We're in the middle of "Paro" right now, meaning that certain professors have chosen to strike and not show up in hopes of higher pay. They must not be getting it because I've been averaging 1 class a week for the past 4 weeks. My host sister and I think it's funny that the social science teachers all strike while the life science teachers don't. Of course my three classes (Problematics in Human Rights, Introduction to Philosophy, and Political Theory) all fall in the first category of classes while all her classes don't.
So what's that one class a week like? If it's my Human Rights class than it is pretty interesting. So far (in two classes) we've discussed "Women's Rights as Human Rights" and "The Revolution of Human Rights". I've also read articles and am getting ready to write an essay about methodolgy in studying human rights. All very interesting.
If it's my Political Theory class than it probably isn't happening at all. The first class the professor showed up, talked for 40 minutes, told us what to read for the next class and left. The second class she didn't show up at all. All the students signed a sheet of notebook paper saying they had come and then we all left. The third class she chose to come, but twenty minutes late.
And if it's philosophy I'm just plain confused. The good news here is that my professor got her masters degree in New Jersey so she speaks fluent english. She has been willing to meet with me one on one to discuss the material in english which has been really helpful. I also should note that she's high up in the trade union. She even has a special cell phone so that she can communicate with the other picketers.
“It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.”
-Henry David Thoreau
