Barcelona, España- April 25, 2004
My courses are really interesting here. Mostly development and peacekeeping kinds of stuff. I really enjoy the topics, and reading and thinking about the material really interests me. I´ve always been interested in things international and abroad, this program seems to tie them all up together. Finally see a real focus or something solid in my future. Seems like for years I´ve just been floating from one thing to the next. The subject material of this course is something I could study and devote my life to with ease. I love traveling and reading about other countries. Even watching the news tonight I could relate much moreso when they were talking about democracy, development, conflict and everything else on the International CNN News. All topics I´m currently studying about. Never really understood those words quite in the same way as I do now - even with just over a week of classes under my belt. Feels great to be on topic with something that actually really corresponds with my own interests.
Okay, a geography lesson. I live in Castellón. This is a city of about 130,000 people that lies about 4 kilometers inland. Au Grau is the nearby beach. Just up the shore lies Bennicássim. That is a very big tourist oriented town. Particularly in the Summer. I live about one hour north of Valencia, and around 3-4 hours south of Barcelona. This entire coast comes alive in the Summertime, and already has now. What a great place to be.
This last weekend I went up to Barcelona. Beautiful city just like everyone in the world says it is. The beach is right there as well as incredible public transportation system. I was really impressed with Barcelona. If I were a European citizen, and could live in any city in the EU that I wanted, maybe there would be a very high chance I´d choose that city, or at least spend a year or two of my life there. As is, I´m not and I won´t. But if I were I would do that.
What was I doing in Barcelona? I took the foreign service exam at the U.S. Embassy. I took it last year in Seoul, and will probably continue to take it every year thereafter. Its only offered once a year and its an opportunity to work in embassies/consulates abroad. I heard that each year there are around 10,000 applicant test-takers. Of that number only about 1,000 are accepted for oral interviews. Of that number only about 500 are offered actual jobs. That means I´d have to be in the top 5% to get a job there. I´m generally not one of those students. Anyhow, regardless, I will continue to take it from now until whenever on the off-chance I were able to get in somehow.
Tonight I´m back in Castellón. Feels good to be back. I really liked Barcelona, but seems like I´ve now quickly adjusted to life in this college town. It was boring before classes start. But I´ve quickly become quite comfortable and feel I have a pretty good grasp on things and quite enjoy being here. Its a great mix of students as well. I´m getting a very different perspective than studying in the States. Its also interesting being in Europe and studying the U.S. at times from a completely different viewpoint. A lot of the same things can be said, but just interesting to be a representative of the U.S. to some degree but at the same time quite removed as well.
Its also becoming more and more warmer here daily. The feeling of Summer is really here already. Happened quickly. I´ve also finished the first half of the first course. Its organized whereas we have a visiting professor who teaches everyday for 2-3 weeks on a chosen subject. This is just an intro course to peace and development. Very interesting. The subject of this masters sounds funny, but its more along the lines of peacekeeping, security, conflict tranformation, development and trying to secure the peace between and among international borders. Pretty interesting stuff.
Next Journal Entry in Spain:
May 4, 2004
You can email me at:
Wintermoon2@yahoo.com