Kathleen Trainor

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 04:30 Written by Andrew Lai Wednesday, 12 August 2009 22:39

An Opportunity

Starting a new university for six months can be a large amount of change for anyone. Kathleen not only plays Gaelic Football on the weekends but also turned up early for a training session of Camogie, which is a long commute from Macquarie University, and after watching she asked to train with them, and now she now plays Camogie most weekends. Opportunities like this are not to be missed as they are a great way of engaging with the community and making new Aussie friends!

Kathleen at Macquarie University

• Home University: Temple University, Philadelphia
• Why did you choose to come to Australia and study? I had always wanted to come to experience the culture, I knew that a vacation was too short a time to spend in Australia. I was always planning on coming out after University but that is another 5 years from now and I can't wait that long. My sister came over with IFSA-Butler eight years ago and threatened to disown me if I didn't study overseas.
• Why did you choose Macquarie University? The campus is really gorgeous and has a lovely feel about it, I have two roommates from Canada and one from Korea, and an American roommate from Minnesota also from IFSA-Butler. The independent style of study and learning and cooking my own food really suited me, except for my last grocery bill of $200.
• What’s your favourite subject? Indignenous Studies. We received a welcome from a Indigenous local which is quite a big deal in Australia. I also plan to visit Alice Springs for five days on my own to see the sites and explore some of the culture.
• USA Degree: Kinesiology.

About Kathleen

• Personal Interests: Gaelic Football, Camogie, Lacrosse, Field Hockey, Cooking
• Last CD you bought?: The Script (self titled)
• Last movie you saw? Bruno, it was really terrible and I much preferred Borat
• Last meal you bought? Thai on Oxford Street
• What do you do to relax? Run.
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I like to go study in South Africa and watch the 2011 Rugby World Cup
• What’s the funniest moment you have had so far? I was coming back from Gaelic and Camogie training and was going up the escalator, I fell over and everyone clapped, luckily I waved back. Shopping with one of those shopping trolleys that the "more mature" people use is always very entertaining.

• Where have you previously travelled? Ireland, UK, France, Italy, Greece, El Savador (volunteering) and Hawaii (surfing lessons)
• What will you remember about being in Australia? The people. There are so many different types and you will make connections all over the world and now I have a place to stay in Canada.
• Any advice to students who are thinking about coming out? Don't be afraid to let go of everything you know. Don't be a loud American group, the Aussies are friendly but I don't like the cliques.
• What’s the most interesting cultural difference so far? It's hard to pinpoint. It feels like there is no racial differentiation. Everyone socialises after work.

Classes

Introduction to Australian Indigenous Studies

In this unit we consider past and current ideas about how Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians understand the social category of Indigenous. We will also begin to explore various constructions of Indigenous identity and how these constructions are represented. Finally, we examine how this thinking has impacted on government policy and how this has, in turn, affected Indigenous lives in this country.
More Information: ABST100

Graffiti, Kitsch and Trash: Crimes of Style

This unit introduces students to a range of theories that question traditional hierarchies of value and that enable a critical re-evaluation of the practices of everyday life. This unit will theorise key topics such as 'subcultures' and oppositional cultures; identity politics and the politics of style; the politics of 'high' versus 'popular' and 'low' culture; cultural identities in global/local contexts. The following practices, sites and objects will be examined: graffiti, hip hop and crimes of style; graffiti and the identity politics of public space; the relation between kitsch and high art; the politics of kitsch in the context of colonialism and Indigeneity; the racial politics of hair and body styles; the cultural politics of tourist sites, gigantism and miniaturism; queer culture, camp and kitsch; celebrity kitsch.
More information: CUL207

Introduction to Anthropology

Anthropology explores universals and differences in the human experience by studying the interplay of culture, social relations, biology and environment in a wide variety of ways of life. This unit surveys the way human existence has been culturally produced, elaborated and patterned. It looks specifically at sex, sexuality, and social constructions of maleness and femaleness; the presentation of the body and cultural conceptions of beauty, "racial", ethnic and physical differences; cultural perceptions of normality and abnormality; religion; language, film and art; and the impact of globalisation on cultural differences. These topics will be examined also with reference to the social realities of inequality, power and conflict. Illustrative case material is drawn from studies of traditional and contemporary social/cultural systems, especially in Australia and Southeast Asia.
More information: ANTH150

Developmental Psychology

This unit provides an overview of cognitive, social, emotional and personality development across the lifespan. Both normative change and individual differences in development from infancy to adulthood are reviewed. The unit focuses on a critical appraisal of contemporary theory and research in development. Applications to current social issues and clinical problems are also discussed.
More information: PSY235