Comparative Culture, Tuesday, Period One

[doubleohblonde]

Bond had his class meet him in an ordinary classroom, with various pastries and hot drink set up near the door.

"Good morning, class," he greeted them once they'd arrived. "For those of you who haven't had a class with me before, I'm Professor Bond and this is Comparative Culture. Over the course of the semester we'll be looking at some of the similarities and differences between different human cultures. Now if we were at an ordinary school where we could make assumptions that we all came from the same culture, we'd begin by examining and deconstructing that own culture before moving on to other, but as that's not the case, we'll instead be looking at how dominant cultural norms might be conveyed through cultural artefacts. Translation: we're going to be watching a lot of films, looking at a lot of art, and eating a lot of food, with some theory sprinkled in as garnish."

"But all that is for later in the semester. This is the first week of class, which means we all get to do introductions. Which we can also use to start shaking loose some bollocks about cultural assumptions. Often different cultures will have different cultural norms, that is to say ideas of what's considered normal, expected, or polite behaviour, often to the point that a member of that culture will not even consciously think about those behaviours until presented with another culture's norms, which is one way that stereotypes are created, but cultures are also made up of individuals, and how closely a given individual adheres to any given norm will depend on any number of factors."

"So for your introductions, I would like your name, class, and two cultural norms from your home culture, large or small, one you feel you adhere to closely and one you don't. For example, and while as as a former member of Her Majesty's Navy I feel a connection to our naval tradition, I tend to prefer coffee over tea."

[Class Roster]

Keeping Your Advantage: Terrain and You [Weds, 3rd Period]

[atreideslioness]

Each of Ghanima's students had handwavily received a hand-written letter telling them to meet at the main campfire today - with a map, for the new students - and as people arrived, they'd find their teacher tranquilly sitting on a log, playing with a praying mantis that was climbing all over her fingers.

"Well now," she said, her voice carrying effortlessly as she set down her little friend. "Many new faces! How very exciting! And for those of you that I've seen before... welcome back."

Ghanima was not sure if it was a mark of approval in her choice in subject matter, or if her students were simply masochists. She was not ruling out either option.

"For those of you that are new, I am Lady Ghanima Atreides, and this is Keeping Your Advantage. If you have not had one of my classes before, you may call me Lady Ghanima, Miss Ghanima, or Miss Atreides, whichever you are more comfortable with. The first person to call me Lady Atreides gets detention," Ghanima announced, smiling. "Lady Atreides is my grandmother, and I will not answer to it."

"This is a class intended to give you a basic grounding in the varying types of terrain you may encounter, and how to survive it. The simple fact that you are at this school is testimony to the fact that you never know where you may find yourself."

"From cityscapes to icebergs, each week we will look at a different type of terrain, and one thing you can do to make your life easier. Please be aware that there is no syllabus to this class, because I don't want you to have time to prepare for each scenario. Many times you will have to work with only the things you have on you during an emergency, and learning to keep your wits about you is important."

"Today, we are going to start with the most basic skill you can have: making a fire, and some basic cooking skills. I'd like you to work as a group to get this fire started, and then we'll make some hot dogs, s'mores, baked potatoes, and grilled cheese."

Heroic Tales, Wednesday, Period Two

[toteshammered.livejournal.com]

If you'd told Thor a few years ago that he'd be living on Midgard and teaching children in a school, he would have laughed long and hard at you. But the truth was, like many things he'd discovered since his brief exile from Asgard, he'd found he truly enjoyed it. So he was excited for the beginning of another semester.

"Greetings, all, and welcome to Heroic Tales," he began, once everyone seemed settled. "If you are a fan of stories involving heroes and adventure, well. You are in the right place. If you're not a fan- I apologise for whatever mishap landed you in my class, but I hope you can still find some enjoyment from it! This semester, we're going to look at adventure tales from all over this world, and not just books- there will be some films and perhaps even a live show or two! But today, of course, is our first day together, and although I recognise many of your faces, we should still perform introductions so that we all know each other. So, I shall ask your name, your class, and a hero you hold in high regard- be they real or fictional. To start, I am Thor Odinson, your teacher, and a hero I regard highly is my dear friend, the Lady Sif, one of the most fearsome warriors I've ever had the pleasure to fight alongside." He pointed to someone at random. "Now, it is your turn."

After they'd finished, he spoke again. "Additionally, I am seeking one or two students for the position of Teaching Assistant. This involves being available to answer questions should your fellow students need assistance, or filling in for me should I be called away and unable to teach a class. If you're interested, please speak to me."

How To Get By In A Hostile World, Wednesday

[suitably_heroic]

It was a miracle Atton was even here. He'd been sincerely tempted to stay in bed this morning and let Sparkle do all the work, but... some stupid sense of duty he didn't even realize he had anymore had kicked in and now he was standing in front of the class, looking casual because that was about all he could manage right now.

"...Welcome to We-- I mean, How To Get By In A Hostile World," he drawled. "My name is Atton Rand, I used to go to school here, so don't think I don't know what I'm talking about. Okay. If you're in this class, it's probably because you're from somewhere terrifying where you're not exactly on top of the food chain. That may mean being an unpowered person in a world full of near-gods, or somebody who has powers but not exactly the kind that'll shake the world, or maybe you're just some poor schmuck living at the bottom end trying to get by."

Beat.

"Of course, if you're just here to show off how special you are, you can get out. Now."

Another beat. He waited for anyone to get up.

"...Okay, good. Anyway, I have powers now, but I didn't use to - or at least I didn't have the training so I might as well not have had them. Growing up, there was war all around us, and the people who actually had the powers to stop it decided to sit at home and twiddle their thumbs because the situation was quote-unquote 'complicated'. I've seen worlds burn and friends die."

He took a deep breath. He needed it to keep playing casual. "The only way I made it through the first decade or so of being on my own was by thinking on my feet," he said. "Exploring the weaknesses of people stronger than me, figuring out how to squeak by unnoticed, that kind of thing. So that's the stuff we'll be covering."

Atton nodded at a random student. "Talk to me," he said. "Who are you? What situation are you facing? What are you hoping to get out of this class? That kind of thing. Introductions are useful here, because a technique is only helpful if it's tailored to your actual situation."

He planted his ass on his desk. "Oh, and that guy over there with the stupid hair? That's Sparkle. He'll be your TA. If you have any stupid questions, take them to him." You're welcome, Sparkle.