Today is the last day of finals! CELEBRATE!

We’ve had a great semester, haven’t we? I got a new job, you read my blog posts – we all had a very productive four months. It’s nice to take the time of the day to reflect on where we stand now, and to try to remember how did we see ourselves at the end of Fall.

Some of us won’t be returning next semester, some of us will be moving on to greater and better things, and some of us will just come back in a couple of weeks, well-rested and hopefully well-fed. I never thought I would actually feel sad with the prospect of going home – Saint Michael’s College has actually become my home away from home. I never thought it would happen so fast.

God, I keep thinking of all the hours I spent at Dion's this semester,
 and I kind of wonder if I should try to sleep more.

Though I will admit, it is nice having a place so far away from where I was born associated with so many good memories. My sophomore year has challenged me in ways I didn’t know I would be challenged, and I feel like a stronger person for going through it.

Wherever you are now, I hope you have had an excellent semester. And if you didn’t, don’t worry – next term is always a chance to try again. New classes, new friends, that’s all going to affect your life here. And it’s going to be great.

I’m looking forward to coming back, and I’m looking forward to writing to you again, kind reader. I hope you have lovely holidays!

And I hope you find actual snow. Like, fun snow.
Not dangerous or annoying snow.
It's so ridiculously warm.

P.S: By the way, I didn’t synch these properly, but if you would like to check that out, I just finished my week hosting the official SMC Instagram page! Go like my pictures if you love me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi! This will not be a big post, because I know you are tired and want to enjoy break with your family. So let’s get right to the point!

Thanksgiving is a weird time for me. You see, my country does not have an equivalent of Thanksgiving. We do not really do anything at this time of the year – because of that, I do not really have any feelings associated with the holiday.

That being said, I have learned to appreciate and value this part of American culture.

Also, food. Food is very important.

For instance, I had to memorize what is Thanksgiving so I could explain it to people back home. I feel like the concept of a holiday to give thanks to what you have is fascinating, and it shows a lot of the best North American culture has to offer: yes, rewards are important, but understanding where they came from is just as vital.

Saint Michael’s College also has an amazing program in which international students can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with members of the staff, for those who could not travel or go to their friends’ houses. The sense of community is strong here, and many students enjoy the benefits of that.

But more than that, it’s just very nice to feel the sense of belonging and generosity that goes around this time of the year. Considering the end of the year is right around the corner, it is good to think back on what we all did this year, and what we can all be thankful for.  

Have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Enjoying fall while it lasts!

Ah, yes. I don't have to pick up those leaves. Perfect.

It is the middle of October and somehow no one is wearing coats every single day. It can only mean one thing: Global warming has made fall weirdly warm! Hooray!

While it is true that this will not last for long, after all, winter has to come eventually, it does mean that we should take this opportunity to enjoy the heat!

“But Pedro,” you might ask, wide-eyed and naïve, “How can I enjoy fall as a Saint Michael’s student? Surely it involves a lot of money!” 

Or does it? Here are some things you can do to have fun which should leave your wallet relatively unscathed!

•      You can walk around campus and enjoy the scenery.

Here's an adorable tree.

Saint Michael’s College has a beautiful main campus, which is where you are probably spending most of your time anyway. However, when was the last time you took a good hike around the area?

The weather is perfect for running. Before we must lock ourselves in our rooms, take the time of the day to appreciate the warmth and take a walk around the 300s, or even visit parts of campus you do not usually go to. Why not go the extra mile and walk through Ethan Allen Park, eventually reaching North Campus as it is described in legends? That is a beautiful 30 minutes walk, and it will definitely be worth your time.

The foliage is turning yellow and falling on the ground, and everything is just nice enough to make your experience pleasant. And hey, if you’re not a student yet, you can take a tour with our friend Chris, who has also written a post on his own blog about how nice the season is right now.

•  Visit Burlington without needing 5 layers of clothing!

Fun challenge: try to get around without Google Maps. We're college students,
we can adapt, right?

But maybe you are tired of campus. Maybe you need a breath of fresh city air in your life. Never fear, because you get free bus rides, now even on Sundays! Burlington is beautiful during fall, and you should absolutely make time in your schedule to visit it at least once. 

It is worth getting a bunch of friends to go to a restaurant and split the bill, or even enjoy your student discount at Flynn theater. There's always something new to check out, and you can just go out and explore the city. Who knows, maybe you'll find a new frozen yogurt place! (Pro tip: Yogurt City, Maple Tree Place. Trust me.)

• Visit Mount Mansfield while there is no snow!
• 
  

  

  No, that's not Lord of the Rings. I checked.

We all get tired of the busy city and college life, though. Sometimes all you need is to take a hike in the tallest mountain of the state. So find some friends who have a car and travel to Mount Mansfield! 

The weather is perfect for those of you who don’t like snow, and it’s just chilly enough that you can wear your coat and not feel like it was a bad idea to go out ready for low 60s. Plus, the gondola ride is breathtaking, and if you're feeling athletic you can just hike your way down the mountain.

When you’re getting back, make sure to visit Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Here is an incentive: Not only do they have amazing apple cider donuts, there is a free cold apple cider dispenser there. I’ll give you time to think it over while we move on.

• Halloween!

Easily the best part of being a young adult is being young enough to do kid stuff.

Now, I unfortunately cannot promise that the warmth will stay here long enough for Halloween to come by. However, you dear reader and any like-minded individuals are probably already planning the festivities for the Day of All Saints, so why not get in the mood right away? All around campus, you can see people decorating their dorms and public places for Halloween. Get in the mood!

There you go, here are a bunch of things you can try to do while fall is merciful enough to not drown us in rain or snow. So get some pumpkin anything and go have fun while we can go outside without taking damage over time!

Have a lovely day. Here’s a picture of a skeleton.

You love it. You know you do.

Introduction! Get hype!

Hello there. Thank you for choosing to read my blog! Hopefully it's worth your time. You might be wondering who am I and why am I writing this.

My name is Pedro. I have a bunch of names and they are all complicated, so let's just stick with Pedro. As you might have guessed, I was not born in the United States. Indeed, I'm Brazilian!

My city! (Not pictured: My actual house)

I come from Fortaleza, in the state we know as Ceará. I bring tales of amazing food and beautiful people.

I am also a full-time undergraduate student at Saint Michael's College, class of 2018. I am currently pursuing a Major degree in Psychology and a Minor in Philosophy. I love my school and have been trying to get involved with activities that allow me to showcase that for almost a year now.

Right now, I am a secretary in two clubs (even if one of them isn't open to the public yet shhh it's a secret), recently became a Social Ambassador and also help out the Applied Linguistics Department as a Student Assistant. It basically means I get to go on cool trips for free and meet awesome international students.

"Hey, wanna go to the highest point of Vermont for fun?", "I mean, yeah."

My plan is to update this blog at least once a month with whatever is happening with me as I try to juggle school work, relationships, work and leisure, flailing my arms like a manchild the whole way through. I'll probably cover clubs, events and trips that I either go to or am interested in supporting, but I'll also just give you guys my perspective as an international student on what goes on and off campus from time to time.

If you ever want to talk to me, you'll probably find me on Facebook or just walking around campus, trying to make sense of directions to my next class.

"You mean, like, by St. Ed's, right? Wait, St. Johns? Where's St. Johns?!"

If you're still here, I'm going to assume you're interested. So look forward to the next update!

Have a lovely day.

The first post!

Hello! If you are reading this, you are either early or have reached the end of the internet. Welcome either way!

I will have an introduction post soon, but basically, this is a blog about my life as an international student at Saint Michael's College. I will post long-winded texts about things that happen to me and my friends. And sometimes I will talk about cool things happening or that will happen in and off campus.

Hopefully you'll enjoy my blog!