Investigación

Reading and writing.

My classes are starting to wrap up, so the next few days will be filled with the writing of research papers. Most of the topics are interesting, so that much is good. On the other hand I have to deal with UACh's library, which is not so good.

I'm spoiled by Kenyon's library system, where you can check out as many books as you want, enter and exit freely, renew books online, take your backpack into the library, and where the operating hours reflect the studying schedules of undergrad students. At Austral on the other hand, things are a bit more complicated.

To enter the library you have to have a student ID, which takes several weeks to process, and a barcode, which takes another day or two. You have to swipe the card to get into the library and again to get out. You can't take your bookbag into the sections of the library where the shelves are located. You have to exchange your national ID card for a key to a locker and stow your backpack before entering the collection. Then you have to present your student ID again to check out books, and you are only allowed four at a time. If you want to check out a high-demand book, you have to schedule a borrowing window beforehand on the library's website. (Unfortunately my login information to access the webpage mysteriously stopped working several months ago, and I haven't been able to figure out why or how to fix it.) If you want use a computer, there are about twenty, for a school with over 10,000 students. If you want to make a photocopy, you have to leave the library, stand in line for upwards of 15 minutes, and shell out 15 pesos per page. It's a hassle.

We're having warm weather at last. Yesterday Jessie and I decided to try swimming in one of the rivers that surround Isla Teja. In spite of the sunshine, the water was breathsuckingly frigid. We swam just long enough to justify the hike.