@ UMaine

I’ve been at UMaine for over a month now, so I guess it’s time that I describe in more detail what the university here is all about. As I’ve mentioned before, the campus is pretty big and beautiful. I imagine it’s going to be even more beautiful as more leaves start to change. Despite the beauty of the campus, it is also very, or better yet, too quiet here most of the time. The only time when it gets a little bit busy is in between classes. For about ten minutes students are leaving classes and heading home or heading to get something to eat or some coffee, but after that it’s just very quiet again. During the weekends it is even quieter, which seemed almost impossible to me at first. However, since most students here are from Maine, they leave campus to go home on weekends.

Fogler Library

So what does a typical week look like for me? Luckily, and mainly thanks to my planning ahead, I only have classes Tuesday till Thursday. Yep, I have a four-day weekend. Which does not necessarily mean that I don’t have anything to do, because the three classes that I am taking are pretty intense and there’s always a lot to read and prepare. But I really enjoy them. The one bio class that I’m taking this semester is called “Wildlife Policy and Administration” and deals with laws and regulations concerning wildlife here in the US. Not surprisingly, I am the only European student (and probably the only student NOT from Maine) in this class, so my teacher is happy that I’ll contribute a European perspective. The other two classes I’m taking are English classes, one is “Technical Editing and Document Design” which is really interesting and actually teaches skills an English student can use in the real world out there (wherever that is…). My third class is “Literature of the Enlightenment”. It is a very small class, i.e. we’re only ten students and we have to read loads (novels, short stories, essays, and poems) but I really enjoy it.

Not MY feet!

Okay, so I promised to talk about my weekly schedule here. Usually I go to the library at least every other day and spend a couple of hours there reading, writing essays, doing assignments, and writing for my blog. My bio classes are early in the morning so I am also done early and I try to continue studying right after. I have one evening class which is a little exhausting but thanks to my roommate dinner is usually ready when I get back home.

Pumpkin enchiladas - yum!

Sunday breakfast - pancakes

I am living in a student dorm for graduate students because that was simply the easiest way to do it and arrange it from home. Even though my room could be way nicer, I am getting along really well with my French roommate so that makes up for it. And luckily, as graduate students, I have access to a kitchen. Honestly, without that I would either starve here or gain about 100 pounds. But more on the food issue some other time.

My dorm