First Day of Classes…

So in my absence of writing regular blogs, an important event happened: my first day of classes. But this first day of classes isn’t just like any other first day of classes. Why? Well…

To begin I actually should start with the registration process, before the day of classes. We met with the department heads as a group. I am in the first years’ master program in the History Department (which is technically like the U.S.’s fourth year of undergraduate college). He said that we should come another day to get the list of classes being offered. We came when he said we should and they said, “No, no. Come tomorrow.” Now just to give you a perspective of why this is a hassle let me give you a few words on why. IT IS HOT! I mean really, it is hot and humid and there are cars and pollution and lots pf people and we were walking! It wasn’t till later that we found out that everyone takes the cycle rickshaws to get everywhere. So we came back the next day and got the master list of classes. Now when people think of class lists at Davis, they imagine a well laid out plan with names of classes and times, etc. Not so much in India. It was like deciphering a code. After asking several people and going from one room to another we finally figured out the code only to discover that we needed the syllabus (which we didn’t have on us). We finally figured it out.

Now I chose to take classes so that I would have the greatest possible weekend times possible so I could travel and see all that India has to offer. The class I chose is Capitalism in Britain, France, and Germany from 1750-1964. When I went to class the first day, I had another EAP student who was in the same class. I looked for him (because the schedule does not have class room numbers where they are… why would one need that?) and her was ina class. I started to walk in and he shook his head like I should not go in. But too late… the door creaked increadibly loudly interrupting the whole class. 10 seconds later he emerges telling me that it was the wrong class. But he is followed by the professor who berates us (rightfully so) for interrupting the class asking us, “Is this common in your country? Because here it is incredibly rude to enter and exit classrooms while the class is going.” (Later we found out he was mad because this had happened several times to him by EAP students… he is actually quite nice) We then frantically looked for our classroom to no avail. We went to another building and looked around. Nothing. Finally we went back to the History Department and look one last time. The room we were looking for was right next to the one where the professor had just yelled at us. We walk in (45 minutes late) only to learn that the professor wasn’t coming that day. Why would he? It is only the first day of class… According to the students, professors sometimes just don’t show up for class.

What a first day…