Finals Season

I HATE FINALS IN THIS COUNTRY.

Seriously, from my experience with the tests in this school system... the exams are just like, hey you see those 500 slides or so on information? Yeah half of them are random illegible diagrams and tables or seemingly supplemental examples of transgenic organisms.. Question 1: What color was the mouse on slide 34.

Real life though, the exams I have taken so far require you to memorize EVERYTHING because you have no idea which detail the professor will decide to ask you, and then just vomit information on the test. No understanding of concept or process, just which gene number was changed to create the FLAV tomatoes. Like WHAT?!

It's funny because at tech I was never afraid I would fail a class. Normally going into the final I am borderlining A/B or B/C but I was normallyyy pretty confident that I would be able to hold my B. Here it's like, well let's play Russian Roulette. Maybe the professor will decide to blow your brains by asking you what a DNA sequencing technique is referring it by the name of the guy who developed it instead of the name of the technique (Rocher 454 v. Pyrosequencing. Really??)

I have taken two finals. Well actually 2 tests and a final. The final I had today was Molecular Bio which is what the above references. I don't know if I passed. I think I knew at least 25 of the 50 questions but I don't know if word for word regurgitation is required.. I also took Microbio monday but that was a partial test. Of course I decided to memorize every single type antibiotic and bacteria and such that was in the notes but she decided not to ask ANY of that. Instead some random things that were in a table that was poorly imagined from the book that I didn't feel like straining my vision to read. Pretty sure I failed that which means I need to take the recuperation test. Normally it's in July but seeing I leave Valencia next week I will be taking it next week if need be.... I got an 8 out of 10 on the first section which was the 3rd highest grade in my class... so even if I get like a 4 on this one I would still technically pass but I don't want a C in a class that I KNOW I can get at least a B in. GT instincts kicking in....

I have Statistics monday. This class is the one I am legitimately worried about failing. I only need to get  a 3/10 on the final which seems doable.. OH WAIT I got a 2.4 and a 1.8 on the two partial exams. Hurray for getting no partial credit on a 4 question each with 5 parts exam. You mess up the degrees of freedom in part A, so longgg 3.3 points. I cried to her a bit and told her my HOPE sob story. I think I will pass but seriously if she had given me partial credit on the test, I would of gotten a 7.

SOO here is to  a frustrated Camila studying for the third week in a row missing tons of going away parties and such. Yes I know I have had a partylicious semester so I shouldn't complain about having to study finally. The thing is I don't mind studying when I know it pays off. The amount I have studied I would hope to be passing with flying colors... but it really seems to have no direct correlation. Here it seems like the professor wants to fail you or at least trip you up and then you can retake it in July.

WHEN IN SPAIN... take classes that aren't real and full of other Erasmus students. I brought this upon myself taking real classes... Microbiology, Statistics, Molecular Biology... I can honestly say that I have learned nothing of value this semester. How to memorize and make excuses...

Valenbici Adventures

so this video is quite old... but I just stumbled upon in while procrastinating studying.

this was back in february. a wednesday night going out... and using bikes to get to our desitination.

enjoy!

Guyssss, I´m still heeeeeuw

So. It´s kind of hit me within the last week that I have been here for a long time. Maybe it´s the fact that all the Georgia Tech study abroaders are now also in Europe (it´s weird seeing them post pictures of places I have been to a few months ago) and getting a few facebook messages from them asking me where in Spain I am and wanting to meet up (when you are abroad, all acquaintances are good friends). Maybe it's because everytime I skype my mother, she tells me it's been wayyy too long and I hardly recognize Maria Isabel. Or maybeee it's because I have been getting whatsapps/fb messages/other forms of education from friends asking "Are you EVER coming back??" "I really am doubting that you will return to the United States"

I have been so caught up in everything here that I haven't thought about it really too much. I am on my sixth month in Spain. I have never been anywhere that long from home. It's been really hard at times, especially when I get stressed out with school/life problems and allll I want is to go for a run with Rufus, have my parents tell me that they are proud of me, and friends that I have known for years to vent to.

Everyone. I come back August 1st. I made the rookie mistake asking my mother if I could stay another week in Europe so I can explore Germany a while. That didn't go over very well... She apparently was hoping I would come back earlier in July when my dad and brother return after visiting me for two weeks.  Mothers are so greedy... wanting all their children home. You have a babyyyy! Jokes jokes I am not that insensitive.

Even though it has been six months, it's gone by incrediblyyy fast. Like everything since Fallas, when I was back in the States to meet my sister in March, has been a blur. A month ago I was enjoying the BEST beach party ever in Ibiza. Two months ago I was cramming for tests before going to Italy. Whattt??

Now I have T-20 days until I leave Valencia. I definitely think it will be harder to leave here then it was to leave the United States in January. This is why: when I left here, I knew there was an expiration date. I knew for a fact that I would be back to the United States in August and return to my life there. When I leave Valencia June 24, that means my time as an Erasmus student is permanently over. I have never been good with ends. I am obviously excited about going home to see everyone, because believe me I miss them, but it's a very weird concept to know that the life I have had here is going to be over.

What's a bummer is that now everyone has exams and so when you are not studying, you feel guilty about not studying, or you're out being drunk and going to clubs in honor of "the end" with goodbye parties and last hurrahs. We try not to speak about it too much because it's just like a depressing fact. Like I said before, an ominous truth that is now constantly present.

I am really lucky though. After I leave Valencia, I get to travel for 5 weeks. My dad and brother come 23/June and I will get to show them Valencia and my life here, then we will go visit Denia, Barcelona, San Sebastian, and then cross the border into France and travel through the south of the country. They will leave me in Paris 8/July. From there I get to travel on my own for three weeks a visit a few cities. The current plan is Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Slovenia + Croatia (with Neva and her friends!), Graz/Vienna/Salzburg/Innsbruck in Austria, Berlin to fly to Stockholm which is where I leave for the United States. I know it's a bit ambitious so we'll see what I end up doing. It's really cool though because I have friends in all these countries, except Prague and Budapest but I will be going with Nicole to these cities.

I think traveling a bit will be a good transition from living in Spain-to being a tourist around Europe-to wanting to come back home and relaxxx.

SO what of these next 20 days?? I plan to enjoy every minute. Go for runs around the city, go to the beach, visit the center, hang out with friends, eat at Tony's, drink coffee, go to bars, watch the sunrise, clubs, drink, piso parties. I need to keep myself outside my head, basically.

1. Shit gon get crayyy.