Monterey
I have been in Monterey for a little over a week now, and let me just say that words can not describe this place. Geographically its beautiful. We are right on the coast, I can see the bay from my dorm room window, but we are also surrounded by mountains. Its the best of both worlds. Even more amazing is the outdoor recreation program offered to students that allows us to explore the breathtaking environment that we live in! They offer scuba certification lessons for a flat fee of 290 all inclusive. For those of you that don't know, that is unheard of. I'm doing it the next time a class comes around. The instructor said that the last time he did a group dive they saw a blue whale about 50 yards from them, and that he is frequently followed by seals and small sharks that are just curious about humans. They also sponsor weekend hiking and camping trips, as well as backpacking trips on long weekends and holiday breaks. They provide all the equipment and everything. I'm pumped.
The social demographic here is interesting too. Take the top 10% of each branch and put them all together at a super college in paradise. Essentially you get a campus full or really athletic, super military nerds. Over half the student body plays WoW or table top games, most of us are among the smartest individuals in the country, and we are all college aged kids with expendable incomes. The antics that result from this equation are probably obvious to most. They really stress morale and welfare here because the coursework can be extremely stressful, so our weekends are completely relaxed. Soldiers, Sailers, Marines, and Airmen know how to party on their own...get them all together and see what happens.
On a more serious note, it is going to be stressful. I cant go into details about my coursework for security reasons, but suffice it to say that I have my work cut out for me over the next year and a half. By this time next year I will be completely fluent in two more languages, and that is a big task to undertake. It kind of makes me feel a little proud though, in a sense. The fact that I am now a member of the worlds greatest air and space power, studying a rigorous curriculum at one of the most respected and prestigious language institutions in the world, and coming out of it debt free with an Associates of Art Degree in Arabic and a BA in English, well on my way to Staff Sergeant and a fat paycheck...I'd say thats a pretty sweet set up. I just have to stay motivated and not mess it up. I plan on it.
Over all doing good, feeling good about life. We'll see how I feel when my classes start...ha.
The social demographic here is interesting too. Take the top 10% of each branch and put them all together at a super college in paradise. Essentially you get a campus full or really athletic, super military nerds. Over half the student body plays WoW or table top games, most of us are among the smartest individuals in the country, and we are all college aged kids with expendable incomes. The antics that result from this equation are probably obvious to most. They really stress morale and welfare here because the coursework can be extremely stressful, so our weekends are completely relaxed. Soldiers, Sailers, Marines, and Airmen know how to party on their own...get them all together and see what happens.
On a more serious note, it is going to be stressful. I cant go into details about my coursework for security reasons, but suffice it to say that I have my work cut out for me over the next year and a half. By this time next year I will be completely fluent in two more languages, and that is a big task to undertake. It kind of makes me feel a little proud though, in a sense. The fact that I am now a member of the worlds greatest air and space power, studying a rigorous curriculum at one of the most respected and prestigious language institutions in the world, and coming out of it debt free with an Associates of Art Degree in Arabic and a BA in English, well on my way to Staff Sergeant and a fat paycheck...I'd say thats a pretty sweet set up. I just have to stay motivated and not mess it up. I plan on it.
Over all doing good, feeling good about life. We'll see how I feel when my classes start...ha.