I have a job!!

Yay! I finally have a job on campus! Well, technically, I got the job about a month ago. But the people I was supposed to work with didn't happen.

My job is being a Learning Partner at the Language Resource and Writing Center. This Center is part of the library on campus, and it is there to assist people in writing papers, doing assignments, etc. Learning Partners are people who are assigned to students who need help in writing. Most of them are international students. Because English is not their native language, sometimes they need a little extra assistance to translate their thoughts into proper English for their papers. Some also want to brush up on their English speaking skills.

So apparently I was chosen to be a Learning Partner based on my writing sample. This summer, all incoming students had to do a writing sample so that the school would know where we are in our writing. I was really annoyed at having to do this, since it was homework and I wasn't even in school yet! But I must have written it ok, since when I got here, I got an email asking me if I wanted to apply to be a Learning Partner.

Pretty much, if you got that email and applied, you got the job. They gave each of us the names of people who we should work with. One of my original people did not really need to go to tutoring....even the Center said so. The other one never responded to my initial email to set up a meeting. But last week I was given two more names and i met with both of them today. One of them is a ThM student and the other is a PhD student, working on her dissertation.

So I am going to meet with each of them, weekly or biweekly, depending on their needs and help them make sure their papers are in good form (hopefully better than that sentence is! :) ) I'm excited and a bit nervous....me? helping someone with her DISSERTATION????

Oh, and as long as I remember to turn in my hours, I will get paid. :)

Chapel 2

If anyone could tell me how to get more than one picture on a posting without looking stupid, that would be great.

Anyway. This is the baptismal font in our chapel, in front of the windows looking out to the courtyard. Normally there are NOT two bowls of water on it, but apparently the motor died last week and they're waiting for a replacemnt. Normally, this font is constantly flowing from into the pool of water in the floor. On the other side of the windows, in the courtyard, is another pool of water. It's really pretty cool. You can always hear the water running and remember baptism.

Chapel

This is a picture of the chapel at LSTC. Nothing except the organ is in a permanent place. They planned that intentionally so that the chapel can be assembled in any setup. The windows look out onto 55th Street. Behind this picture, is another row of windows and the courtyard. Thus, LSTC is between the world (55th St) and nature (courtyard).

Regenstein

Yesterday I needed to do some research on a paper. And our library didn't really have anything helpful on my topic. So I went to the library at the University of Chicago. With my ACTS card, I was able to get myself a library card and get in. Miraculously, I also managed to find my way out. Five floors and two underground. And I think I visited all seven of them. Thankfully each floor had a map that showed you were each section was.

I wandered around for about an hour and a half. Getting somewhat frustrated because hardly any of the books I had found online were actually useful for my topic. And I couldn't find the JN and JK sections...which was where the two with the most promising titles were. I walked around. Went upstairs. Went downstairs. Finally figured out that they were on the B Level. Unfortunately, nothing told me where the B level was. So I went upstairs, thinking that maybe it was above the numbered floors. Nope. So I went downstairs. And under floor 1 was Level A and below Level A was Level B!! So I went there. And found shelves about 1 inch apart. They have buttons on the end. If you want to go down an aisle, you press the button and the shelves move so you can go down it. I am assuming there are sensors in the floor.....I'd hate to press a button and squish someone down three aisles!!

So I finally found the books I (think) I need. Next step was finding the exit. Which I did, eventually. Managed to find the circulation counter and check out my books. Hopefully the next time won't be quite the adventure. Though they are remodeling, so who knows.....

Birthday Weekend

So last Friday (Sept. 30) was my birthday. I celebrated by inviting my mom and Rebecca to visit me. They came up Thursday night and stayed until Sunday. We had a GREAT time. We went to the Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry and visited my aunt who lives on the southside of Chicago. We also went to a cemetery where my mom's grandparents and other relatives are buried. It was great and I did not want them to leave!!