<p>^^ Don’t forget film series’, trips to New York for Opera appreciation at the Met, etc etc etc</p>
<p>Reinforcing the notion that there are more terrific opportunities at Smith College than any one person can take advantage of, a seemingly endless buffet of intellectual nourishment and stimulation.</p>
<p>Yum! Wish I could do college all over again!</p>
<p>Yes, it was called Kyoto through the Ages. It was a great class, well, the professor could be dry at times (and awkward but who isn’t?) so it was a bit of torture. My classmates and I kept chiding on each other, “C’mon you can do this paper! KYOTO AT THE END OF THIS!” Anyone could take the class but literally everyone except for me and one other took Japanese I. I only signed up just to go to Kyoto- it looked like a terrific opportunity for a first year. One of the girls had been to Japan for a couple weeks but no one else had. So the trip was pretty much geared towards total beginners when it came to Asian culture. But it was challenging that even a seasoned traveler to Asia could get a lot out of it.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, as I’ve said, they’re not going to be able to run the trip. It was really heavily subsidized that we essentially paid for our own plane tickets and the funding took care of the rest. The professor didn’t feel it was right to keep the trip going because of the whole “have and have-nots” issue and just preferred to have that funding.</p>
<p>It was a very influential course because the vast majority of the class became East Asian Lit majors and studied in Japan for JYA.</p>
<p>I forgot about the trips to New York! I went to the opera and a Broadway show for $30 each. Pretty good seats for both (the Broadway show we sat right in front of the stage) and when you think about it - $30 doesn’t even cover your seat on the bus. :)</p>
<p>My favorite things to do during J-term were to work at my on-campus job for extra money and hang out with my friends. I did take some classes (both for-credit and not-for-credit) but I really enjoyed socializing without any deadlines looming over me. Twice I did the full three weeks of J-term, and twice I was only on campus for two weeks (for various reasons).</p>
<p>My daughter took a four credit French immersion class on campus during the 2010 J-term. It was intense, but she enjoyed spending 12 hours a day with her classmates/new friends and she is already appreciating her added ability in this semester’s French film course. Last year she took an environmental bio class over J-term which led to a wonderful research opportunity over the summer.</p>
<p>PlantMom, my D took that French film course. She really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>Glad to hear that MWFN. My D said that she’s understanding the French with little problem. She, however, is having to think about film outside of the small box of popular action movies she tends to favor 
This mom is happy. First up, Truffaut.</p>