Cheating

It's been forever since I've blogged, so I felt like I should take a moment to write something. Since Easter break I've made trips to Sierra de Béjar, Cáceres, Plasencia, and London. Photos and more details are forthcoming. For me time is moving at Mach 5. Could be mach 4, but after it reaches mach speed I can't really tell the difference. I've finally grown accostumed to living here and all too soon I'll have to go. I've really bumped up the working. This month is now crunch time. It's not like crunch time at Olin where you've been working and stressed all semester and now you have to do more. No, I've got it pretty easy. It's more like I've had the same work to do for the entire semester, have only done a small fraction of it, and now I have the remainder sitting in front of me. It shouldn't be undoable though.

My professor for Social Movements in Contemporary Spain took time to explain the final exam yesterday. I'll have the choice of doing a historical commentary on some article pertinent to the history studied in the class or I can expound upon one of the chapters I've read in the book. We have to read and report on 5 chapters. It seems that his motivation for giving a final is another way to make sure that the students know the material (of course). However, what he means by that is that they've actually read the book and that their reports and summaries aren't simply plagiarized and if they are, that at least they've memorized them. He said flat out that he'll be looking for plagiarism and that he expects it. Not only that, he said that he knows that he has to be more careful with the Spanish students and European students in general than with the Americans who usually seem to do their own work. Such a different world here. Talking to my Erasmus friends and my roommates, the general philosophy seems to be that if you can cheat or in some way take advantage (be it in school or in other sectors of life), and do it without getting caught, then you deserve respect. More power to you, you've cheated the system. I don't know where this mindset comes from. It's not everyone, but it's prevalent nonetheless and I don't like it.

In other news I was accepted and will be working as a LeadAmerica Team Leader this summer. I'm excited. It's not a high-powered engineering internship, but my coming back late ruled out those options. It's only three sessions, but it will be a good opportunity for me. I really enjoy working with people, organizing events, tutoring, etc. I might even be chipper. We'll see.

I'll be going back to Olin for commencement. I decided I couldn't miss it and bought my overpriced fly from europe ticket. For random Olin people reading this, I'll need a place to sleep Thursday through Sunday nights. :) Thanks!