Galen Strawson Considers Freedom of Will to Be Profanation Essay

Galen Strawson Considers Freedom of Will to Be Profanation - Essay Example I disagree with Strawson’s position and posit that humans can and should be held responsible for their actions because, as Strawson points out, even if the situation is such that you have a gun to your head, you still have a choice.   The unpleasantness of the choice does not nullify the presence of the choice or the fact that we always have the option to choose either the pleasant or more tolerable route over the unpleasant option and vice versa.According to Strawson’s analysis, humans lack the capacity to make free choices.   The influences of society, parents, friends, teachers, and all of the contributory factors that shape each of us into the unique individuals we are countermand our ability to freely make decisions.   Since we do not control who we are and who we determine the decisions we make, logic dictates that we are not engaging in free will because we did not have the power to shape who we are.   Additionally, Strawson states that, even if a person changes who they are, this does not mean they have free will because heredity and experience have already affected you in ways that you can never change.   The way a person is ultimately has a significant effect on how they are able to change and what attributes they are able to change, which causes the redundancy in the whole concept of change to facilitate free will.  Strawson begins by presenting the gamut of views concerning free will from the perspective of the Compatibilists and the Libertarian and No-Freedom Incompatibilists.   The philosophical view of the Compatibilist is that humans have free will and are morally responsible for their actions (Strawson, 1995).   According to Strawson, Compatibilists base their analysis of the condition of free will on the fact that it is compatible with the concept of determinism, which states that each action creates a pattern that makes subsequent actions or reactions unavoidable.This theory deems the determining factors that aff ect personality irrelevant and maintain that free will is absolute, despite the inclusion of determinism.   However, the presence of determinism in the Compatibilist view of free will actually nullify the viewpoint because how can you freely choose an option that has been predetermined?  

How Modern Medical Technology is Easing Out Standard Physical Examination Essay Example for Free

How Modern Medical Technology is Easing Out Standard Physical Examination Essay In today’s time-constrained society, medical practitioners are noticeably turning to modern technology to pinpoint health problems of patients. Most new-generation doctors who rely a great deal on sophisticated machines in ascertaining medical issues faced by their patients illustrate a startling reality: the standard physical examination stands to be eased out. While science has made possible quicker, more convenient, and non-invasive ways of spotting and treating health disorders, being overly dependent on technology has its drawbacks. The problem with technology arises when doctors rush to order tests without first performing a thorough physical exam†¦ Doctors may be overly reliant on tests because they have confidence in the results; however, tests aren’t always accurate† (Max, 2009, par. 6). A seemingly better approach that redounds to patient benefit is the combination of modern technology with age-old practices that worked, notably a thorough physical examination done prior to tests or possible confinement and as part of the doctor’s hospital rounds. There are several factors contributing to the demise or exclusion of the standard physical examination in modern medical practice. For one, there is the shortage of medical personnel in certain localities. Harried doctors and nurses end up employing measures to maximize time. â€Å"Time constraints also discourage performing a complete physical during routine office visits. The managed care system pushes doctors to see patients as briefly as possible† (Obel, 2003, par. 6). The fact is that the physical examination â€Å"can be a valuable guide in deciding which tests to order and letting specialists know where to concentrate their efforts† (Obel, 2003, par. 7). Hence, the standard physical examination can greatly aid doctors in ruling out certain health issues, thereby saving time and money on unnecessary tests. However, new-generation doctors overlook these, believing that using sophisticated equipment is more effective in reaching an accurate medical analysis than conventional routine practices. Indeed, a professional diagnosis relying first and foremost on the standard physical examination appears to have been displaced by modern devices. The downside is the loss of human contact that most patients may still prefer. â€Å"There is an intangible benefit to the contact afforded by the physical exam†¦(it) can go a long way in establishing and building a good doctor-patient relationship† (Max, 2009, par. 11), something which most patients – from the very young to the elderly – yearn for. The emotional bonding between the healthcare giver and the patient is obliterated with less time allocated to examine patients. As seasoned medical practitioners decry the demise of the physical examination, which â€Å"can be therapeutic in itself† (Obel, 2003, par. 35), concerned medical institutions have instigated efforts to train and retrain medical interns on the vast range of medical approaches – including the routine physical examination. The increasingly important role of nurses, who can assume the vital task of resuscitating the fading practice of conducting a thorough physical examination and promoting human interaction, cannot be underestimated. Well-trained nurses who realize the value of human interaction can play significant role in fostering enhanced patient care and faster recovery. The upsurge in electronic technology users is another phenomenon affecting the demise of face-to-face interaction with physicians and the traditional physical examination. With many doctors nowadays dispensing medical advice online by relying purely on patient history and description of symptoms, thereby eliminating the need for a comprehensive physical examination, it becomes clear that modern trends are taking the place of traditional medical approaches. The inescapable fact is that medical practitioners cannot always totally rely on modern technology alone to ascertain patient needs. Even in modern times, there is a need to go back to basics, ingrain patient-oriented skills among the emerging crop of doctors, and revive conventional medical approaches like the physical examination.

The Education System In The Nineteenth Century

The Education System In The Nineteenth Century For one, the complicated nature of Britain particularly in England schooling and current educational controversies have their roots in schooling development. State involvements in education come late and first attempt to establish unified system of state funded elementary schools was made only in 1870 for England and Wales (1872 for Scotland and 1923 for Northern Ireland) yet it was not until 1944 that the state provided a comprehensive and national apparatus for both primary and secondary state schools, which were free and compulsory. However some church schools long existed. After England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales were gradually converted to Christianity by the fifth and sixth centuries, the churchs position in society enabled it to create the first schools. These initially prepared boys for the priesthood, but the church then developed a wider educational role and its structures influenced the late state system. For example, some schools were periodically established by rich in dividuals or monarchs. These were independent privately financed institutions and were variously known as high, grammar and public schools. They were late associated with both the modern independent and state educational sector. But such schools were largely confined to the sons of rich, aristocratic and influential. Most people received no formal schooling and remained illiterate and innumerate for life. As this shows, in later centuries, more children benefited as the church schools were provided by wealthy industrialist and philanthropists for working-class boys and girls; and some other poor children attended a variety of schools organized by voluntary societies, women (dames); workhouses and the ragged school union, but the minority of children attending such institution in reading, writing and arithmetic. The majority of children received no adequate education. By the nineteenth century, in Britain (expect Scotland) had haphazard school structure. Protestant churches had lost their monopoly of education and competed with the Roman Catholic Church and other faiths. Church schools guarded their independence from state and secular interference and provided much of available schooling. The ancient high, grammar and public schools provided continued to train the son of the middle and upper classes for professional and leadership role in society, but, at a time when industrial revolut ion were proceeding rapidly and the population was growing strongly, the state did not provide a school system which could educate the workforce. Most working class still received no formal or sufficient education. However, local and central government did begin to show some regard for education in early nineteenth century. Grants were made to local authorities for school use in their areas and in 1833 parliament funded the construction of school building. But it was only in 1870 that the state became more actively involved. An education Act (The Foster Act) created local school boards in England and Wales which financed and built elementary schools in their areas. Such state schools supplied non-denominational training and existing religious voluntary (or Church) school served denominational needs. By 1870 the state system was providing free and compulsory elementary schooling in most parts of Britain for children between the ages of five and ten (Twelve in 1899). The Balfour Act (1902) abolished the school boards, made local government responsible for state education, established some new secondary and technical schools and funded voluntary schools. But, although states school provided educat ion for children up to the age of fourteen by 1918, this was still limited to basic skills. In addition to this, adequate secondary school education remained largely the province of independent sector and few state schools. But generally people had to pay for these services. After a period when old public (private) schools had declined in quality, they revived in nineteenth century. Their weakness, such as the narrow curriculum and indiscipline, had been reformed by the progressive head-masters like Thomas Arnold of Rugby, and their reputations increased. The private grammar and high school, which imitated the classic-based education of the public schools, also expanded. These schools drew their pupils from son of the middle and upper classes and use the training ground for established elite and the professions state secondary school education in early twentieth century was marginally extended to children who parents could not afford school fees- scholarships (financed grants) for clever poor children become available; some state funding was provided and more schools were c reated. But this state help did not appreciably expand secondary education, and by 1920 only 9.2 per cent of 14 years-old children in England and Wales were able to enter secondary schools on a non fee-paying basis, the school system in early twentieth century was still inadequate for the demands of society; working-and lower middle class children lacked extensive education; and hard-pressed government avoided any further large- scale involvement until 1944. In 1944, an education Act (The Butler Act) reorganized state primary and secondary schools in England and Wales (1947 in Scotland and Northern Ireland) and greatly influenced future generations of school children. State schooling became free and compulsory up to the age of fifteen and was dived into three stages; primary (5-11 years), secondary schools (11-150 and further post- school training. A decentralized system resulted, in which Ministry of education drew up policy guidelines and local education authorities (LEAs) decided which forms of schooling would be used in their areas. It is been proven that, at the beginning of nineteenth century, European states showed little interest in primary education only in Germany states was a state-run system for it. In 1883, the French government created a system of a system of state-run secular schools by instructing local government to establish an elementary school for both boys and girls. None of these primary schools required attendance, however, which tended to be irregular at best. In rural society children were still expected to work in fields. In industrializing countries like Britain and France, both employers and parents were eager to maintain the practice of child labor. In the decades after 1870, the functions of the state were extended to include the development of mass education in state-run systems. Most western government began to offer at least primary educator to both boys and girls between ages of six and twelve, in most countries it was not optimal. Austria had established free, compulsory elementary education in 1869, In France an 1882 law made primary education compulsory for all children between sic=x and thirteen. Elementary education was made compulsory in Britain in 1880, but it was not until 1902 that an act of Parliament brought all elementary schools under county and town control, states also assumed responsibility for all quality of teachers by establishing teacher-training schools. By 1900, many European states, especially in Northern and Western Europe, were providing state-financed primary schools, salaried and trained teachers, and free, compulsory elementary education for the masses. Traditionally, the private sector has played a significant role in education, only since late 19th century state has guaranteed education as a compulsory service for all citizens i.e. primary education became compulsory for children aged 5 and 10 in 1870. The top age for leaving school was raised in 1944. Education beyond 11 was considered secondary. Universal elementary education required a degree of compulsion, especially as young people were able to begin their working careers much earlier than they can today, at least in the developed world. To commence work at the age of 12 was uncommon. For many poor families educating a child meant the loss of a potential earner in the household, laws that made school attendance compulsory ere passed in the Massachusetts in 1864 and 1890 ( with exception of southern states, which delayed compulsion until the early twentieth century). In Europe, compulsion was applied in 1868 in Prussia, in England and Wales in the 1870s (Scotland and Northern Ireland), and France and other countries in the 1880s. Secondary schools had been state institutions in France as in Prussia from the early nineteenth century although they were fee-paying. In England they remained private institutions until much later, opportunities for free secondary education for some talented children from state primary schools were provided from the late nineteenth century, but universal secondary education did not become general in most European countries until after 1945. It is salutary to contemplate that this was only so recent. The exponential increase in technology since 1945 could not have accrued without a comprehensive system of universal education. In the much more egalitarian social conditions of the late twentieth century, knowledge and expertise could not be confined to a select few. As this shows, In great Britain, early nineteenth- century reforms were stimulated by the philosophic Radicals led by Jeremy Bentham, who advocated dealing with public problems in a rational and scientism way, a reform movement utilizing parliamentary, legal and educational means economic and social philosophers in Britain, including Adam smith and Jeremy Bentham argued for liberalism, rationalism, free trade, political rights and social reform all contributing to the greatest good for the greatest number labour law reforms ( the mines and the factory acts) banning mines children and women from underground work in the mines and regulating reduction in workday to 10 hours were adopted by the British Parliament in the 1830s to 1840. The spread of railroads and steamship the penny post (1840), and telegraphs (1846).Combined with growing literacy and compulsory primary education introduced in Britain in 1876,. This dramatically altered local and world communication. During the 18 and 19 centuries European countries also began as American who started to develop examination for selection into professional civil service. The purposes of the examinations were to raise the competency level of public functionaries, lower the patronage and nepotism. Prussia began using examinations for filling all government administrative posts staring as early as 1748, and the competition for university entrance as a means to prepare for these examinations for all civil service appointment in 872. Public examination system in Europe therefore, developed primarily for selection, and when mass secondary schooling expanded following World War 2, entrance examinations become the principal selection tool setting students on their educational trajectories. In general, testing in Europe controlled the flow of young people into the varying kinds of schools that followed compulsory primary schooling. Student who did well moved on to the academic track, where study of classical subject led to uni versity education others were channelled into vocational or trade schools. In addition to this, in last decades the duration of compulsory schooling has become longer. The trend has in most EC countries curriculum is prescribed by a central authority (usually the ministry of education). In Germany, curricula are determined by each of its states. In France the curriculum is quite uniform nationwide, and in Denmark individual schools enjoy considerable discretion in the definition of curricula. The trend in several countries has been to allow schools a greater say in the definition of curricula during the compulsory period of schooling; school-based management and local control are not uniquely American concept However, the level of prescription varies from system to system. In the Britains systems seems to be moving in other direction. In the past, curricula in Britain were determined by local education authorities and even individual schools, independent regional examination boards exerted a strong influence on the curricula of secondary schools. The centra l government significantly tightened to gap around the regional boards beginning in the middle 1880s and since the education reform Act 1988 the UK has moved toward adoption of national curriculum. It is obviously from this that, since 19 century education (Primary school) has been important political and social too to educate a useful and skilled workforce, to maintain social rest, to create social equality and or secure economic success and innovation. The British government spent most its budget to build new schools after the implementation of Education Acts. The governments aim was to address the state as well as politician and employers rather than children; this was due to poverty and how much the country was destroyed by the war and industrialization. But why education and why education iss young children is mainly concern of the state rather than individual whose learning and life chances. It is about education specially Primary school that could be viewed as parents responsibility to make sure children receive a basic knowledge form early schooling age and for it is also government duties to ensure the schools are all under perfect condition and teachers are paid fairl y therefore the country will be able to stay in competition with other most powerful nations in the world. Education can be viewed as an individual choice and investment for the future career opportunities and was indeed the case until around 1870 when Education Act of that year introduced state primary school (age 5-11) until then, education had been a matter of mainly for the upper class in public schools and middle classes in grammar schools. For the working class only some voluntary of church or church schools had attended to the teaching of reading, writing and rithmetic Universal post 11 educations was not introduced until momentous 1944 education Act, probably the most crucial element of the new welfare state to come out of the Second World War Significantly, the provision of free school meals, milk, dental and medical care was also part of the system reform to encourage children attending schools and most significantly this reform was designed to very much help the poor families who did not have anything to feed their children and would rather sent their children to work. Conclusion During 19 century children of Britain faced a period of industrialization which as result the parents to send their children to work instead of going to schools, it was very depressing period for the country as whole. Education for children was not an option for poor families who were living in terrible condition; schools were only designed for rich. The establishment of education act injected the believe and hope of Britain children with a promise of bright future, by providing equal education to all children boys and girls. This development guaranteed Britain as a nation to improve the skills of children who are the future of the country and also maintaining and competitiveness with other top countries in the world. I personally think it is very clear that the development of education produces important foundation on many levels. Individual benefits by increasing knowledge and future earning and high living standard regardless of your background status. Business will gain more prof it the country will get out the poverty by being able to improve productivity and society will growth stronger by having a much secured level of civil contribution. Words account: 2560 Testing in American Schools: Asking the Right Questions. Washington, DC: Congress of the U.S., Office of Technology Assessment, 1992. Print.

J.d. Salinger Essay -- essays research papers

Born on January 1, 1919, Jerome David Salinger was to become one of America’s greatest contemporary authors. In 1938 Salinger briefly attended Ursinus College in Pennsylvania where he wrote a column, "Skipped Diploma," which featured movie reviews for his college newspaper. Salinger made his writing debut when he published his first short story, "The Young Folks," in Whit Burnett’s Story magazine (French, xiii). He was paid only twenty-five dollars. In 1939, at the age of 20, Salinger had not acquired any readers. He later enrolled in a creative writing class at Columbia University. Salinger was very much interested in becoming an actor and a playwright, which was quite odd because he would later in life become a recluse (Wenke, 3). Salinger adjusted his writing style to fit the literary marketplace. He was writing for money and began writing for magazines like Good Housekeeping and Mademoiselle. Many of Salinger’s characters have unique chara cter traits. "Salinger presents a number of stories that consider characters who become involved in degrading, often phony social contexts," states a major critic (Wenke, 7). These characters are often young and have experienced a lot of emotional turmoil. They have been rejected by society and mainly categorized as "misfits." This alienation of the personality is often viewed as a sign of weakness by society when in fact the outcasts ultimately gain strength from their experiences as shown in Nine Stories, The Catcher in the Rye, and Franny and Zooey. Salinger is telling a tale of the human condition in its reality through his novels. Nine Stories is a collection of short stories of people who are uncertain of the next path to take in life. They are lonely, needy, and searching for love. One of these stories, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," is the story of a young couple who try to understand their life together and the true meaning of love. Seymour Gl ass has just been released from the Army Hospital and he is unable to adjust to life with his "crass wife Muriel amidst the lavish and vulgar atmosphere of their post-war second honeymoon" (Gwynn & Blotner, 19). It has often been called "the loveless tunnel of love." Salinger portrays Muriel in the first part of the story as superficial. ... ...at lead us to believe that life has leading characters and minor characters, important details and unimportant details, beginnings, middles, ends" (Bryfonski, 521). Many critics acclaim that Nine Stories and The Catcher in The Rye are Salinger’s most famous and important works (Bryfonski, 521). The Glass family saga starting in Nine Stories and continuing in and ending in Franny and Zooey shows how the lack of love and the influence of society can lead to destruction unless you find enough inner strength to rise above it. Many of Salinger’s characters are connected to other fictional characters by other authors. In The Catcher in The Rye, the young Holden Caulfield is compared by critics to Huckleberry Finn: He has a colloquialism as marked as Huck’s†¦Like Huck, Holden is neither comical or misanthrope. He is an observer. Unlike Huck, he makes judgements by the dozen, but these are not to be taken seriously; they are concepts (Lomazoff, 7). Holden i s also compared to Hamlet but to a lesser degree; they are both not totally in the minds. The majority of Salinger’s characters learn from being alienated. Through learning this one aspect, they gain strength from it to move on.

Aztec and City

Jarrett Barber Mr. Slaughter 11/16/12 Tenochtitlan Tenochtitlan was the main city and capital of the Aztec empire. The city was founded in 1325 when the Aztec emperor told some of his tribes to look for a spot for their new capital city. He told them that the spot for the city would be found when they saw an eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus. This symbol is now on the Mexican coat of arms and on the Mexican flag (King). The tribes wondered around in what is now present day Mexico City, looking for this strange site. They finally came to the spot where they saw the scene.It happened on a small island in the middle of Lake Texacco. All of the surrounding area of the lake was all swamp land, but because they saw the eagle there, that’s where the city was to be built. The construction of Tenochtitlan took place under the rule of four different Aztec kings. They laid out the construction plans for the city on a grid, making the building of the city much easier and run smoothe r. The city was linked to the mainland by three raised causeways; the three different causeways pointed north, west, and south.The raised causeways had bridges in the middle of them to allow canoes and other traffic underneath; the bridges could also be raised up in case of an attack. The city had two aqueducts that were 2. 5 miles long to supply fresh water from the springs of Chapultepec, though most of this water was used for bathing, washing dishes, and other various reasons (Stearns). Most of the Tenochtitlan population bathed twice every day, but ruler Montezuma was rumored to bathe as many as 4 times a day.The people preferred their drinking water from the nearby mountain springs, as it was much cleaner. When it was at its biggest point, Tenochtitlan covered a little more than five square miles. And at the height of its existence, Tenochtitlan’s population was approximately 150,000 people (closely comparable to the size of the population of the city of Cordoba). Tenoch titlan was the largest city in Mesoamerica, but also one of the largest in the world (Tenochtitlan). The only two cities larger than this at the time were Paris and Constantinople which had populations of 300,000.The language of the city was Nahuatl, it was spoken throughout the Aztec empire. The people also practiced Aztec religion, the religion consisted of human sacrifice and religious festivals. Gods of different elements were worshiped and given sacrifices. Human sacrifices were given to the sun god in fear that the sun might not rise the next morning (Stearns). Templo Mayor was the largest temple in Tenochtitlan, it was rebuilt 6 different times (King). The temple first went under construction in 1325, in succession with the rest of the city.Each time it was rebuilt, it grew slightly larger. The temple was dedicated to 2 different gods,  Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture, and Huitzilopochtli, god of war. Each god had its own separate temple at the top. In 1427 Aztec empero r Ahuitzotl sacrificed tens of thousands of people in the span of 4 days in honor of the temple.. The organization of the city was that of a city-state, with an organized central region. Agriculture was a thriving practice in Tenochtitlan. Because there was no room for it in the city, chinampas were developed.Chinampas were fields created on floating platforms on the lake’s surface. Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes visited the city in 1519 and was amazed. Cortes and his men were in awe at the sight of the city. They were greeted by the Aztecs with gifts and food. Despite the hospitality, Cortes challenged the Aztecs and took emperor Montezuma hostage. The Aztecs declared war and drove the Spaniards out in 1520. Cortes led later attacks on the city but most of the population was wiped by diseases that the Spaniards had brought.The city finally fell to the Spaniards in 1521. The city was demolished and rebuilt to what is now Mexico City. There are still ruins of Tenochtitlan that can still be seen today in central Mexico City. Works Cited Stearns, Peter et al. World Civilizations. 3rd ed. New York. Pearson Longman, 2000. â€Å"Tenochtitlan. † Retrieved from https://www. courses. psu. edu/anth/anth008_cmg149/aten. html King, Heidi. â€Å"Tenochtitlan†. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (October 2004) Retrieved from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/teno_1/hd_teno_1. htm (October 2004)

The eNotes Blog Another Kind of Green How Studying Abroad Can Improve Your CollegeExperience

Another Kind of Green How Studying Abroad Can Improve Your CollegeExperience To study abroad or not to study abroad? Its a question that confronts college students on a frequent basis, introducing an inevitable flurry of related questions that plague us: when should I go? Where should I go? WHY should I go Well, in an attempt to help you tackle those questions for yourself, our editorial intern shares his experiences of studying abroad in Rome and lists the 5 things you will reap by the bucketload should you decide to take the leap (and take it from us, you definitely should!): You dont need to lose it to know that you had it good.  John Mayer puts it perfectly in his song Another Kind of Green, playing off the metaphor the grass is always greener on the other side. How many times in your life has it taken losing something to make you realize how good you had it? Although the song was referring specifically to relationships, this is true of so many other situations: a tough job, a class thats giving you a hard time, an initially socially awkward moment, drudging through practice for a sport Ive had this happen to me many times in life. Partly because Im a fickle person by nature and always second guess my decisions.   A girl I swore I wanted nothing to do with seemed like the greatest thing in the world the second I broke up with her. The one time this hasnt been the case is when I  studied abroad. This was the one time in my life that I knew I was having the time of my life while it was happening. Thats a really cool feeling to have. I remember FaceTimeing my mom while walking through the cobblestone streets of Trastevere (my neighborhood) with a huge smile on my face explaining my new life on the other side of the world (between her sobs and complaints that she missed me). Piazza Navona, Rome I lived and studied in Rome for four months the fall quarter of my senior year. I stepped foot for the first time into this unknown city and experienced a foreign culture, a brand new language, and a completely different way of life. Whats more, I knew no one on the other side. I made the trek from Los Angeles to New York to Rome all by myself, and nervously walked into my apartment and university solo. I felt like a freshman again. But I was rewarded. To say that I had the  time of my life  is an understatement. When people ask me how the experience of studying abroad was, its hard for me to speak words that do it justice. It was the most fun, unique, rewarding, and liberating time of my life. I can break up all my experience into five different aspects of my life that were satisfied like never before: 1. Culture:  Ive been a Southern California boy my whole life, growing up in Orange County, taking trips to San Diego, and attending college in LA. Ive ventured to other parts of the US, been to Mexico, but never have I  fully integrated  myself in another culture. The only way to do this is by living in another part of the world for an extended period of time, and opening yourself up to another cultures differences. It can be difficult at first I remember trying to ask for a cup of water at a pizzeria and the whole process took a full minute before the cameriere, or waiter, understood what I wanted. But this was perhaps the most rewarding part of my journey. Learning the ins and outs of a culture and its people allows you to rediscover yourself. I finally learned to dress appropriately; I stopped wearing athletic shorts and sweats to class and dressed like the Italians (although I refused to wear a jacket and scarf when its 75 degrees out like them).   Speaking the language with locals and soaking up all there is to know about life in Italy was invaluable. Experiencing the siesta or brief close in the middle of the day for shop owners to go to lunch was frustrating and unpredictable, but a natural part of life in Rome. Meals can seem like marathons at first; Italians sit down for several hours, with the focus on the gathering of friends and family rather than the consumption of food. Which brings me to my next point 2. Food:  The food in Italy is the best in the world. I dont think many would dispute this. Rome is in the heart of Italy, giving it both a tremendous history and   a solid blend of the different Italian dishes, from the seafood in the north to the pizza in the south. Every meal is a breathtaking roller coaster that  cannot  disappoint the taste buds. I found a new appreciation for dellacqua frizzante or sparkling water, and improved my cooking talents from poor to mediocre during this time (Ill just never be good). I could never get sick of a pizza margherita, although I did get to consume a wide variety of other foods in other parts of Europe while I was traveling.   And the gelato Regular ice cream will never satisfy you again! Tre pasti a pizzeria Gelato 3. Travel:  About every other weekend, my friends and I would pack up our backpacks (only one carry-on allowed), and take off (usually on RyanAir, a super cheap airline that can cost as low as 50 euros for a roundtrip flight!) for another part of Europe. This took careful planning and a few nights of staying cooped up in the apartment on the laptop with a couple Peronis. But now Ive seen every part of the world Im from (Italy, Germany, Ireland), as well as exploring other countries like Switzerland, Hungary, Spain, and England. Talk about adventures! Cliffs of Moher, Ireland 4. Friends: I was anxious at first about going to an unfamiliar place, attending an unfamiliar school, and speaking an unfamiliar language, let alone going with no one I knew! I was randomly placed into an apartment with seven other dudes, so I was hopeful that I would find someone I clicked with. Within a week, I had a tremendous group of friends and was stoked I hadnt bogged myself down with anyone from home. The experience would have been great either way, but making new friends with people who knew nothing about me was a great experience. I ended up meeting so many great people from all across the US and Europe alike, forming many great friendships. I still keep in contact with four or five of my friends from there, and if I had my wedding today a few of these people would be standing beside me. I learned more about myself and about what is important in life from these new friends than anyone else. I also picked up a few habits from them. My roommate was an avid guitar player so I developed up a new fascination for music, and picked up playing the guitar the day I was back in California. 5. Independence: I grew up more in my four months abroad than I did in four years of being at college. Fending for yourself, traveling on your own, protecting yourself from gypsies, doing your own laundry these were all new concepts to me that started to make me feel like the mature 22 year old I was supposed to be. Being away from mommy and daddy for four whole months was a new experience for me. Im by no means a mommas boy, but this time away from home was novel to me. However, I was never once homesick, and was eating up every second of studying abroad so much that I actually dreaded the return flight home (even with all the extra legroom a regular airline provides). I remember staying up til 4am, saying my last goodbyes and talking to my buds about our favorite restaurants, trips, laughs, and good times in Europe. Ive heard great things about peoples study abroad experiences from all over the world. No matter where you choose to study, I guarantee it will be a time you will remember, and that you will not come home the same person. I was told this and thought, how much can I really change? But after being back for a couple months, I realize Im not the same person, and Im extremely pleased with the changes (although my best friend, Derek, was a little freaked out at the woven necklaces I wear now). The grass IS greener on the other side of the world. Go study abroad. Once youre there, you wont look back or search for any other kind of green.   Take John Mayers advice.   Or just click here to hear a great song with some incredible guitar work. Stay tuned for parts two and three of Another Kind of Green, where Ill talk about tips to maximize your study abroad experience, as well as the process of readjusting to life back in the homeland.