“The Signpost - Philosophy professor goes east to teach, learn” plus 1 more |
| The Signpost - Philosophy professor goes east to teach, learn Posted: 06 Mar 2011 09:29 PM PST The group known as China 12s includes a Weber State University professor who hasn't been seen on campus since last summer. WSU Philosophy Professor Peter Vernezze has taken a leave of absence from his teaching at WSU and is instead teaching university students in China. Vernezze is a member of the Peace Corps, whose mission is to help interested countries train their men and women in the workforce where the demand for English is greater than the supply. This is the twelfth year the Peace Corps are in China; hence Vernezze is part of the China 12s. Vernezze said he had wanted to become a volunteer for the Peace Corps since he was an undergraduate. When he graduated from the University of Wisconsin in the late seventies, he applied but was turned down. "It seems there was not a pressing need for philosophy majors at that time," Vernerzze said, "so I shelved it away under the title of 'things I would like to do some day.' At some point in your life, however, you realize you have to do the things you wanted to do, or you won't do them. So I sent in an application, underwent an interview, and filled out about a thousand forms - and here I am." Once Vernezze was accepted to the Peace Corps, he had to request a leave of absence in writing. According to Frank Guliuzza, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Philosophy at WSU, the request would need the support of the department chair, college dean, university provost, and eventually the WSU Board of Trustees. Once accepted to the Peace Corps, Vernezze was then assigned to teach in China. "You don't technically get to choose your Peace Corps assignment," Vernezze said. "Although you do have some input in the process, in essence you provide Peace Corps with your qualifications and they decide where you can be of most use." In Vernezze's case, he said his teaching experience made him a natural candidate for the China assignment, where he was placed as a teacher in a Chinese university. Before he could begin teaching, he had to undergo a training process to become better suited for teaching in China. "The ten-week training process with which I began my Peace Corps experience was a combination language, teaching and culture boot camp which kept us going from eight to five for six days a week in the midst of the hottest summer on record in Chengdu," Vernezze said. "It was unforgettable in both the best and worst senses of the word." Now that he is in his actual assignment, Vernezze said he feels his life is very similar to how it is in the states. "I am attached to Sichuan Normal University in Chengdu where I teach fourteen hours a week," Vernezze said, "and during the semester, I spend most of my time teaching class, preparing for class, grading, etc. But it only takes a trip to the grocery store to remind me that I am not in Kansas (or Utah) anymore." Before joining the Peace Corps, Vernezze said he had traveled a lot and knew that "people in different parts of the world react differently when they find out you are an American." When he first arrived in China he said he wasn't sure of how the average Chinese man or woman would react to Americans. "It has been my experience so far that there is a real affection for the United States and its citizens on behalf of the Chinese," Vernezze said, "and hence that a great opportunity exists to build understanding and friendship between the two cultures." Last semester Vernezze taught oral English and British and American Culture classes. This semester he will be teaching mostly writing courses. His classes hold between 25 and 40 students. WSU philosophy major Rachel Robison took four classes from Vernezze before he took his leave of absence and said she believes "he is committed to possibly the most commendable thing that someone in his profession can be: living a philosophical life. This comes out in his teaching, his advisement and any personal interaction I have ever had with him … I have the utmost respect for his decision to join the Peace Corps. He is a great person and I wish him the best." Vernezze's assignment in China runs through August 2008, when he will then return and resume teaching at WSU again. Guliuzza said he feels Vernezze's time in China is a great opportunity. "I am confident that [Vernezze's time in China] will serve to make him a better teacher," Guliuzza said, "as it would likely improve any of us should we have the chance to teach for an extended period of time in a different country. Too, Dr. Vernezze's research interests include work in Eastern religions and Buddhism. What could be a better opportunity for a scholar who wishes to study and write about these subjects?" You can reach reporter Shirrel Cooper by calling 626-7655. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:29 AM PST Let me clarify: I am not the disaster with men that I am wont to portray myself as. But let's be serious — I am no sensei either, or else I'd have no material for this column. So let's just say that I'm … creative in my approach. But for all who are concerned, I am not a total cat lady. After all, I did just have a chat with my landlord about a broken bed frame. And come to think of it, it's about time I pay my chiropractor another visit … But let's be frank: You don't have to be a rocket scientist to get someone to stick his hand down your shorts. To get him to pay for dinner? Now that, my friends, is an entirely different story. So my new standard is no more "weekend" dates. You know, the kind where you see each other only on weekends and only after 10 p.m. No, I'm gunning for all-out dinners with a movie — followed by a one-night-stand, if the dinner was delicious but the guy not so much (Hey, I'm trying to make progress here, but baby steps, my friends). You see, prior to this revelation, my approach to guys was super relaxed. My liberal use of the "come-over-to-watch-a-movie-oh-sorry-we'll-have-to-watch-it-on-my-very-small-twin-bed-because-the-T.V,-broke" works excellently in the dark. But the technique does not make for good pillow talk the morning after. Take, for example, my recent soiree. So I've been seeing this guy on and off for some time. Nothing too serious, just the way I like it. Right? So I thought. Despite the casual nature of our escapades, he's mildly interesting as well. Like, it would not pain me severely to be seen in public with the dude. I know, right? I hit the friends-with-bens jackpot! So when he got back in town after a stint abroad, I suggested coffee, because in addition to a lot of things, I'm pretty good at talking, too. And what the heck, I thought. This is a new year! A new me! Friends can be friendly inside and outside the bedroom, comprende? No comprende … because as I was clutching my latte, I couldn't help but peer through its steaming milk across to my bosom buddy (so to speak) and think to myself, "I'm pretty sure I've seen you in your underwear." Do you know how hard it is to hold a conversation when all you can think of is … you know … that?! Well, let me tell you my friends, it is really flipping difficult. And that's when it hit me: A friendship like that is not sustainable. Sure, it's fun. A lot of fun. And when my high school girlfriends get together to discuss their recent conquests, I can at least join in the conversation. (Though it's getting increasingly difficult to compete with them. I mean, one of my girlfriends just got with a married guy who's got two kids! You can't top that — no way.) So short of resigning myself to celibacy, I'm resolving to go the other route. Am I seriously entertaining the idea of some guy getting down on his knee for me before the new year is outgoing year? Absofreakinglutely not. Sure, my parents got married at 22. They are also clinically insane. I'm okay with a few wrinkles on my wedding photos. As far as I'm concerned, that's what Photoshop is for. But I am going to try to move towards more coffee-and-one-nighter and eventually less-than-just-one-nighter-with-maybe-more kinds of relationships. I think this is a step in the positive direction. I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to go about this plan, but that's what the self-help section of Barnes and Noble is for anyways. At the very least, I'll hone some epic conversation skills out of this attempt. I mean, let's be serious … it takes a communication pro to hold a friendly chat without imagining what your partner's tighty-whities looks like every three seconds. Cristina Stiller is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She may be reached at cstiller@cornellsun.com. Believe You Me appears alternate Mondays this semester. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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