Monday, August 14, 2006

Graduation application, accomodating profs and community shield highlights

The moment is drawing nigh....I picked up my application for graduation today!It is just the other day that I came to the uni still smelling of jet fuel with the tags fresh on my lugagge.And look at me now!There are lots of things that I will miss when I am out of the 'ville but one thing that I won't miss is the brokeness, walking and the ethnic blandness (here most of the people are black or white - it's we international students that add some spice to the mix). But to give something you have to lose something. Here's to long work days, more bills, traffic jams and drama of all sorts. I am happy to say that I am on good terms with all my workmates, different employers and proffesors. I am a simple man and I try to avoid drama. Anyway here's to a new sem that will hopefully be my last.

One thing that makes me love going to school in the States or at least to my school coz other schools may suck, is the fact that professors try to work with you and accomodate you as a student. One of the required classes that I had to do wasn't being offered here this semester but at one of our satellite schools which is on a military base; since I am an alien I am not allowed in because I may steal military secrets or blow the place up.
Under normal circumstances that would mean that I would have to wait for next semester to do the course and as an international student unless it is my last sem I can't do one course and seeing as I want to do an internship during my last semester this would mean that I would have to add to more uneccesary courses. But lucky for me you can do some classes as an independant study but this didn't apply in this case, so my Advisor and the Head of Department worked together and created a course!
All I have to do is sit through an Undergraduate class and do some extra assignments (It also helps that I've had the prof for the undergrad course before and passed him all two times so he didnt mind me joining his class!)
If it were in Kenya I can picture the balding Head of Department seated at his desk looking at me and saying in a no nonsense manner, "I am sorry young man, you should have organised for such an eventuality; you will have to take extra classes next semester.There is nothing I can do." I had friends who did their Master's in Public Uni's and it isn't funny being at a Professor's mercy at all.I don't even want to get started about those professors who take pride in how many people failed their class (they exist here too) but seemed to be more prevalant back home.But that is a post for another day or for someone else who wants to pick it up from here.

Other then that I am going to the Lake today for a picnic to welcome the new international students, so look out for some pics.Let me leave you with highlights of the Community Shield.Mimi ni wako, Aco....

15 comments:

Archer said...

Ahem! First.

egm said...

Soon you shall join us. Being at work so long, I yearn for the carefree (relatively speaking) days of studenthood.

I agree on accomodating profs here. I had one final humanities class to go kabla graduation, and for that I chose to take a course in philosophy. The only thing is, being an evening course, it was 3 credits. And I needed 4. So the prof agreed to have me write an extra paper on one of the assigned books that would grant the extra credit. Were it not for that, I would probably have had to take a full course during the day (I had started working at the time, and so evening courses were my only option). And it ended up costing me about $700 as compared to the $2000 I would have had to pay for a full time course.

Happy picnicin'

Anonymous said...

Thanks for making me laugh today :-)

CiikuMrsBabes said...

but at one of our satellite schools which is on a military base; since I am an alien I am not allowed in because I may steal military secrets or blow the place up.

LOL..... That damn near killed me!

Hey Aco... Hey Archer!

Archer said...

@Aco: eh...Community Shield highlights ziko wapi daddy?
Lucky you got good professors to sort you out. Still doing undergrad where I'm lucky not to have to interact with any of my professors. I'd have been done with undergrad this year but I had enough of Chartered Accounting and changed courses this year!
@Movie Buff: wsup groupie # 1! Wats crackin? Ebu chomoa vibe we liven up this joint.

CiikuMrsBabes said...

Ati vibe. Leo I am just bila stories but extremely tired. I was up parting till 1 AM jana night. Not a good Monday for me I tells u!!!!

I watched Soccer. That traumatised me for the whole weekend... ha ha

egm said...

@mb till 1am? I thought you said late nights was a thing of the past?

Archer said...

Yes. Soccer, trauma... I feel you. Damn that Peter Crouch giraffe! I'm liking your new profile pic! At least you chucked that uni-browed fella. Its past midnight, us guys are pinting (on a Monday!) and I have 2 drag my kiwete ass to lectures in 6 hours. I think Kenyans are genetically alcoholic.

CiikuMrsBabes said...

LOl Egm... So did I.. so did I... I need new friends... LOL!

@ Archer.. I cant help but laugh at the whole "Kiwete" statement. Woiyeee... Pole sana! Dont be hatin on Jon B please. He is FYNE.
Thanks for the complements. Im still trying to find the perfect pictures. ONE DAY! ONE DAY!

Kenyanchick said...

Habari wananchi! I'm happy for you Aco, the finish line is in sight, excellent. Keep us informed on the countdown (who knows, we might surprise you and show up at graduation - that would be a plot!)

As for those who were hanging out on a Monday night: why didn't you call me? LOL! I'm going to do some serious damage tonight. Wish me well and hope nobody takes "Soho-esque" pictures.

Anonymous said...

This piece of crap hung with my comment!Let me compose myself and reply yout comments once more!

Marazzmatazz said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Marazzmatazz said...

I'll def toast to that! Am sure it has been a gruellin' expedition as u roll it up, keep the CREAM in sight! Aaaaaaaaaand, also the possibility that msoto can be ur walkin' mate for a while b4 good times smile at u. as for the military base, sisemi kitu. Ati alien? imagine ungekuwa umevaa turban????

Girl next door said...

Congrats on getting close to graduation! It must feel great knowing what you've accomplished. Most profs here in the States are helpful and accomodating if they know you're a good student. The attitude is so different from most Kenyan teachers who act like they're doing you a big favor when you ask something when it's simply their job.

Anonymous said...

@ Marrazmatazz
It's been sometime but it's going to be great to be done with school and have a little extra spending money!Yeah good thing I dont wear a turban!
@ GND
Thanks!I used to deal with profs back home and it was a pain in the ass in most cases!