September 4, 2007

First(ish) Day of School

I started classes today for my second semester at Asbury, and boy, this semester is worlds different from the last.

For starters, I'm taking four classes instead of three. Three seemed like a lot at the time, but I'm figuring part of that had to do with moving the week before finals, culture shock at having moved to tiny little wilmore (am I now a "Wilmoron" as a lady asked today?) from big 'ol foreign Melbourne, and of course, having a slightly-depressed-at-our-living-conditions-but-also-pregnant wife. There was lots going on. But this semester is hard too; four classes isn't easy, especially when two of them - as I discovered last night at 7pm - overlap by an hour and fifteen minutes, a change that the registrar didn't bother to inform me or another student had happened. So now I have to decide what to do there, and it's honestly all a bit frustrating. But it'll get worked out, eventually. Or at least, I hope by friday, since that's when the drop/add deadline is. But of course, there's also the three-days-of-work thing (really seven because I'm managing Coldstone, but I only get paid for one), and of course, a newborn in the house.

What fun.

But I'm really looking forward to classes this semester. Dr. Martyn, of Teaching-My-India-Class fame, is also my professor for Vocation of Ministry (so it'll be nice to get to know him a bit before travelling overseas together). Dr. Pachuau (or "Kima" since nobody can pronounce his first name) is teaching a history of Christian Missions class, which ought to be long, but exciting; I'm a minority in his class, being but an ordinary white northerner. We'll see whether I take Dr. Hunter's class on Church Growth, or Dr. Ybarrola's (yes, that's his name) Anthropology class. But by far, I'm most interested in Dr. West's class on Cross-Cultural Leadership ... simply put, it is going to be fantastic. Dr. West is the sort of guy who prefers learning by conversation, working together rather than the traditional method of "I lecture and you absorb my worldly wisdom". He's extremely passionate about teaching and growing leaders, both in and out of the classroom, and today something in his introduction made me realize I'm going to need his insights before India. Dr. West and India are going to mess with me a lot, I'm beginning to realize, but ... in a good way (I hope).

And, just for Shawna, here's a cute picture of Rori. All others are on Flickr.

2 comments:

Shawna said...

You are a champion! And good luck with school...sounds like it will be a real growing experience

Dan Underwood said...

You've got a lot going on! But, I know you'll be able to handle it and shine in the process (something to do with being passionate about what you're doing...) Good luck getting the classes figured out.