I started classes! I’m in week 2 of my “modules.” It’s a
lot of work, but for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m really learning
– like I’m being trained to know how to do a job. It’s actually really
exciting. The other thing is, there aren’t any exams! I don’t get it… It’s a
whole different way of learning. I feel like I’m being tricked or something.
The professors go through the syllabus and say that 50% of the grade is a group
project, 20% is an individual project, and 30% is ongoing blog entries over the
reading and I’m thinking, but wait, is there a test worth another 100% or
something? Even while I read, I feel like I better make a study guide to
remember all of this stuff. It’s so different from undergrad.
I bought a lovely red and white bike with flowers on it.
It’s really nice, but terrifying at the same time. I’ve never been a bike
commuter or anything so it was hard to jump in to it. I kind of like it now,
kind of. It will save me hundreds, though. I like to go down hills, but I’m too
much of a wuss, so I squeeze the brake all the way down, but I like that, too.
I passed a girl for the first time that was slower than me and I liked that
too.
I found the local public library by my house. That makes
me feel like I’ve finally really settled, here. I got a library card in about
10 minutes and they have a much better self-service kiosk than in the NYC
public libraries, but I think everyone would steal the DVDs in New York if you
could check them out yourself. Come to think of it – I also didn’t notice that
you don’t have to get searched on the way in and out of the library, here, like
you did at home. The other day, I rode my back over to the library and then
stopped at a park on the way back to read a little. There were a bunch of
families around. It made me miss the little kids in my family. I’m excited for
my upcoming family visits in London and Paris. I’ll be going to London with
Hayley and Stephen and then, meeting Jessica, Dev, Juliette, and Leo for one
day in Paris the following weekend.
Speaking of weekend trips! I have an impromptu weekend
trip coming up this Friday… to Dingle. It’s ok if you giggled. So do I. I’ll
keep you all aBREAST of how that goes (complete with pictures next week, I’m
sure).
In other news, I saw a fox the other day- right on the
way to the City Centre! I also went to a party behind Aviva Stadium last
Saturday where Lady Gaga was playing – not at the party, at the stadium. It was
fun walking there because I was walking along this pretty little canal, but as
I got closer to the venue, there were so many people on the street in costume
with wigs and masks on. It was cute.
I joined a bunch of clubs today: film society, musical
club, international student society, equestrian club, and literature and
history club. It was great because they all have a bunch of events and they’re
all only €2 to join.
Now, for a little educational material! As promised, this
is…
What I learned from The
Truth About Organic Foods:
-
To my understanding, the difference between
organic and non-organic or conventional farming is that organic farming uses
organic fertilizer, while conventional farming uses synthetic fertilization
materials
-
There is no unbiased, consistent, significant
scientific research to conclude that organic food is more nutritious than
conventional food.
-
“Let me be clear about one thing. The organic
label is a marketing tool. It is not a statement about food safety. Nor is
‘organic’ a value judgment about nutrition or quality. Organic is about how it
is produced. Just because something is labeled as organic does not mean it is
superior, safer, or more healthy than conventional food. All foods in this
country must meet the same high standards of safety regardless of their
classification. For nutritious information, look at the nutrition label. And,
as for quality, that’s a matter of personal preference.” – US Department of
Agriculture Secretary, Dan Glickman in 2000.
-
Published, scientific studies show that organic
foods have a higher risk of foodborne pathogens and fungal toxins than
conventional foods. – Organic farmers can’t use the most effective fungicides
because they are all synthetic.
-
Organic foods are not pesticide-free, but neither
synthetic nor organic pesticides pose any significant food safety risks.
-
More than 99% of meat, milk, and eggs is
completely free of any detectable traces of supplemental hormones and
antibiotics.
-
“Even if you could use all the organic material
that you have – the animal manures, the human waste, the plant residues – and
get them back in the soil, you couldn’t feed more than 4 billion people.” – Dr.
Norman Borlaug, 1970 Nobel Peace Prize winner and “Father of the Green
Revolution”
Interesting, huh? So, I won’t be going out of my way to
buy any organic produce from now on. I’ll get back to you about what I’m
learning about meat.
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