10.20.09 - Close of Block One

What a grand finale! After getting back from Copenhagen and finishing up my climate change presentation, I had 2 things to focus on: final exam and final paper. Now I realize that this is my first mention of academics so allow me to elaborate.
My 16 week semester is divided into Block 1 and 2, eight weeks each. Seven weeks of studying, one week of finals exams. For my program, The Center for European Studies (CES), you take 2 classes in each block, about 8 hours of class a week. In the CSE program for my college we take one class through the Maastricht University’s bus and economics faculty (“UM class”) and three courses through CES directly (“CES class”). This Block, I was in Business and Politics in Europe (BPE), a UM class and European of Economic Integration (EEI), a CES class.
BPE like all UM classes are taught in the unique, indigenous to Maastricht “PBL” style, or Problem Based Learning. This style in essence is students sitting around a table and discussing the class material for the duration of the class, usually about 2 hours. Students act as discussion leaders and facilitate classroom conversation. Tutors, professors, sit along the periphery, sometimes physically, but usually just the periphery of the dialogue and chime in to clarify or redirect students if they get off track. Tutors are also the graders in each class. PBL style was conceived by Maastricht, upon its found in ’76 as a means to differentiate itself from all the other Netherlands schools. The idea is that through student participation, leadership, initiative and assertiveness in the classroom and in regards to their preparation of material, students will become more confident by speaking up, better public speakers and presenters, and more effective analyzers and synthesizers of information; therefore, becoming more competitive and qualified candidates for employment. And I think that when correctly implemented, PBL achieves those goals. For me, someone who loves classroom discussion and thrives off of participation, the PBL style most of the time was very enjoyable. However, the nature of my BPE course was somewhat disappoint because the material was dull and block coordinator psychotic. But my class composition was almost all foreign students because it was a UM class. Its makeup was 7 Germans, 1 Singaporean, 1 Canadian, 2 Swedes and 1 other American – total of 13. I have become very good friends with one of the Germans, Mark Nitschke through our group discussion leading and climate change presentation.
My EEI class, the CES one, was a lecture with all of the Muhlenberg Students. It was taught by Math Heckman, the Mr. do-it-all professor. One day he talks about his job for the Commission, next his professor post for the business and economics school as an international accounting specialist, after that his consultancy experience in the risk management of 30 million dollars buildings, and once about playing rugby, maybe even professionally. This guy has been everywhere too. This was the type of lecture that I just needed to listen and I would retain most of the information. Loved this class!
To NOTE: My schedule was: BPE Monday and Thursday 1:30-3:30PM. EEI Tuesday and Thursday 8:30-10:30 PM. So not classes on Wednesdays or Fridays. Love Abroad!
So back to the two big assignments. To close the Block , this past Thursday, I had a final cumulative exam in EEI for 50% of my grade (I had a midterm exam for the other 50% already) and due at the end of the week for BPE I had a final paper, 12 pages long incorporating 13 sources, for another 50% of my grade (I had 20% in a previous paper, and 30% for my presentation). The EEI exam was just a matter of buckling down and studying. The real hindrance was my final 12 page paper. Incorporating 13 sources into just max 12 pages is quite the challenge, plus we are talking about sources that are 15-35 pages of academic papers for the most part. The clincher was that Mom and Dad arrived to Maastricht on Thursday midday and the plan was for us to go to Amsterdam on Sunday. So I got deadlines and pressure. After a preparatory and outline filled Thursday night, I woke up at 7:30 AM on Friday to write the paper; it was almost complete by 4 AM that night (Sat. morning). Although my brain was fried by Saturday night my final paper was complete. One Block under my belt, but sadly this also means halfway point of my semester abroad.
Vacation with Mom and Dad: Mom and Dad arrived on Thursday (10.18.09) around midday to their hotel, Hotel Les Charmes. I intentionally wanted them to book this weekend prior to finals week because I know that I would be around and wouldn’t be inclined to traveling with friends. Plus, my gut said that my work would be so unmanageable…
Anyways, having Mom and Dad in Maastricht was very special. They got to tour the “everything to see, nothing to see” aspects of Maastricht, which is a lot more than I’ve seen. Dad probably knows the city better than I do by now. Thursday night we had a lovely dinner with Dr. Laposata and his wife Kathie at De Perroen restaurant, followed by some filling dessert and continued wonderful conversation at the Laposata apartment. At the apartment 2 former Muhlenberg/Maastricht students from the 2005 Maastricht class, who were visiting for the week, joined us as well. My night ended with much thorough outlining and summarizing of my big essay, as mentioned above.
Friday Mom and Dad walked around the city some more, while I started my day at 7:30 AM right where I had left off the night before – painfully laboring through my essay. Around midday Mom and Dad surprised me at the guesthouse, so I gave them a tour of the facilities, especially the notable disgusting kitchen. Friday night closed with a lovely dinner with the parents and a very early in the morning near paper completion.
Saturday, Dad and I went to shul, Mom went to Barry’s gym. We resume dour afternoon for some hardy conversation around a picnic lunch in the hotel room, followed by some paper editing between Mom and I. In the evening, I finalized my paper, then we had a lovely dinner, and a lovely dessert with friend Josh. I spent the rest of the night and morning closing up shop on Block 1 and preparing for VACATION!
Sunday and Monday we toured Amsterdam together. Getting to the station on time in the morning was quite challenging, and transferring in Utrecht was even more troublesome. Nonetheless, we really realized in Amsterdam. Did more walking and seeing then touristy things. To be honest, it was pretty amusing strolling through the Red Light District with the Rents on Monday Night.
Overall, having Mom and Dad in town, seeing my city, and then once the paper was complete and sent out, vacationing with them, was a real treat. I really had missed them and having someone from home, who knows and understands me, especially to the extent of my parents, was really special, comforting and rejuvenating. Sure we had out parent-son moments of worry and advice, like “I don’t know about Belfast or Turkey…” that’s what makes our relationship. J Furthermore, Mom and Dad solidified my pact with myself to see more of Maastricht in Block 2. I am very lucky that my parents came, were able to immerse themselves in my current lifestyle and vacation with me at the same time. Block 1 far exceeded expectations – even including dealing with BPE, where I think I actually learned a ton despite the pain involved. Block 2 should only be better! But until then, Israel for 5 days. As I put my parents on the train headed for Schipol Airport, my personal vacation truly began!