Hi Everybody. God knows how I miss everybody! Its like when so many new things are happening in your life at such a blistering pace, you really need a family to share it with. Glad you received my e-mails, I was excited when I received yours. I think it was a good idea to start some of my classes this summer. I seem to be the only first year graduate student around, doing anything. Well, in my class I am the only first year student, the rest are in their 2nd or 3rd year and a particular guy is taking it as a PhD requirement. The instructor is Professor Wales and the class is called " Topics in Film : The African American Woman and Hollywood". It's a critical studies course and each class lasts for 4hrs!! This is because we watch a lot of movies. One needs to be a real film guru to dare enrol for this course. Because in the course of analysis, you will need to draw upon a vast knowledge of the films you've seen, and practically everything you know about the workings of Hollywood.
The instructor is a very nice lady. I gather she's a reputable producer in Hollywood and only finds time to lecture when she isn't producing films. She calls me "Boo-mi". In fact everybody around here calls me "Boo-mi", at least that's better than one lady that pronounced it "Dummy".
Every class comes with an assignment. Each assignment is graded and it's part of the cumulative at the end of the course. The very first assignment was due the next day and it was to be written in what they refer to as the MLA format. (All papers at graduate level must be presented in MLA). So I spent the whole day at the library reading up what that was all about. My paper was a critique of a research article called "The voices in The Colour Purple" It was a novel written by Alice Walker, later made into a film by Steven Spielberg. I'd read the book and seen the film years ago, so that helped me get an in-depth perspective of what the yarn was about. I then had to do a presentation of the paper to members of my class, who then bombarded me with questions. Prof Wales returned our scripts the next day, guess what she gave me???. 90 out of a hundred- An A- !!!!
She said my analysis was impressive and corrected some mistakes I made in presentation. So my first graduate work earned an A- and that has really fired me up to work harder. It was a big relief getting over that first hurdle, cause you guys know I'm more self trained than anything else when it comes to the Arts. But so far all my investments in watching films and reading whatever came my way, paid up. 95% of the films we refer to, I've already seen. It's only the stuff from the 20's, 50's and early 60's, I'm not very knowledgeable about. Right now we are screening films made by women film directors in the late 20's to 30's- that's the Silent Era films made before the advent of sound.
We hold our classes in the Library Auditorium, which is more or less a Large Cinema. So we get to see the movies on a 15 ft projector screen. (The air conditioners in there are terribly cold). When it's lights out, we all stretch out with our drinks, junk food and note books to enjoy the movie. Sometimes when I'm viewing that big screen, I have to pinch myself to verify whether this is real or not. I'm getting grades for working hard at the things I love to do. God is too good. The rest of the class involves the presentation of 4 film reviews, another abstract presentation which I presented last night. I'm still waiting for the grade on that. The most important part of this course is the chapter of a book each of us has been assigned to write. I will be picking my concept film for that this weekend. The work ahead is mind bending, remember me in your prayers.
I got my Learner's Permit this morning, after an eye test and a puzzling written exam. I would have gotten the road license but there has been a change in the laws. A person who has never owned an American license, needs to hold a learner's permit for 30days before going for the road test. Before, I would have finished all the tests this morning and gotten the real thing.
I've also gotten a car. It's a small 4-door Suzuki. It's very smooth. Stephen is from Tanzania and is Bros Leke's friend. He sold the car to me because he wanted to buy a bigger one. So the money you gave me when I left home went to purchasing it. It cost $800 and its not due for inspection till July. Virginia Beach has not much of public transportation. There are no buses, no "molues", no "danfos"!!! It's like they expect everybody to own a car. The Student Village is full of cars, sometimes it's hard to find a parking place. I'm still trekking for now, at least till I get my license. Trekking to school takes about 20mins, and it's so lonely because everybody has a car.
I will be getting my room at the end of the month, when our other room mate moves out. If not for Bros Leke's foresight and political clout over here at Regent, I'll probably be sleeping in the forest close by. His friends have been taking care of me. They are kind of surprised at how I'm integrating so fast. I'm staying in Jeremiah's room for now. He's starting his PhD in the fall, so he's still very much around to show me the ropes. He feeds me "Chapati" - a kind Kenyan Pancake. This weekend, I'll go shopping for food stuff and cook up something. There's too much food in America. I've started watching my weight, because I found out that all the boxer shorts I bought while in Cleveland are now too tight; I can't wear them. It's just been a month!!! There must be fatteners or fertilizers in the food because all you see are 12 year old girls who are bigger than their mothers.
AkinYemisi and the Boys: Can't wait to see you when you come in June. Mummy and Daddy, I love you and miss you very much. Give my love to Uncle and Aunty and to the Obielodans.
So far so good, God sure keeps his promises.
Love from Bunmi
