Mucho gusto! Let's get to the fun stuff first. I love journaling, dancing in the gym, and being outside in some sunshine. I am from Tucson, Arizona and a '28. I am a proud first generation and low-income student who comes from a loving Mexican and Native American family. An early riser and bubbly personality are some ways to describe me. So before you leave, welcome to Dartmouth! I am Dezstany and I hope you join me on this journey into the woods!
This course was one of the reasons I chose to apply early decision to Dartmouth! I know, how could one course even influence such a big decision? Hearing Professor Duthu describe cases regarding the dispossession of Native tribes, the cultural tensions that many Native youth experience because of the effects of the Doctrine of Discovery, and economic development issues amongst many Native reservations made me edge out of my seat with excitement. The description did not disappoint because although it is one of my earliest classes, I always find myself running to class to learn something new. Professor Duthu presents in a way that wakes you up, makes you laugh, and encourages you to ask some pretty tough questions about tribal regulations. It has been extremely interesting how "bullets of the past are hitting present targets", meaning that many federal policies that happened decades ago still have very noticeable impacts in Indian Country (land in which tribal members own or previously occupied). I love being able to schedule office hours for any leftover questions. Would definitely recommend it!!
Lotería! The name of a traditional Mexican lottery game played during holidays. My final project was presented through the form of Lotería. In this class we analyzed the political and economic settings that domestic laborers and caregivers face within the United States and in Latin America. I really valued the different students that the class attracted as we all became extremely close in the ten weeks we worked together. This class was both an Art and Culture Identity credit so our assignments were extremely interesting as we got to do a lot of interactive learning with movies and plays!
Should we commit a small wrong to save many? Equality or equity? What does it mean to practice effective altruism? I know, very philosophical questions yet that’s the whole point. This class was a crosslisted course between the Government and Public Policy departments. I greatly enjoyed this discussion led class as we talked about issues regarding immigration, the meaning of work, and technological regulations in the labor force. The readings were a usual amount for a Government course as it averaged to about thirty pages per class. I was able to make new friends based off of our class discussions which helped make the class feel more collaborative. Professor Rose was always open to meeting outside of class for office hours and encouraged participation in an effective manner. Walking away from this course I am able to talk about current issues from various philosophical viewpoints.
Study Abroad Math: 2/3 Memories Done and 1/3 Still Waiting
Last night some of my friends and I were reflecting on our time in Italy. We were grateful to have a free Friday night to go out and enjoy the city. Here is a rose, bud, thorn reflection thus far.
We decided to stop by a rooftop terrace in Vatican City to watch the sunset. Similarly to a Dartmouth ten week term, time travels extremely fast when studying abroad. This study abroad in particular is eleven weeks to allocate time for our travels outside of Rome in between the program.
My highlight, or at least my first "rose" of the program, was shopping at a local farmers market for the first time in Italian. In Italy there is much more of a cleaner food culture so it's been nice to take advantage of that through their bakeries and markets. Farmers markets are usually open only on the weekends. Meals on study abroad are up to us students to make—often we will have group dinners at restaurants that are paid and planned by the program. However, breakfast, lunches, and dinners for the normal weekday are made by us. As Dartmouth loves to say, "Financial aid travels with you." This statement is completely true as students on financial aid that would have been paying for a meal plan on campus simply get that money transferred over to help cover the costs of food wherever they are in the world.
A "bud"—something I am looking forward to in the program—is continuing to explore the city of Rome. At the beginning of the program, I was still adjusting to living in a new country so I did not push myself out of my comfort zone as much as I would like. Within these next few weeks I plan to take advantage of all the music and night life that comes to life after sunset.
For example, these fireworks were in honor of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. A mix of both tourists and locals gathered along the streets to celebrate this religious holiday. Thanks to our placement of being in Trastevere, we are right next to one of Rome's most popular bridges. At night, the bottom of the bridge transforms into a small market that has a mix of bars, games, and music.
Overall, I have been very happy to participate in this study abroad. There definitely have been moments that have been a bit tricky—or a "thorn"—such as balancing the desire to tackle all of Rome everyday while still completing all my assignments and assessments, or learning how to take on the public transportation system as someone who comes from a state with none of it. However, I have been beyond blessed to learn how to grow in a city as beautiful as Rome with the support of Dartmouth.
Dartmouth is no stranger to a variety of student-run full-year performance groups in dance, a cappella, improv, and comedy. Sophomore summer is particularly special, as most of these groups allow sophomores to audition and join just for the summer.
While the Hanover community is always strong and thriving, it's hard to imagine what it's like when you are thousands of miles away from The Green. Read on to learn about my Dartmouth life in Rome, and the community within Dartmouth while abroad.
I've just finished my first four weeks as a Concord Monitor news intern, having delved into journalism in ways I couldn't have without the help I received from Dartmouth's Center for Professional Development.
Read about the Sophomore Summer Soiree and how I got to witness the beginning of something that hopefully grows into a long-standing Dartmouth tradition!
