Let’s start: read, think, write
August 31, 2017 meant a new beginning and a new chapter in my life. After a couple of years of applications, studies, exams, disappointments, and triumphs; finally, that much longed-for day, I started my Master in Design Studies (MDes) in the Graduate School of Design(GSD) at Harvard University. All the beginnings are very specials for me, but that day was much more unique because I learned the importance of writing as a tool of knowledge.
It was the end of summer, the end of August, Wednesday, and 11:30am. the moment when I had my first class with professor Neil Brenner. His course is about History and Theory of Urban Interventions and we are almost 120 people in the classroom. Beyond that his noteworthy lecture about urban theories, he said something that I am still remembering: “it is not enough to read, you should also think about it, and write a response about it.” I found challenging that way of learning that goes beyond critical thinking and looks for holding a position and writing it to never forget it. But writing means much more, and a good friend of mine, Jose Carlos Fernandez told me that he has been writing his living experiences and opinions for several years and It is a great way to have fun and specially, to deal with good and bad experiences and thoughts.
I had never thought about the importance of writing before Neil’s class and Jose’s work. Therefore, from now I want to explore this new platform to share not only my living experiences here, studying at Harvard, but also to share new learned lessons, researches, lectures, interviews, and many other ways of knowledge production. I really hope that this little effort might be also helpful for people interested in studying here; learning more about Boston, Cambridge, architecture, urbanism, landscape, ecology; or just wanting to know what is happening with a Peruvian student/architect.
Let’s start this new journey!