important things peru: school

In the spirit of staying in on this friday night to study once again, I thought I would make this third installment of important things peru about the lovely university I attend, La Catolica.

To understand school here, do the following:
Step 1: Think of the basic organization of a university in the States, like UW Madison.

Step 2: Forget all the basic organization of a university in the States, like UW Madison, it will do you no good here.


CLASS/TEACHER:
Madison: Class size 300. Trying to meet with your teacher is like trying to get penciled in for lunch with the Queen: Difficult, but possible.
La Catolica: Class size 25. Trying to meet with your teacher is like trying to catch a unicorn. Impossible. Unless you are on some kind of drug. Then maybe you can imagine it. Still, imagining will get you no help on finding theses for your three 15-page final papers.
(Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture??)


LIBRARY SYSTEM:
Madison: Need a book? Go to the library. Find it yourself. Browse if you like. Check it out. Hang on to it for a while, eventually give it back.
La Catolica: Need a book? Go to the library. Write your name, student ID, book ID, author, title, date, signature, name of your first born, favorite season and the square root of 3423294 on a tiny sheet of paper. Hand it to grumpy looking man along with your ID card. Check it out. Return it within 3 days (yes 3) or else your card will be frozen and you can't check out books for a week.
(Um...really?)


CLASS MATERIALS:
Madison: Buy expensive books or receive packets from teachers. Sell back books at the end of the year. Get a little money back to go spend on beer to drown your sorrows that you only got $16 back when you paid $400.
La Catolica: Teacher scribbles article/book name on board. Go to the photocopier and tell them you need one copy of [insert book title] for [insert teacher's name]'s class. Wait anywhere from 5 minutes- 1 hour to get your copy. Extra $ to get it spiral backed. Read it, never get to sell it back or use it again. This sounds not bad right? WRONG. This is what you have to do about every week. For every class. Over and over. The best part is when the teacher assigns a book, but doesn't leave it in the photocopier. This means you get to RUN to the library before the other kids in your class get there, check out the ONE copy of that book, and bring it to the photocopier (and return it in 3 days of course). If the book isn't available at the library? Tough luck.

Oh Peru.
Well, I must get back to reading my 250 page book (or, well, photocopy of a book) on the history of colonial views in spanish america!

Besos, abrazos, y happier posts to come!

[thanks to alicia groh, from whom i took ideas for this post!]