Confusing (Funny) Sign

This past Fall, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stuart (two popular American comedians) led a political rally. People amassed in the thousands to voice their opinions. Perhaps one of the funniest/strangest signs I saw while there was a veteran's denial of Barack Obama's connection to the Third Reich.

This sign may be confusing due to the obvious "dumbness" (can't think of any other word, sorry) of the connection. However, it refutes the old claim that Obama's political and financial views might be similar to the Nazi regime in Germany -- rather comically, I might add.

3 Biggest Problems

1. Obesity: I'm sorry to say this, but having been to several countries in Europe and Central America, it is plain to see that America has a weight problem. In Ireland, for example, I rarely found anyone who could even be remotely considered obese. Poor diet and lack of exercise are the obvious causes of the problem but they underline a far more problematic source - laziness.

2. Censorship: Going back to the Puritan influences of this country at the beginning of European migration to the continent, censorship and a general squeamishness when confronted with issues of sex, alcohol or drugs are all ongoing problems in this country. As a people proud of our "freedom of speech" we are often too scared to delve into such simple topics.

3. Divisions: I often feel that one of the biggest problems in the world's biggest melting pot is the tendency for certain ethnic or social groups to cling together. Furthermore, it is often the case that members of the "higher" socio-economic "class" look down on others. We, as a country, need to see the differences in others and respect that culture as both a living/independent tradition and a valuable part of the American mosaic.

Big Problems Facing America Today

1. Homelessness-A lot of Americans are uninformed about homelessness and tend to judge homeless people's situations rather than try to understand their situations. Thankfully Villanova has Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week to bring attention to the situation.
2. Obesity-On average, Americans are among the most obese people in the world. We have a ton of fast food and are more concerned about convenience than health. Our school systems are starting to become more concerned with their students' health by enforcing healthier choices in the cafeteria and physical education requirements.
3. The Education- There is a lot of inequality among the different schools systems. For example, within a ten mile radius of Villanova's Campus, there are schools in West Philadelphia that are corrupt and they don't receive the education they deserve. The township Villanova is in, Radnor, has great schools because it is in an area with a better socio-economic status. American teachers also don't receive enough pay for their jobs.

Argentine & Italian Hand Gesture

We call this "Montoncito", we use it for asking "why??" or "what??", and we do it shaking our arms when we don't want to believe what someone is saying. You'll find that argentine people are very, very similar to the italian, even when we speak, our spanish is slightly different to neutral spanish, we speak with an italian accent which is quite unique and funny.

American Hand Gestures

In America this is the hand signal for "I love you." It combines the letters "I", "L", and "Y" in American Sign Language.

Hand Signals

Throwing up a hand signal with the index and middle fingers standing upright with an otherwise closed hand usually is a sign of peace, perhaps most closely associated with the hippy movement in the 60s. However, at Villanova University the gesture has taken on new meaning. At the end of every basketball game, the students and players sing the fight song whilst "throwing up their Vs" as a form of salute. Whether it be on an ESPN broadcast of a Villanova game or in the crowds, that simple hand gesture is one of pride and unity in the Villanova community.

Confusing Sign- Watch Children

"Watch Children." I find this sign to be amusing everytime I drive by it. This sign is usually located in semi-busy neighborhoods to warn drivers to be more cautious. The sign should say "Watch FOR Children" and I don't understand why they can't just include the "FOR"; would it really take up that much room on the sign? I don't think so. The sign is easy to understand for a local; they know it means to slow down because there are a lot of children running around the neighborhood but to foreigners the sign might be confusing, they might ask themselves, "Why should we watch children? What are the children doing?"

Our Trip to Argentina

Hi ePals--
Here is a link to our itinerary in Argentina.  We hope you can meet us for dinner Feb 26 in the evening!
We are looking forward to seeing you in person soon!!
Ciao for now,
Dr. Hollis

Typical Weekday/Typical Saturday Night

Typical Weekday- My typical Tuesday: I wake up at 8:45 a.m. because I have class at 10:00 AM. I wake up at 8:45 and make myself a big breakfast because breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I usually make an omelette with vegetables and cheese, bacon, grapefruit, and drink a large glass of orange juice. If I eat a big breakfast, I feel more energized throughout the day. After breakfast I usually rush to get dressed and put on make up in time to get to class by 10. My first class is Italian and it lasts for one hour and fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes later I have my second class of the day, Hitler in Nazy Germany, a political science class. My schedule on Tuesdays and Thursday is exactly the same. After class, I return home to eat some lunch and take a little cat nap or catch up on some homework. I attend a spinning class from 3 to 4 pm. Spinning involves riding a stationary bike in a group setting. The lights are turned off and the music is blasting; it is a lot of fun and a great workout! After spinning I return home and shower quickly before heading off to work at 5:30. I work for Villanova's Annual Fund. We call alumni and ask them to donate money to the University. I work from 5:30 to 9:00 and at 9 I return home and make myself a late dinner. Anything after 8:00 pm is considered pretty late in the U.S.A. After dinner I catch up on homework or visit with friends and I usually go to bed around 1:00 a.m.

A typical Saturday night- "Saturday Night" starts around 9 p.m. I usually have just finished dinner and am relaxing watching t.v. I then get in contact with my friends and we decide if we will go out to the bars, out to a friend's party or will just stay in, watch a movie, and relax. Sometimes we do a combination of all three. The night will usually end around 2 a.m.