HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I think that the warmest memory I will take home from the United states will be Thanksgiving Day celebration. It was my second Thanksgiving and both of them were so touching and remarkable.

This year my wonderful kind-hearted friend and classmate Leigh Smith invited me and other Fulbrighters for the celebration. Her house was so welcoming and family so friendly. It was a pleasure to spend this beautiful time with my class-mates, friends and Professor O'Dowd (the kindest person ever). Playing trivia challenge organized by Leda Chavarria, a Fulbrighter from Nicaragua, was not only fun but educational! We had learnt a lot about the history of Thanksgiving. Sharing "Thank you" among this huge company was very touching and I felt so anxious because so grateful to my life I was.

I am thankful to St. Michael's College, first of all, for the opportunities of cultural exchange, education, and - most of all- personal growth I am provided here. I am grateful to my friends for sharing this wonderful time with me. I am grateful to Leigh for being so kind and caring. I am grateful to my life which I live and which is so kind to me.

One Week Without a Computer

I heard that in one of the classes a professor asked students not to use their cell phones for 3 days and describe their feelings about that. I thought that I would love to try something like that and a week ago I got this opportunity: the power cord for my computer stopped working, the battery died, no one's cord fitted my computer and it was the week of Thanksgiving- short hours or the library did not work at all. My first reaction was shock with horrible images (I am Drama Queen, I know): last weeks of the semester which means projects, big assignments and so forth. But then I recognized the beauty of it! I have never had such a wonderful weekend! My friends and I went bowling, organized a few movie-evenings in my apartment and went to the movie-theatre and much much more fun stuff. I have read a good book "The Rainmaker" by Grisham, I read a few chapters of The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain and I read a few stories of Sherlock Holmes- I had not read for a while so it was just ecstasy time! Whenever the feeling of guilt came to my mind- I had justification. I think I should organize No Computer Days more often!