Introduction.
by aliyah
Hi everyone, my name is Aliyah (she/her) and I am from Vancouver, British Columbia. I am a third-year student, though I am a transfer student, so this is my first semester at UBC.
This course, in both its structure and content, seems very refreshing from my usual classes that involve papers, projects, and exams. The ability to plan ahead and know which grade we will be receiving accordingly is quite comforting as well. Overall, I think this course allows a lot more freedom for creativity, which I appreciate.
I chose this course not only to fulfill my literature requirement but to also expand my horizons. I have never taken a course like this before – the content and structure of this course are both very new to me but I feel that I can use this to my advantage, discovering new ways to learn and looking at the romance world with a fresh perspective.
Pre-covid, I used to travel internationally quite a bit. Learning about different cultures, traditions, and lifestyles around the world always fascinated me from a young age. Hence, I am also curious to learn about the history of the intangible romance world through books. I do enjoy reading in my spare time, however, I do have a particular taste. I am hoping that the readings of this course will not only be easy to follow but also capture our interest.
This course, in both its structure and content, seems very refreshing from my usual classes that involve papers, projects, and exams. The ability to plan ahead and know which grade we will be receiving accordingly is quite comforting as well. Overall, I think this course allows a lot more freedom for creativity, which I appreciate.
After listening to the first lecture and attending the first class, I was able to familiarize myself with what the Romance World truly is, fiction. Romance studies is not bound to any territory, though it can exist anywhere. Romance languages derive from Latin and are considered as their untamed spawns, having created their own respective identities. This concept reminds me of how young adolescents will distance themselves or rebel against their parents in order to form their own identity and gain independence.
Nonetheless, there are still aspects of the Romance World that I am struggling to grasp. Such as, if we can define the Romance World through historical texts that represent it and its power, why would it be untrue to state the Romance World is not real? Of course, it is not a physical location that we can go to, but perhaps it is a period in time or a state of mind.
My question is, how would you describe the Romance World?
I look forward to learning more about the world of romance through our readings and discussions. 🙂
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Hello aliyah,
it was so nice to read your introductory post, i think we have similar questions and exectation from this class. I am very interested in your international trvael I used to go abroad quite a bit before COVID. What are the most interesting cultures you have experienced? Which cultures from your travels did you find to be most similar to your own and which ones differed most greatly?