I realize that I have said almost nothing about my every day life here! I've been in normal classes for three weeks now! The time has flown like nothing I have ever known. I can't stress enough that every second is consumed by my studies and activities.


Where to start? I guess I can say a bit about my classes. They only take up 2 hours each a week, but actually require the majority of my waking moments.

I am taking 4 classes, auditing one, and taking a language course (which isn't for credit) because I must pass a Russian proficiency exam before I can get a degree in my dual concentration of International Economics and Russian and Eurasian Studies, with, if I can make it work, a specialization in Emerging Markets.

My four classes are: Macroeconomics, International Trade (another economics course), Contemporary Russian Politics, and Science, Technology, and International Affairs.

Macroeconomics is being taught this semester by a gentleman, Professor Elson, who is an economist rather than a professor. He is visiting for the semester from D.C. where he works for pretty much every influential economics organization in the District. He is an older man and very considerate. Because he is not a professor by trade, his lectures are absent of the normal banter professors have learned makes their lectures bearable, but his experience in the field brings a great perspective on a course that is so strictly theory (everything we learn is prefaced by "here are the assumptions for this model to work..."). It is a required course of everyone and while not the most enthralling, gives us a grounds to work on and the illusion we have some idea of what's going on with the financial crisis.

International trade theory is taught by an amazing man, Doctor Plummer. He is always on European television. Whenever there is a newsworthy event in the economic world, he is giving a perspective on it to some news source. This course is, again, a requirement of all of us to get our economics concentrations satisfied. It is great to have a course that makes logical sense and isn't solely based on readings and theory. Sometimes you brain gets burned out and you just want to draw an indifference curve rather than read another 50 page essay on the prerequisites for democracy!

Well, that's half of them, I believe I will save the rest for another post as not to bore any of you! Hope all is well and hope to hear from all of you soon :)