Salvete omnes! Your two brand new Aediles are writing this blog post! Today began with three new classes: Greek, Hellenistic Art, and Mores. After delving into these new and exciting classes and eating a delicious (?) lunch, everyone went to the gym. After either a vigorous workout, a refreshing swim, or a vivacious session of sitting on the floor, we began both play tryouts and Memoranda work. We then struggled and finally succeeded to put on our togas or stolas. We wore these for dinner (which elicited many stares in the dining hall) as well as for a lengthy session of pictures. As mentioned in a previous blog post, we have elected officials here at GLA. To kick off this process, all candidates gave a speech from the balcony, kind of like in Rome. Additionally, the election process was just as fair as it was in Rome. This is to say that they weren’t really fair at all. However, in the end (after a short tie for Aedile) the results were official! -Censors: Xavier W. and Frances H. -Consuls: Hannah K. and Sayeed A. -Praetor: Jake B. and Claire M. -Aedile: Britney P. and Caroline M. (that’s us!) -Tribune: Ana S. and Min Jae K. -Quaestor: Anna L. and Charlie M-B. We, the Aediles, look forward to keeping you updated about the happenings of GLA 2017! --Britney and Caroline M.
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Three of Academy's classes began today! There was de Scelere, where we learned about Seneca the Younger and his play Thyestes. We also attended Latina Loquenda and practiced basic conversational skills and introductory phrases... in Latin! In oderint dum metuant, we were introduced to two authors - Lucan and pliny - as well as Nero's Domus Aurea (Golden House). Exciting classes and we can't wait to see how they will unfold! This afternoon we signed up to take part in the play, Miles Gloriosus - some want to become actors, while some want to work on music or the set. Memoranda team is going to start taking pictures of events at Academy, and the Nuntius team will start working on a newspaper. We also met up with the Japanese Academy to learn how to speak each others' languages. Salvē! Konnichi wa! This was followed by the Petenda - a scavenger hunt around campus. Everyone is getting more comfortable with navigating the campus! We're also getting graffiti ready to advertise for candidates in the elections - soon the dorm will be filled with campaign slogans! And this evening, Magister Cavedo kicked off Academy with this year's theme lecture. He showed us a few different ways to interpret our theme O tempora! O mores! And we rounded out the day with Latinae Minutiae, a fun game of Latin trivia and shenanigans. -- Magister Jefferson Today was a busy day! We have all settled in at Andrews Hall with the help of our parents and families. We toured the campus of Randolph-Macon and thought about our personal goals for the next three weeks. We learned each other's names in a couple sessions of the LVDVS NOMINVM. (45 students and 9 staff members make for a lot of new names!!) We learned about the MERCATVS TRAIANI Market of Trajan and began nominating candidates to run for Latin Academy offices. It was a full day, and everyone is excited for what the next week has in store for us! -- Magister Jefferson Twas the day before Academy, when all through Fox Hall,
all the creatures were stirring, and especially the staff. The activities were planned, the classrooms prepared, in hopes that the discipuli soon would be there. We're excited to meet you all for the DIES PRIMUS of GLA 2017. Cras vos videbimus in Ashland! We will see you all tomorrow in Ashland! At Latin Academy you will find that most of the time there will be activities to keep you busy, but occasionally you will have some amount of Otium or free time. This time will be yours to relax and get some of your work done, but I wanted to make some suggestions on things to bring for those bits of free time.
Personally I very much enjoy reading to relax so I highly recommend bringing along some books to read for pleasure when you have the spare time. We will also often have access to a field during these times so for those that want to be active a frisbee, soccer ball, football, or other sporting equipment might come in handy. Many students have also enjoyed using this time to play music so if you have an instrument that you enjoy playing it may be smart to bring it, plus it gives you the opportunity to help with the music in the play. For indoor activity bringing cards may be something that you enjoy. During Otium we may even try to play some Roman games! This time can also be excellent for reviewing and practicing what you are learning in your classes at the academy. The work can pile up and while you will have dedicated study times built in, supplementing with other parts of the schedule will help you to stay ahead and make the classes more manageable. Hopefully this helps you as you pack, I will see you all on Sunday! - Rob In exactly one week from today, many a new adventure will have begun, many a new companion will have been met, many a new memory will have been made (look at those future perfect verbs used irl!). As you prepare for your upcoming quest, there are the physical objects that are necessary to bring, like toothpaste and gum among other things... There are also the things that you must bring that pertain to the mind.
To reiterate Sallie, an open mind, open ears, and an open heart are essential paths through which we are able to connect with and learn from one another, making your experience at GLA unforgettable and life-changing. We can’t do this without you. I hope that our co-built community will have a collective willingness to build bridges and life-long friendships, while simultaneously challenging and stretching our own understanding of the world through the context of ancient history and language. Lastly, take a moment to think about the phrase, “mens sana in corpore sano.” What does it mean? What does this have to do with what you are about to undertake? It will be your job in the upcoming week to ruminate on this and prepare both physically and mentally. Cura ut valeas, Kelly (RA) Salvete! In the face of all these incredible classes and unique opportunities offered at academy, I just wanted to remind you all that you each belong at academy. You have all proven to be some of the best and brightest classical scholars in Virginia ab initio, especially among your peers. If you are stressed and overwhelmed by all the information flooding in, don't be! Not only will you have plenty of resources (including me!), you are also already well prepared because of your experience with the language thus far. Additionally, you all are bringing your interests outside of the language, such as Greco-Roman cultural and historical studies; this means you can learn both from your teachers and peers- mehercule!
Ante omnia, unburden yourself by bringing the most essential of essentials- an open mind. It is okay to feel nervous, homesick, and tired. Accept the initial discomfort you feel and realize that the other 44 students at the academy are feeling a lot of the same emotions that you are (cor ad cor loquitur!). I found that sharing about my difficulties helped deepen friendships at academy. This is to say that you are definitely still going to have a lot of fun through all that you learn. This post is geared more towards how you should try and prepare for GLA mentally rather than just another packing list. Naturally, I look forward to meeting and getting to know each of you in a little over a week (after I finish binge watching Planet Earth II and Grace & Frankie). Bona Fide, Sallie Salvete!
I hope you are getting super excited! It's almost time to pack your bags :) A few things to think about! 1) My afternoon activity this year will be new and I'm SO excited to get this project off the ground! We'll be working in coordination with the Memoranda team to start a GLA newspaper. I'm hoping to print a couple copies throughout the weeks for every person at GLA. Potential subjects could include: recent events and activities, polls, interviews with staff/guest speakers, pictures, comics, and even a tantum Latine section. So we'll need writers, editors, and photographers! 2) I'm just going to second all the previous calls to bring layers/sweaters. While many days are in the 90s outside, the buildings are often in the 60s. I'm always freezing, so last year I dragged a sweater with me everywhere. Everywhere. It was a definite hassle, but I never regretted it. 3) If any of you are avid walkers/joggers/runners - in past years, students (and some faculty!) wake up around 6:30am to run/walk laps either around the "pomerium," a ~.9 mile loop around campus, or around the university track, which is located right next to your dorm building. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but for many people getting some exercise - even a very short walk - can often go a long way towards keeping your body and soul both happy and healthy during these three weeks. The Greeks knew what was up! I usually get up and run most mornings, and I can tell it makes a huge difference. So bring some lightweight exercise clothes and a refillable water bottle! Side note 1: If you walk/run laps around the pomerium you'll need to be in a group of three. We'll chat about this more during the security talk. So make friends with other walk/jog/runners when you get there! Side note 2: I'll be doing interval sessions on the track on Tuesday mornings if anyone wants to join. We can take turns timing each other. 4) Sunscreen. Yes. Valete! I can't wait to meet you all! Magistra Ghosheh post scriptum: my last name is pronounced Go-shay. Super easy :) School is almost done! Academy is almost here! I hope you're all preparing yourselves for the awesomeness that is Academy... I know I'm counting down the days!
We'll all want a special way to look back upon our experiences at Academy. By the end of three weeks, we'll have had many fun events, wacky adventures, and inside jokes. And unlike the Library of Alexandria, we'll have a perfect way of immortalizing all our memories! (Too soon?) Introducing.... the Memoranda DVD! Throughout Academy, we'll be taking pictures and videos of everything that happens - from classes to meals to dorms to field trips - and organizing them into a slideshow. We can add some fun captions, jokes, ... and memes, perhaps? And we will record our performance of Miles Gloriosus. All of this will be collected onto a DVD for all the students and teachers to watch when we return home. After all - Academia memoranda est. Academy must be remembered! Do you have a camera with an SD card? Bring it with you and help us record your experiences! Don't have a camera, but love taking pictures? We've got some for you to use! Do you like using iMovie and writing amusing captions for pictures? Think about joining the Memoranda team! -- Magister Jefferson For most of you (teachers included!), final exams are either in the books already or right around the corner. You'll find yourself with a little bit of free time over the next two weeks, and I suggest you use it wisely. While many of you might be inclined to spend that time working with Latin, there are other priorities as well.
I'll certainly be spending the next two weeks binging some anime and playing a bunch of Magic: the Gathering. *record scratch* Not the priorities you expected? Well, I'm a big nerd, so get used to that sort of response! In all seriousness though, you won't have access to many of your usual modern conveniences, so if you have anything electronic in nature you want to do, this is the time. You don't want to leave yourself hanging at the season finale of a show or the last level of some video game! The good news is that there will be *plenty* of other things to keep you entertained at Latin Academy. I'll be introducing a handful of cool activities and leading some games. I'm a semi-professional gamer, so believe me when I say that I have a real treat for you later on in Academy! I'm always scheming and plotting to come up with fun activities for you all, as are all the other staff members. I can guarantee you won't be bored while you are at Academy. So that being said... HYPE!!! -Magister Gallagher |
Salvete!This blog will document the MMXVII session of the Virginia Governor's Latin Academy. After elections are held, the aediles will be responsible for its upkeep. Contact Us
Email: [email protected]Office Phone: (804) 496-1589 Mailing Address: (student's name) c/o Governor's Latin Academy Randolph-Macon College P.O. Box 5005 Ashland, VA 23005 GLA Checklists
Download these and use them to help with packing: GLA Clothing Checklist GLA Essentials Checklist GLA School Supplies & Optional Checklist Suggested Texts-
NOT REQUIRED Again, these are not required and I would only get one from each category, if any. Latin Lexicons a. Conversational Latin for Oral Proficiency b. Cassell's Concise Latin-English, English-Latin Dictionary c. Collins Latin Concise Dictionary Greek Texts/Lexicons a. Homeric Greek: A Book for Beginners b. Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon Abridged c. Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary Translation Texts a. Iliad b. Thyestes Daily Life Books a. Everyday Life in Ancient Rome b. Peoples of the Roman World c. A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome d. Daily Life in the Roman City Vestes Romanae
You will need Roman clothing for several of our activities. You might not always have much time between these events, so you might want to bring more than one outfit. Patterns An Overview I & II Roman Dress Simple Tunica, Stola, and Palla Patterns Legio XX's Civilian Clothing Another Simple Dress Pattern Greek Patterns Simple Tunic and Toga Patterns Peplos Pattern Legio XX's Military Clothing Officers of the Academy
Censors: Xavier W. and Frances H. Consuls: Hannah K. and Sayeed A. Praetor: Jake B. and Claire M. Aedile: Britney P. and Caroline M. (that’s us!) Tribune: Ana S. and Min Jae K. Quaestor: Anna L. and Charlie M-B |