 8 weeks. It is quite comfy and quant…all it needs is some color on the walls.

There is hardly anyone in this world that doesn’t travel somewhere or in some way. For this reason I decided that I would truly enjoy participating in the travel writing course offered a Cambridge University. Although I will not receive credit for it, I am auditing the class and will do all the course work so as it get as much out of it as I can. We had a great discussion today about the meaning and purpose behind travel and behind writing. What is travel? Travel is stepping out of your daily habitat, stretching your limits to experience something new and different in the world of culture and geography. Although I guess you could argue that anytime you cover a distance whether it be near or far you are traveling. Stepping out of your front door and walking the streets to your job or class is traveling. Although the latter is not usually observed as such. When we are in our day to day environment we sometimes shut off our brains to experiencing new sights and sounds. Traveling is an attitude.

What is writing? Placing words on a page to paint a mental picture of a specific idea in the mind of the reader. Writing constitutes so many things as well as so many forms. Good writing comes when the author uses his or her pen with passion writing about emotion and details. Travel writing is the form in which we express our thoughts and feelings about what we have seen and what we have experienced. It is the written expression of how a place is viewed through the eyes, ears, and nose of it’s beholder. I am anxious to learn how to become a travel writer. Keep reading my blogs because who knows…Cambridge may turn my writing into some masterpiece. I sure hope so.