Fast Times at FSI High

I have spent the last week embracing what will be my life for the next year.

I am a student again.

I am currently taking the Cultural Affairs Officer course. I am enjoying the course, though I am disappointed with the new building. I can't imagine why they would build new classrooms and make them "dumb" classrooms. As in, no internet hookups, no computers, no smart board.

So we are right back to killing trees for all our copies. Right back to not having access to the great (I assume) sharepoint site they have created for the course.

This isn't the instructors' fault, of course. We are in this room because the class is too big for the room they usually use. Though really, I thought that was why they had seat limits on the course. Maybe the registrar's office didn't notice that they had gone over the maximum number of students by 14!

But really, we are in the brand new building. The one the Secretary cut the ribbon on week before last. And we get a projector and screen? Really? That's disappointing.

What isn't disappointing is the class, which is so far better than I expected (okay, except for the grants part, which is important but really really boring). And further, I am really excited to know that I have two friends going out at the two otehr PAOs in the Baltics, and we are already brainstorming ways to work together on some really cool projects. I think my job in Estonia is going to rock!

There was a bit of unpleasantness in the class for me this week, but not something I can discuss here at the moment. Maybe later.

Next week, we get to meet some of the newest international visitors. I'm excited about that too! It has been three long years since I have gotten to engage the "foreign" part of my Foreign Service!