Hey all. Hope those of you who live in non-light polluted areas got a chance to see the Meteor Shower early Tuesday morning. The beautiful show in the sky reminded me of how Batesies love the outdoors.

In preparation for the meteor shower, the Bates Outing Club (BOC) sent out an email offering rides to Bates students who wanted to watch the stars from a nearby farm (graciously offered up by a local farmer). 80 students responded to the email, an overwhelming number that the Outing Club was not prepared to accommodate.

I personally decided to watch the show from the Bates football field which turned out to be a great location. My girlfriend and I met up around 1:45 AM and set up a blanket near the 20-yard line and watched the meteors streak across the sky with dozens of other Batesies. It was beautiful.

I think it says a lot about Bates’ love for the outdoors that such a large proportion of the student body was willing to wake up in the middle of the night to brave the cold temperatures and watch the meteor shower. Amazing. Harvest Dinner is tonight… pictures to follow. Until next time…

(http://www.thedailyinquirer.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/leonid-meteor-shower-november-2009.jpg)

Hey all. Longer update to follow after the Harvest Dinner this Wednesday. For now, check out these pictures I snapped with my cell phone of campus during sunset. Beautiful Maine:

Hey all. This week has been all about Spanish for me. The language has had a major impact on my academic life during the past few days.

Earlier last week, I was officially accepted into my study abroad program in Seville, Spain. I am extremely excited about studying in Spain for a number of reasons:

1. I will hopefully be able to achieve a high level of proficiency in the Spanish language. Learning a second language is something that I have wanted to do for a long time.

2. The program is an Advanced Liberal Arts curriculum that will allow me to take classes right alongside Spanish-speaking students directly in the Spanish University System. Hopefully this will provide me with a solid social and cultural introduction to Spain.

3. I will be living with a host family which should only help me learn the language even quicker. Hopefully, I can form a solid relationship with this family that will add to my experience… and this should be a lot nicer than living in a dorm!

4. I will have an opportunity to travel around Europe… I have never been and traveling to new places is high on my list of favorite activities.

One thing that really drew me to Bates was the focus on study abroad. I’m not sure on the exact numbers but I think just about 2/3 of Batesies go abroad. Bates provides the opportunity and the means for students to pursue academic experiences off campus and I’m very excited to be able to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Now that I am accepted into my program, I’ve spent this past week running around and relentlessly filling out forms (student visas, contracts, etc.) so that when it is time to go to Spain, I’ll be ready and able. More info on my study abroad program once I have more details for you…

Coinciding with this past week of study abroad work and excitement has been a lot of work in my Spanish class. I had an analyzation essay about several poems due earlier in the week along with the usual Spanish workload. I always find Spanish essays tricky because I know in my head what to say and how to articulate it but putting the words down on paper (IN SPANISH) can be quite challenging.

As if this wasn’t enough Spanish language, Wednesday of last week I attended a documentary as part of the Latin American Film Series here at Bates, titled: “The Other Side of Immigration”. The film consisted of interviews of rural Mexican farmers and presented the U.S.-Mexican immigration issue from the perspective of these small-town people. The director of the film was on hand and held an informative question and answer session after the documentary was shown. Check out the website for the film.

Here is the trailer to the documentary. If you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it:

Off to go do some Spanish studying. Until next time… Or, as they say in Spanish: Hasta luego…

Hey all. Just wanted to give a quick update from my end.

First off, I added more fall pictures of Bates. You can find them by clicking here. Check out even more pictures of campus and from around Maine by clicking on the ‘Pictures from Bates’ tab at the top of the page. 

Secondly, I just updated the ‘Bates Video’ page so check that out, too. There are some a cappella performances from Parents and Family Weekend that I just added, as well as a few other clips. Browse around the Bates Video page! (also found at the tab on the  top of this page)

Third on the agenda, a crazy clip. Check out this video of a flash mob (a random and sudden Batesie dance party) that disrupted lunch a few days ago to raise awareness for 350.org, an organization that promotes environmental stewardship. According to the video information: “350 is the parts per million of atmospheric carbon-dioxide we need for a healthy planet.”. Whatever it was promoting, I found it hilarious. I was watching from the mezzanine:

Last but not least, I heard back from my study abroad organization and I got into my program! I will be studying in Seville, Spain second semester (starting after winter break). More information on that soon. Until next time…

Hey all. As promised, here are some photos I took of campus last week. Fall is beautiful in Maine. This is just a sampling. Many more will be posted in the ‘Pictures from Bates’ section in the next few days. Check back for more soon. Enjoy!

Hey all. October is here and that means fall is now in full foliage, it is the first full month of classes, the school year’s activities are now in full swing, and my schedule is now… full.

The workload has definitely increased this month. Just this week, I gave a Spanish presentation on Fronteras Compasivias (Humane Borders), a humanitarian organization that provides aid to immigrants who cross the U.S.-Mexican border, had a African geography quiz for my history seminar course, and took a biology test for my Emerging and Re-Emerging infections across the Globe class. I have to finish two books and read some journal articles for my three classes tomorrow… oh, yes, serious work is definitely here.

In other eventful news, Liz Neumark, a blogger for The Huffington Post and a parent of a freshman at Bates, recently blogged about her experience at Parent’s and Family Weekend at Bates. She lauds the Bates Dining Service and is impressed with the school in general. Check out the Huffington Post blog here. Clearly, she is a proud parent. 

Speaking of the Dining Service at Bates, it recently received a national award given by University Business Magaizine. Bates was named one of the ‘Dining Halls of Distinction’ along with three other colleges/universities in the United States. Read about the Bates Dining achievement here.

A busy weekend at Bates kicks off Friday with two movies, a concert, and a dance. Check out Bates’ event schedule here. 

And one more Bates link… October pictures of the Bates campus.

I will be adding some Bates fall photos of my own soon so be on the lookout… I am off to go do some more work… until next time…

Hey all. As promised, here is a longer blog post to catch you up on all things Bates. I’ve finally uploaded pictures from my camera on to my computer so you can actually have a visual image of what I’m writing about. Okay, let’s get down to business:

Last Saturday was the annual fall Clam Bake at Popham Beach. The weather was absolutely beautiful and it seemed like half of Bates was there (Bates offered a free bus though many Batsies drove separately). My friends and I all enjoyed the great weather but I know what you’re all really wondering: how was the food? I mean, let’s be real here, the Clam Bake is all about the food. This year’s cooking staff (Bates Outing Club members and volunteers) did not disappoint. I stuffed myself with lobster, clams, coleslaw, pasta salad, and cookies (there were also burgers, hot dogs, and other options for non-seafood lovers and vegetarians). I think this picture of me passed out next to my plate pretty much says it all. I’m not proud of the photo but I thought it was important I share it:

Moving on from that rather disturbing image… after working my way through another busy week of class, I was excited that the weekend had rolled around again. Friday was low-key but today some friends and I ventured to the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine.

The Common Ground Fair is best explained on the event’s website, “[It] allows fairgoers to make connections with a rapidly expanding base of organic farms in the state of Maine. Hundreds of vendors, exhibitors and demonstrators, more than 1,000 volunteers, and tens of thousands of fairgoers will gather to: share knowledge about sustainable living; eat delicious, organic, Maine-grown food; buy and sell beautiful Maine crafts and useful agricultural products; compete in various activities; dance; sing and have a great time.”

I had never been to the fair before (it’s about an hour and a half from campus) but I found it to be a lot of fun. All the food was amazing and I had a great time just walking around and seeing everything the fair had to offer. I was blown away by the number of people there and by the enthusiasm surrounding the event. Check out these pictures I snapped:

(There were dozens of tents like these with countless booths where you could buy crafts or learn about local environmental groups and projects)

(There were plenty of farm animals there!)

(Pork sausage, sea salt, fennel, pepper and onion… all organic)

Until next time…

Hey all. A longer blog will follow this one (probably in a day or so) but just wanted to give you all a quick update. All is well here at Bates. Classes are in full-swing, my IM soccer season is now underway, and the first edition of the Bates Student came out yesterday. The weather has been absolutely beautiful. Summer is still holding on a bit but the cool nights indicate that fall is just around the corner.

Some items of potential interest for perspective students:

Bates has completely redesigned its homepage making it much more accessible and interactive. I recommend exploring the new website. It has a lot to offer.

Check out the Bates Student website, the new edition of the paper should be out now.

Until next time…

Hey all. I apologize for the lack of updates of late. The past week has been incredibly busy but I am now finally settling back into my Bates routine and schedule.

Classes started last Wednesday and I have really been enjoying my four courses. African Slavery in the Americas has already opened my eyes to a lot of interesting information. I’ve obviously learned more about the horrors of the system of slavery but I’ve also come to appreciate the dangers that go along with misrepresenting slavery in historical writing. The idea that giving slaves ‘agency’ ignores or covers up the atrocities of the slave past is something I had never given much thought to until taking this class.

My biology class (Emerging and Re-emerging Infections Across the Globe) has been intriguing as well. As might be expected, we’ve spent a great deal of time discussing H1N1. Even though I am not a “science person” I’ve found learning about the genetic makeup of the flu to be quite fascinating. 

I’ve found Spanish (Gendered Experiences in American Borderlands) to be thought-provoking as well. The class is taught almost exclusively in Spanish and I can already tell that my Spanish proficiency has improved. We are currently examaining U.S.-Mexican border immigration and studying border culture, relations, and perspectives. 

In British History in the Twentieth Century, I’ve come to appreciate Britain’s status as a global empire at the end of the 19th century and how the Boer War (along with several other significant events) influenced a decline in power that affects Britain to this day.

I recap what I’ve learned in the first week not to bore you but to provide you with a personal academic experience from one Batesie (myself) that hopefully shows the varied academic opportunities that this institution offers. 

Outside the classroom, I have added a Physical Education course to my schedule. The course consists of playing basketball twice a week in a relatively relaxed environment. Rather than add pressure to my schedule, I’ve found it to be a good stress-reliever and escape from academia. I am not a great basketball player by any stretch of the imagination but I love playing and I frequent some local courts in the summertime. Hopefully I can improve my skills a bit and surprise a few people when I come home.

This upcoming weekend promises to be jam-packed. The college-wide Clam Bake is this Saturday at Popham Beach (already bought my ticket), Matt and Kim, an indi pop electro group, will be performing at Bates on Friday, and work on the Bates Student (college newspaper) must get completed so the first issue of the year can be out on time. 

More updates soon. Until next time…

Matt and Kim:

Hey all. Summer has come to it’s end and I am quiet excited to embark on another sure to be excellent year at Bates. I will be driving up on Sunday and will then prepare for classes beginning on Wednesday. It will be nice to have 2 full days to get settled in my new room and then organize and ready myself for the first day of classes. Call me nerdy or old-fashioned, but I am always pumped for the first day of school.

There is certainly a lot to look forward to this year. I am now an upperclassman. Gulp. Not sure where the last two years went… I guess time flies when you are having fun. I will only be on campus for the first semester since I am going abroad in the winter/early spring semester. I suppose that means this year is going to go by even quicker than the last two but I am beyond excited for studying abroad. More details on that as plans get finalized and settled in the near future. 

As for classes this semester, I’m taking courses in Spanish, history, and biology. Specifically, I am signed up for ‘Britain in the Twentieth Century’, a 200-level history class that seems fairly self-explanatory. Sticking with history, I am taking ‘African Slavery in the Americas’, a 390-level history course that I think will be extremely interesting and is taught by one of my favorite professors. My Spanish course is called ‘Gendered Experiences in America’s Borderlands’. This is a 300-level course that will hopefully greatly improve my Spanish speaking abilities. I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to learn but that just makes it all the more exciting. My final class is an introductory biology course titled ‘Emerging and Reemerging Infections Across the Globe’ which seems timely to me. I wonder if we will talk about H1N1? 

The next week promises to be action-packed and a bit stressful but I am ready to take it on. Junior year here I come! I am going to finish packing now…Until next time…