I, once again, have come down with a dreadful head cold and am sitting sprawled out on my bed, breathing heavily through my mouth. I've got Carmex smeared all over my nose and discarded tissues are littering my room, which is an all too familiar scene. So, I should be in bed, but considering the solid 10 hours of sleep I got last night and the easy day of work I had, I'm not tired. Instead I've got some tea, some fine smelling candles, and my thoughts.
I went into work today at 11, left around 2, and walked with $18. I went in again at 4 for food show (our weekly all-staff meeting where we sample the specials and listen to our boss complain) and left at 5 because I had been cut for the night. This was good news, since waitresses with an excess of phlegm and gravelly voices tend to make less. This was also bad news because I need to be making $ so that I don't starve in Scotland.
Anyway...
On Tuesday night, my newest sibling made his entrance into this grand world. Weighing in at 9 lbs. 13 oz, Michael Winfield came out at 7:59 PM absolutely healthy and beautiful, with a nice, loud set of lungs. I turned into a sobbing mess, of course, and immediately started trying to steal his thunder. We only visited for about 10 minutes, let Karyn get some rest, and went back again the next day after he was all cleaned up.
At first, I was worried about holding him. Newborn babies just look so tiny and slippery and considering how clumsy I am, I didn't want to take any chances. I quickly got convinced into it though, and spent some time bonding with the little taco bean. I kept calling him a turd and Dad was getting upset with me. He is pretty spectacular, though. I won't go into all of that "miracle of life" junk but it's pretty great that my parents made that happen. It was wonderful meeting him for the first time, but equally as great was seeing how my dad and Karyn glowed. I only have a few more months living a half hour from the lil guy, however, so I have to make it a good few months. And, maybe I should start really looking for a job.
Anyway, instead of working on the Art History paper I have due next week on de Kooning and Picasso, I believe I will continue where I left off so many months ago...
BRASOV, ROMANIA
Roughly a year ago today, Natalie and I boarded a 12 hour train heading from Budapest, Hungary, straight into the heart of Romania. And, from here on out, I will do something that I never thought I would, and that will be to pull excerpts directly from my journal, with some minor editing....
April 9th 12:41
(While writing this I was on the train going from Brasov to Bucharest, this is halfway through the entry)
"On our last night in Budapest we crashed at 12:30, got up at 5:30 for an 8:15 train. Then we spent 11 hours and 18 minutes on a train that was...questionable. Natalie and I brought along snacks galore and exchanged travel stories with some guy from North Carolinia who told us all about running from wild dogs in Mexico. Then we relaxed, considering we were both sore and horribly bruised from our caving adventure.
The Romanian countryside is breathtaking, but it also makes my heart ache. The houses are all old and crumbling, and it's not uncommon to see several horse-drawn carriages. The whole picture looks ancient and undeveloped, as if captured in a sepia-toned photograph. I am, of course, completely unaccustomed to this, but Natalie's been to Haiti before and has seen true poverty. It doesn't bother me too much, since I already know that I do want to go out and help people. The problem is focusing exactly on where, what, and how.
Once we got into Brasov, we found our hostel and promptly passed out. Yesterday we relaxed, which was sorely needed (harhar). When we first arrived, absolutely nothing was open since it was 9 PM the night before Easter. I had a princess moment when I thought that I'd have to eat rice and salt for the next 2 days straight. I, however, quickly collected myself and we mixed our rice with tomato broth soup for dinner, which was decent and filling."
I quickly wrapped up that entry because I was drooling over Magnus (hold on a moment to learn about him) and felt that I should be taking pictures out of the train window of the mountains...and Magnus.
Easter Sunday in Romania was much better than expected. The weather was glorious and Natalie and I took a little stroll into the city center of Brasov, which wasn't large, but was fairly clean and modern. We wandered into some restaurant that didn't have a hint of English anywhere, bit our vegetarian lips, and pointed at the specials page randomly. There was a #1 and a #2, so we decided to split whatever came our way.
The first thing I got was some spicy red soup with an entire fish head in it. The rest of the meal consisted of meat, meat, some overcooked asparagus, and more meat. We ate it all up...and tried not to be too sad.
We wandered a bit more through the city, and saw stray dogs sleeping in the park...adjacent to the sleeping bums. We also saw a procession of men wearing identical navy blazers, what looked like white skirts, and funny fez-like hats. One of them was playing the violin horribly and the rest of them were singing out of tune. We weren't sure what to make of it, but cheered them on.
Back at the hostel we relaxed for the rest of the night, and chatted with various people. Magnus (German), James (Spanish), and Hector (Mexican) were international students studying in Lyon, France, and were also vacationing around Eastern Europe. They were interesting, funny, and very intelligent, so we enjoyed their company. Magnus was our favorite, however, and Natalie and I immediately turned into giggling schoolgirls around him. He was studying law, extremely polite, fluent in 4 languages, well-traveled, witty, extremely good-looking, blah blah. I could really go on forever about this guy. He was husband material.
That night, while everyone was asleep and curled deep into their beds, Magnus and I stayed up late whispering to each other from across the bunk beds. I don't remember out conversation being very long and I don't remember what we chatted about but I remember going to sleep very content. Now, I'm going back to the journal, which will only prove to you all that girls get downright silly when boys pay attention to them .
(the first half of the entry)
"I am in a state of pure joy, which is fairly amazing considering how my perspective has changed so violently in the past year. Last night I showered seated and with lukewarm water, which was unique in its own way. I got to have fresh coffee this morning, along with bread with butter and peach jap. I got a full night's sleep. There is also soap and toilet paper in our current train, which is an added bonus. I am bathed, fed, slept, and the weather is glorious. Really, what else does a person need, aside from a good book?
We are seated across from an adorable old Romanian couple who look like they are brimming with worthwhile stories. The man is wearing a dress shirt, a sweater, and a sweater vest, none of which match at all. Cutie German, Mexican, and Spaniard are across the train from us, chattering happily away in French. For last night they were in our room and now we are all together on a train to Bucharest. Tonight we are in some place called Butterfly Villa, which is buried in some remote location. This doesn't set me at ease, since Bucharest is supposedly overrun with packs of wild dogs. Then, apparently Istanbul is supposed to be overrun with Australians, to honor some battle they fought in WWI on April 25th. If I have to sleep on a roof for the night, I'll live.
(and finally, here is end of the entry)
Natalie and Magnus are trading cameras across the train so that we can all get pictures from both sides. We're riding in a magnificent valley between the Carpathians, which are astonishing. Ok. I am going to wrap up this babble, since I should pay more attention to Magnus and his smile. Oh, if only my German weren't so horrible and my appearance not so bedraggled. But I am living life right now, and it's marvelous."
So, there it is, folks. Words from my actual, REAL journal. I never thought this day would come. But there's nothing too revealing in there...and I left out enough to keep it interesting.
I will do Bucharest at a later date, considering that a great deal of things happened in a period of about 30 hours and I don't want to leave out any of the suspenseful details.
Two things I feel like I should mention...
1) Magnus and I are friends on studivz.net (German facebook) but we parted ways once we arrived in Bucharest. He sent me a message about potentially visiting in Freiburg, but it never came to pass. Alas, he will have to go on the list of "Ones That Got Away"...(cue dramatic music)
2) Of all the hostels i stayed at over my 11 months in Europe, the Kismet Dao hostel in Brasov, Romania was hands down my favorite. It was a very skinny hostel spread out over 4 floors, and was a bit like a real-life version of the Weasley house from the Harry Potter books. It was very lived-in, comfortable, and quirky. I immediately liked it when I walked in and saw a large group of backpackers watching Aladdin. There were also framed quotes all over the place, about being more Zen. Even though I had to shower out of the sink when I first got there (due to lack of hot water) I still give it a hearty thumbs up.
Alright, time to scoot off to bed. My nose is about to fall off.
Oh...Magnus...
(music fades)
Friday, March 21, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
sunrise, sunset
Alright, so I haven't died and dropped off the planet. Maybe the latter, but I'm working my way back.
It feels weird to be updating my blog from my desk in Michigan, on a new computer, and without a fresh chunk of German chocolate sitting on my desk. It's funny, because although those were often my loneliest times abroad, I still miss them horribly. I spent so many nights cooped up in my room alone, watching illegal movies until the wee hours of the morning. I did that a lot simply because going out was expensive and I was trying to save every last penny to travel. One of my fondest memories is curling up on my loft, watching Shrek 3 and eating paprika chips.
I was so sure that once I was home, I would regret all those hours of solitude, doing things I could easily have done here. But then again, I wasn't in Europe to travel for 11 months straight. I was actually living there. And I am not the type to thrive well while running around partying 24/7. And when I did get out, by golly I was living life. But in order to appreciate what I was constantly seeing and experiencing, I needed that down-time to properly absorb and digest.
There is one part in Forrest Gump where I think he's talking to Jenny and she's laying in bed dying of AIDs. I forget what question she asks him, but he begins talking about several different moments in his life where he's seen truly beautiful things. Now, I certainly have not lived to the extent that Forrest Gump does in the film, but I guess sometimes that happens to me about Europe. I remember the moments that stood out so distinctly for me, that it chokes me up trying to recall them. Sometimes I miss Europe so much that it aches inside of me.
-I remember first walking into the city center of Prague immediately after the sun had set. The sky was a deep cobalt color and the impressive spires of the city only looked simply breathtaking with such a backdrop.
-I remember my first day out alone in Freiburg, and returning home to realize that it had been my first day not consulting a map at all. I also cooked dinner for myself that night with fresh ingredients that I had just purchased from the Edeka around the corner
-I remember getting lost in Rome at night, while holding John's hand and enjoying the balmy air. We were sure lost, but we were also together in one of the most ancient and beautiful cities in the world, and that was ok with me.
-I remember wandering into the Freiburg cathedral on a lazy Sunday, and hearing someone playing the organ. No one else was listening so I sat for a few minutes, closed my eyes, and heard some perfectly played Bach echoing off walls which had been erected in the 15th century.
-I remember watching the Belgian family that sat across from me on a train from Vienna to Budapest. I understood very littly with my limited French, but I understood enough to realize that I was watching a very close, loving family interacting. It made my heart warm.
-I remember flying out of Amsterdam and watching the expanse of the flat country spread out below me as we ascended. I was in dreadful pain, due to my head cold, and without saying anything, Julia reached over, patted my arm, and asked me if it reminded me of home.
-I remember my night train from Paris to Karlsruhe. I was laying down in a row of seats and gazing out the window upside-down while my travel companion was cuddled up in the row across from me. The night was crystal clear and I just stared up at the stars until I dozed off.
-I remember finding a place to eat in Bucharest on Easter Monday, when half the city was shutdown due to the holiday. We eventually found a hole in the wall that specialized in Arabic food and upon realizing that we were Americans, the waitresses face lit up. She struggled trying to show off her English but understood enough to know that we wanted no meat and was wildy eager to please us. She also gave us half our meal for free and we tipped her excessively. She'll always stick out in my memory not only because she was so kind, but because there was also something so tragic about her.
-I remember driving into Turkey during our overnight bus ride, and seeing my first mosque by night, only a few hours before the sun rose. The spires were all lit up and looked like golden beacons in the night sky. It was simply breathtaking and made more magical since I was the only one awake on the bus.
-I remember laying awake in our hostel bunk bed in Munich and chatting with my Lizzy, just like we had done as 6th graders, but doing it an ocean away from where we had both grown up and realizing how far we had both come since then.
-I remember my last sunset overlooking Freiburg. Christoph insisted on taking me up the Schlossberg one last time, on the night before I left, and the weather was perfect. The entire city was bathed in a rosy glow and we sat there for a good hour, talking about the past year and what the future held in store for both of us. I have seen several sunsets in my 22 years, but that sunset was far and away the best I have ever seen or felt. I know very few of you got the opportunity to visit me and see how gorgeous a panoramic view of Freiburg was, but the city is beautiful in so many ways and I wish I could have shared it with all of you. It was undoubtedly the most powerful way to end my time in Germany. Pictures could not even have begun to capture the experience.
I've listed a few of these thoughts so as to try to get you all to understand what I mean when I say I miss Europe. I realize that everyone misses the past places they've lived in some way or another, but it's different when you completely transplanted yourself at a young age to another continent. I made good friends in Europe and I hope to see them again, but I did not get as attached to any one person or even Germany as much as I got attached to Europe as a whole. It satisfied me in so many ways the USA didn't and I suppose I miss it in the way that other women miss old lovers.
So when I purchased my plane ticket to Scotland this morning, it made me excited, but not in the way that I've been excited about trips in my past. I cried out of relief, simply realizing that I get to go back, and see ancient cathedrals, moderately sized vehicles, and lively street pubs. I get to meet, talk, and share a beer with people from all over the world. I get to hear church bells, different languages being spoken, and ambulance sirens that play a tritone. I miss it all so, so, so much and need this trip more than I initially realized. Yes, I know that it is expensive and "impractical" to go to the UK right now, but I need to get away from the American work-work-work mentality. My soul feels more at rest simply knowing that in May I will be back on the other side of the Atlantic. My only fear is that going back will remind me that I will someday want to permanently.
I am not trying to run away from the job search and organizing my life, but I feel that the reasons provided above can justify my future wanderings. I have a feeling that going back for 10 days will satiate me, and I will once again be ready to conquer all things American.
But of course, this all depends on what I dwell on in my moments of solitude.
It feels weird to be updating my blog from my desk in Michigan, on a new computer, and without a fresh chunk of German chocolate sitting on my desk. It's funny, because although those were often my loneliest times abroad, I still miss them horribly. I spent so many nights cooped up in my room alone, watching illegal movies until the wee hours of the morning. I did that a lot simply because going out was expensive and I was trying to save every last penny to travel. One of my fondest memories is curling up on my loft, watching Shrek 3 and eating paprika chips.
I was so sure that once I was home, I would regret all those hours of solitude, doing things I could easily have done here. But then again, I wasn't in Europe to travel for 11 months straight. I was actually living there. And I am not the type to thrive well while running around partying 24/7. And when I did get out, by golly I was living life. But in order to appreciate what I was constantly seeing and experiencing, I needed that down-time to properly absorb and digest.
There is one part in Forrest Gump where I think he's talking to Jenny and she's laying in bed dying of AIDs. I forget what question she asks him, but he begins talking about several different moments in his life where he's seen truly beautiful things. Now, I certainly have not lived to the extent that Forrest Gump does in the film, but I guess sometimes that happens to me about Europe. I remember the moments that stood out so distinctly for me, that it chokes me up trying to recall them. Sometimes I miss Europe so much that it aches inside of me.
-I remember first walking into the city center of Prague immediately after the sun had set. The sky was a deep cobalt color and the impressive spires of the city only looked simply breathtaking with such a backdrop.
-I remember my first day out alone in Freiburg, and returning home to realize that it had been my first day not consulting a map at all. I also cooked dinner for myself that night with fresh ingredients that I had just purchased from the Edeka around the corner
-I remember getting lost in Rome at night, while holding John's hand and enjoying the balmy air. We were sure lost, but we were also together in one of the most ancient and beautiful cities in the world, and that was ok with me.
-I remember wandering into the Freiburg cathedral on a lazy Sunday, and hearing someone playing the organ. No one else was listening so I sat for a few minutes, closed my eyes, and heard some perfectly played Bach echoing off walls which had been erected in the 15th century.
-I remember watching the Belgian family that sat across from me on a train from Vienna to Budapest. I understood very littly with my limited French, but I understood enough to realize that I was watching a very close, loving family interacting. It made my heart warm.
-I remember flying out of Amsterdam and watching the expanse of the flat country spread out below me as we ascended. I was in dreadful pain, due to my head cold, and without saying anything, Julia reached over, patted my arm, and asked me if it reminded me of home.
-I remember my night train from Paris to Karlsruhe. I was laying down in a row of seats and gazing out the window upside-down while my travel companion was cuddled up in the row across from me. The night was crystal clear and I just stared up at the stars until I dozed off.
-I remember finding a place to eat in Bucharest on Easter Monday, when half the city was shutdown due to the holiday. We eventually found a hole in the wall that specialized in Arabic food and upon realizing that we were Americans, the waitresses face lit up. She struggled trying to show off her English but understood enough to know that we wanted no meat and was wildy eager to please us. She also gave us half our meal for free and we tipped her excessively. She'll always stick out in my memory not only because she was so kind, but because there was also something so tragic about her.
-I remember driving into Turkey during our overnight bus ride, and seeing my first mosque by night, only a few hours before the sun rose. The spires were all lit up and looked like golden beacons in the night sky. It was simply breathtaking and made more magical since I was the only one awake on the bus.
-I remember laying awake in our hostel bunk bed in Munich and chatting with my Lizzy, just like we had done as 6th graders, but doing it an ocean away from where we had both grown up and realizing how far we had both come since then.
-I remember my last sunset overlooking Freiburg. Christoph insisted on taking me up the Schlossberg one last time, on the night before I left, and the weather was perfect. The entire city was bathed in a rosy glow and we sat there for a good hour, talking about the past year and what the future held in store for both of us. I have seen several sunsets in my 22 years, but that sunset was far and away the best I have ever seen or felt. I know very few of you got the opportunity to visit me and see how gorgeous a panoramic view of Freiburg was, but the city is beautiful in so many ways and I wish I could have shared it with all of you. It was undoubtedly the most powerful way to end my time in Germany. Pictures could not even have begun to capture the experience.
I've listed a few of these thoughts so as to try to get you all to understand what I mean when I say I miss Europe. I realize that everyone misses the past places they've lived in some way or another, but it's different when you completely transplanted yourself at a young age to another continent. I made good friends in Europe and I hope to see them again, but I did not get as attached to any one person or even Germany as much as I got attached to Europe as a whole. It satisfied me in so many ways the USA didn't and I suppose I miss it in the way that other women miss old lovers.
So when I purchased my plane ticket to Scotland this morning, it made me excited, but not in the way that I've been excited about trips in my past. I cried out of relief, simply realizing that I get to go back, and see ancient cathedrals, moderately sized vehicles, and lively street pubs. I get to meet, talk, and share a beer with people from all over the world. I get to hear church bells, different languages being spoken, and ambulance sirens that play a tritone. I miss it all so, so, so much and need this trip more than I initially realized. Yes, I know that it is expensive and "impractical" to go to the UK right now, but I need to get away from the American work-work-work mentality. My soul feels more at rest simply knowing that in May I will be back on the other side of the Atlantic. My only fear is that going back will remind me that I will someday want to permanently.
I am not trying to run away from the job search and organizing my life, but I feel that the reasons provided above can justify my future wanderings. I have a feeling that going back for 10 days will satiate me, and I will once again be ready to conquer all things American.
But of course, this all depends on what I dwell on in my moments of solitude.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
plagues and pests
I have already sort of planned my mid-life crisis already. Of course, this depends on whether or not I'm going to have one. I haven't decided that yet. Anyone who's ever witnessed me singing along to Ella Fitzgerald knows that I kind of slide around aimlessly and slip into a trance. My roommates have gotten used to me mopping the kitchen floor while twirling around and wailing away to 'Misty'. However, I doubt becoming a jazz singer is very easy for a middle-aged woman, given that it's almost impossible for a young woman. I don't like those odds. My kids will probably also yell at me to shut up so they can pay more attention to their video games. Ew. Video games.
I'm just giving everyone a warning here. Someday, I may convince myself that I am Ella reincarnate and then try to run off and take on the world. Hopefully by then smoking in jazz clubs will be strictly prohibited. That's my main concern. That and having to walk around a stage in heels.
I am going to blame that funny little intro on the copious amounts of Sudafed and iced latte running through me right now. My mind is on overdrive, which isn't really a good thing. I woke up late today and spent most of it sitting in the park reading 'Special Topics in Calamity Physics' and watching the little Kinder running around aimlessly. I had a lot of parents smile affectionately at me. I need to tack a sign to my head that says 'Will Babysit for Homecooked Meals' next time.
I finished my book, inhaled a vegetarian Doener (which was mostly red peppers...divine) and now I'm avoiding the mess in my room and the pile of reading I have to do for this upcoming week. I returned from my last big excursion yesterday, which was Berlin-Hamburg-Amsterdam. Somewhere between Berlin and Hamburg I got the Black Plague. By the time we got to Amsterdam I had a collection of German cold medication, a nasty cough, and a slightly grumpy travel companion. Julia was a trooper though. She did her best to comfort me and even put up with me crying loudly in the bathroom in the middle of the night about missing my mom and not being able to breathe out of my nose.
Highlight of the trip: 3 hours spent in the Van Gogh Museum
Most interesting part: sharing some Amstel Lights with Neo-Nazis in the Red Light District. (When we realized this, Julia and I came up with some creative excuses and literally ran back to our hostel. I have become quite good at moving quickly through cobble-stoned streets.)
Most delicious: My Vanilla Toffee Crunch ice cream cone in Berlin, eaten at 1 AM while lost and indifferent about the situation
Most stressful: arriving at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof with literally 4 minutes to catch my train to Hamburg
Most painful: our plane's downward descent into the Basel Airport. Rapid changes in pressure are extremely unpleasant when you are fighting a wicked headcold.
That will give you a taste of that adventure. It was nice to get out again and go run around like a wild gypsy, but for the most part, I am done with long intense traveling. I need time to go home and be bored for a few months. I am kind of ready to fully understand the language around me. I will live up these last 2 months but I miss my family, friends, and eating every color of Flavor-Ice consecutively. It also breaks my heart that I am missing the 4th, which is the best holiday ever. The combination of good company, good food, warm weather, and fireworks appeals to me, as I'm sure it does most people.
This week I have a ton of schoolwork to do, and then my wonderful mother, sister, and Earl get here on the 14th. I get another week off school to run around France with them. As Laura says, she likes having me around for about an hour, but after that she just gets sick of me, so this will be interesting, because she will get 10 WHOLE DAYS OF ME (dun dun duuuuhhh)
I, being the loving sister I am, already have a fan and ear plugs on hand, for when I breathe too loudly in my sleep. I am also mentally preparing myself for The Raiding of the Closet, The Stealing of the Computer, The Complaining About Bath Products, and the inevitable bi-yearly Talk about how our parents are kind of going crazy and what needs to be done about it. (I'm sure they have similar talks about us, but they are probably more frequent and done on the phone.)
I also have decided that I want to hack off all my hair again, attempt some more French, and go hiking more. My boots just look too clean. My backpack has started showing some wear, which excites me. Thank you, Airport Baggages Goons. I feel like a legitimate traveller now.
Where was I?
BUDAPEST
If I could pick any of my friends to be immediately adopted by my parents, I would pick Natalie. This is an odd thing to say, considering the girl doesn't have a musical bone in her body. She appreciates music, yes, but who doesn't appreciate music? I just feel like the girl would just be a good Patterson. And I would say that about very few people.
I knew the trip would be a success when we arrived in Munich around 10 and instead of bugging me to go run around the city, Natalie asked me if we could just go to bed early. I love experiencing Europe, yes, but I'd rather do so after my requisite 8-9 hours of sleep.
The next day, after more interesting train travel with cranky, old Austrian women and an adorable Belgian family, we got into Pest. Budapest is actually two cities separated by some river. We found our cute little hostel tucked away on the Pest side and went out to a nice dinner at some restaurant where the only employees were old Hungarian men with white hair. We crashed early. Sitting smushed into train compartments and people watching takes it out of you.
(I've often wondered what the 'it' refers to in that phrase. Will to live? Energy to go on? Those all sound so depressing)
The next few days we took on the city. Our first day we took a long tour all over the city. Halfway through it we got to witness a guy walking down the street holding a kitchen sink and whistling to himself. Our tour guide told Natalie and me all about Hungarian history AND all about her secret passion for dancing. Hm... To get from Buda down into Pest we took the #6 bus, which should probably be called the #666 bus to prepare you for what kind of journey it was. I leaned down to tie my shoe and Natalie literally had to hold on to my shoulders with both of her hands while wrapping her ankle around a pole so that we both didn't go a-flyin.
That night we made everyone in our hostel watch Monty Python's Life of Brian with us. I wanted to watch Return of the Jedi, but I lost to Natalie at Rock/Paper/Scissors. For dinner we made spaghetti with peas. Canned vegetables always remind me of church potlucks. This makes them comforting in a grandmother-ly kind of way. Maybe I'm just crazy.
The next day we did everything backwards. After getting in a serious fight with the hostel's coffee machine (some Spanish hoodlums put the coffee in without a filter) we went to spend the better part of the afternoon at the traditional thermal spas in the middle of the city. I got caught in the middle of an intense whirlpool and accidentally trampled a few Hungarian children, but otherwise the experience was completely relaxing. We got to lay out in the sun and people watch. Very nice.
After relaxing and pampering ourselves, we decided to go caving. Now, this was not a mere tour through some vast open cave. This was the most intense physical activity I have ever taken part in. (Not really that impressive, if you know anything about me, but be impressed. Please.)We put on some intense overalls, helmets with lights, and I did not go gently into that good night. I army crawled. I shimmied. I got ridiculously dirty, bruised, and punched in the face by a few clay boulders. Natalie and I also befriended some hilarious brothers from Nova Scotia who are teaching in London for a year.
I only freaked out a handful of times but got through it by whispering "I can do this" under my breath about a dozen times. I think I also yelled it a few times. It's amazing what words spoken aloud can do when you're smushed between clay walls.
After surviving, we went out to get Turkish food with the Canadian brothers. We all compared cave hair and exchanged travel stories. They've invited me to go to Interlaken with them July 27th, to go sky-diving. Bahhh. I wish I could. They were fun.
We left Budapest early the next morning, after slinking out of our hostel at 5 AM. I think I dropped everything I possibly could have and woke up our entire room. I will blame this all on my poor aching body that was refusing to cooperate. We bought out the snack sidestand at the train station and got on our 11 hour train into the depths of Romania.
And that, folks, is the end of this chapter.
Speaking of chapters, I have a few to go tackle before bed, so I shall wrap this up for now.
All of this typing and crooning to Ella is really taking it out of me.
I'm just giving everyone a warning here. Someday, I may convince myself that I am Ella reincarnate and then try to run off and take on the world. Hopefully by then smoking in jazz clubs will be strictly prohibited. That's my main concern. That and having to walk around a stage in heels.
I am going to blame that funny little intro on the copious amounts of Sudafed and iced latte running through me right now. My mind is on overdrive, which isn't really a good thing. I woke up late today and spent most of it sitting in the park reading 'Special Topics in Calamity Physics' and watching the little Kinder running around aimlessly. I had a lot of parents smile affectionately at me. I need to tack a sign to my head that says 'Will Babysit for Homecooked Meals' next time.
I finished my book, inhaled a vegetarian Doener (which was mostly red peppers...divine) and now I'm avoiding the mess in my room and the pile of reading I have to do for this upcoming week. I returned from my last big excursion yesterday, which was Berlin-Hamburg-Amsterdam. Somewhere between Berlin and Hamburg I got the Black Plague. By the time we got to Amsterdam I had a collection of German cold medication, a nasty cough, and a slightly grumpy travel companion. Julia was a trooper though. She did her best to comfort me and even put up with me crying loudly in the bathroom in the middle of the night about missing my mom and not being able to breathe out of my nose.
Highlight of the trip: 3 hours spent in the Van Gogh Museum
Most interesting part: sharing some Amstel Lights with Neo-Nazis in the Red Light District. (When we realized this, Julia and I came up with some creative excuses and literally ran back to our hostel. I have become quite good at moving quickly through cobble-stoned streets.)
Most delicious: My Vanilla Toffee Crunch ice cream cone in Berlin, eaten at 1 AM while lost and indifferent about the situation
Most stressful: arriving at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof with literally 4 minutes to catch my train to Hamburg
Most painful: our plane's downward descent into the Basel Airport. Rapid changes in pressure are extremely unpleasant when you are fighting a wicked headcold.
That will give you a taste of that adventure. It was nice to get out again and go run around like a wild gypsy, but for the most part, I am done with long intense traveling. I need time to go home and be bored for a few months. I am kind of ready to fully understand the language around me. I will live up these last 2 months but I miss my family, friends, and eating every color of Flavor-Ice consecutively. It also breaks my heart that I am missing the 4th, which is the best holiday ever. The combination of good company, good food, warm weather, and fireworks appeals to me, as I'm sure it does most people.
This week I have a ton of schoolwork to do, and then my wonderful mother, sister, and Earl get here on the 14th. I get another week off school to run around France with them. As Laura says, she likes having me around for about an hour, but after that she just gets sick of me, so this will be interesting, because she will get 10 WHOLE DAYS OF ME (dun dun duuuuhhh)
I, being the loving sister I am, already have a fan and ear plugs on hand, for when I breathe too loudly in my sleep. I am also mentally preparing myself for The Raiding of the Closet, The Stealing of the Computer, The Complaining About Bath Products, and the inevitable bi-yearly Talk about how our parents are kind of going crazy and what needs to be done about it. (I'm sure they have similar talks about us, but they are probably more frequent and done on the phone.)
I also have decided that I want to hack off all my hair again, attempt some more French, and go hiking more. My boots just look too clean. My backpack has started showing some wear, which excites me. Thank you, Airport Baggages Goons. I feel like a legitimate traveller now.
Where was I?
BUDAPEST
If I could pick any of my friends to be immediately adopted by my parents, I would pick Natalie. This is an odd thing to say, considering the girl doesn't have a musical bone in her body. She appreciates music, yes, but who doesn't appreciate music? I just feel like the girl would just be a good Patterson. And I would say that about very few people.
I knew the trip would be a success when we arrived in Munich around 10 and instead of bugging me to go run around the city, Natalie asked me if we could just go to bed early. I love experiencing Europe, yes, but I'd rather do so after my requisite 8-9 hours of sleep.
The next day, after more interesting train travel with cranky, old Austrian women and an adorable Belgian family, we got into Pest. Budapest is actually two cities separated by some river. We found our cute little hostel tucked away on the Pest side and went out to a nice dinner at some restaurant where the only employees were old Hungarian men with white hair. We crashed early. Sitting smushed into train compartments and people watching takes it out of you.
(I've often wondered what the 'it' refers to in that phrase. Will to live? Energy to go on? Those all sound so depressing)
The next few days we took on the city. Our first day we took a long tour all over the city. Halfway through it we got to witness a guy walking down the street holding a kitchen sink and whistling to himself. Our tour guide told Natalie and me all about Hungarian history AND all about her secret passion for dancing. Hm... To get from Buda down into Pest we took the #6 bus, which should probably be called the #666 bus to prepare you for what kind of journey it was. I leaned down to tie my shoe and Natalie literally had to hold on to my shoulders with both of her hands while wrapping her ankle around a pole so that we both didn't go a-flyin.
That night we made everyone in our hostel watch Monty Python's Life of Brian with us. I wanted to watch Return of the Jedi, but I lost to Natalie at Rock/Paper/Scissors. For dinner we made spaghetti with peas. Canned vegetables always remind me of church potlucks. This makes them comforting in a grandmother-ly kind of way. Maybe I'm just crazy.
The next day we did everything backwards. After getting in a serious fight with the hostel's coffee machine (some Spanish hoodlums put the coffee in without a filter) we went to spend the better part of the afternoon at the traditional thermal spas in the middle of the city. I got caught in the middle of an intense whirlpool and accidentally trampled a few Hungarian children, but otherwise the experience was completely relaxing. We got to lay out in the sun and people watch. Very nice.
After relaxing and pampering ourselves, we decided to go caving. Now, this was not a mere tour through some vast open cave. This was the most intense physical activity I have ever taken part in. (Not really that impressive, if you know anything about me, but be impressed. Please.)We put on some intense overalls, helmets with lights, and I did not go gently into that good night. I army crawled. I shimmied. I got ridiculously dirty, bruised, and punched in the face by a few clay boulders. Natalie and I also befriended some hilarious brothers from Nova Scotia who are teaching in London for a year.
I only freaked out a handful of times but got through it by whispering "I can do this" under my breath about a dozen times. I think I also yelled it a few times. It's amazing what words spoken aloud can do when you're smushed between clay walls.
After surviving, we went out to get Turkish food with the Canadian brothers. We all compared cave hair and exchanged travel stories. They've invited me to go to Interlaken with them July 27th, to go sky-diving. Bahhh. I wish I could. They were fun.
We left Budapest early the next morning, after slinking out of our hostel at 5 AM. I think I dropped everything I possibly could have and woke up our entire room. I will blame this all on my poor aching body that was refusing to cooperate. We bought out the snack sidestand at the train station and got on our 11 hour train into the depths of Romania.
And that, folks, is the end of this chapter.
Speaking of chapters, I have a few to go tackle before bed, so I shall wrap this up for now.
All of this typing and crooning to Ella is really taking it out of me.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
greenery
I bought this new coffee and it tastes...minty. Very odd. Since I have no idea what kind of coffee I like or what half of the German adjectives mean, I am selecting my coffees based on what color the packaging is and whether or not they say 'klassisch' because I don't want any of that mild junk. And I'm trying not to repeat colors. So, right now I'm using the green kind. And it tastes minty.
Anyhow, guten Morgen from Freiburg! It's a glorious Sunday morning, complete with sunshine, chirping birds, and church bells. I woke up about an hour ago (around 10) and have been laying in bed daydreaming and reading since then. Now, I am enjoying some apricot Special K and a banana with bio-forest honey. And I'm writing in my blog, so as to procrastinate my homework some more. I also have much to talk about, since the past month has been brimming with exciting adventures. And to think, I was bored during the last entry....PSH.
But first, I will talk about right now, and then I will do my best to rewind and recapture all of the excitement for ya'll.
My second semester officially started on April 16th, so I am officially back in school now. It's odd going to class when it's 75 and sunny outside, but it will also be really cool being in a busy college town in the middle of summer. Over the past two weeks, Freiburg has had the most gorgeous weather. Every single day it's sunny, in the 70s, and there's a slight breeze. In addition, the city is fully in bloom and is unlike anything I've ever seen in the US. Granted, we have a Green major and the Germans love their plants, but the whole city smells like flowers. I also spend a lot more time outside here than I do at home, so my spirits are continually lifted by how beautiful it is around here. Every day I go lay out in the grass in front of my Wohnung and read in the sun. Yesterday Alex invited me over to StuSie and we hung out by the lake for hours. KC also stopped by with free cheesecake.
Really, I can't complain about much these days.
I have class Mon-Wed, a total of 12 credits, and they're all "read books and write about it" classes. So, totally my thing.
- Die deutsche Teilung und Einheit in Text und Film - (German Division and Unity in Text and Film) - this is my only AYF course, which is all about East and West Germany and Berlin. So, we're reading some good stuff AND I'm getting more history. The professor is absolutely adorable, very organized, and knows what she's talking about. We also are taking a trip to Berlin May 24th-28th, so I'm excited.
- Erzaehlungen der Romantik - (Stories of the Romantic) - this is an actual Uni course, but one designed for foreign students, so it's just read 30-40 pages of German text and then meet and talk about symbolism and historical context. Easy enough.
- Publikumbeschimpfungen? Deutsches Drama der Gegenwart - (Abusing the public? Current German Drama) this is another foreign student course, but we're reading a bunch of modern German plays that are...different. Luckily, the professor is awesome and really does well to engage the class, so even weirdo German drama makes a little bit of sense.
- American Modernism - and finally, my English class. We're reading T.S. Eliot, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, etc. so this is my blow off class because I could very easily be taking it at home. And I've read all of those authors before. Molly and I had a love-hate relationship with Faulkner's "Light in August" in high school. The professor moved to Germany from America 5 years ago and makes it quite clear that he's very happy about his decision. He's funny and very professor-ish.
So, that's my schedule, which hopefully won't be the death of me. I really have very little work to do but it seems so hard to do, considering I've gotten used to being a total bum. However, I have become a very healthy bum. I'm doing my best to eat a lot better, which means eating a ton of veggies, fruit, and toast with Daddy's Apple Butter. Gala apples, strawberries, bio-bananas, and pears are all cheap. I splurge on red peppers and avocadoes, though. Mmmm.
I'm also running 3-4 miles a few times a week, which really is agreeing with me. It's gotten to the point where I can outrun the mosquitoes, which is a good sign. Running alongside a river at dusk is just asking for trouble. I guess my latest goal is to outrun my dad up at Mackinac Island in September. Mwahaha.
As for my travels, I am going to go one trip at a time over the next few entries so as to not totally overwhelm myself. Really, there have only been 3, but the middle one was 11-days of madness in Eastern Europe. I could write a doctoral thesis on the ridiculousness of that venture, so I'll break it up by country.
-Munich
-Budapest
-Brasov/Bucharest
-Istanbul
-Spain
Here goes.
MUNICH -
I will start of this chapter with the Story of Lizzy. Thus spake Rebecca.
For those of you who don't know, Lizzy and I met during a church road rally when we were in 6th grade. When we first met, we didn't like each other at all, which was actually a promising sign. She was smart, musically inclined, fun to be around, came from a good family, and was insanely mature for her age. Naturally, I hated her.
Eventually we got past all that and became good friends. We spent most of our time together on Sunday afternoons after church, since we went to different middle schools and rarely saw each other. The spring of 7th grade, she called me in tears and told me that her dad had gotten a new job and they would be moving to Missouri that summer. Of course, we swore to stay in touch and always be good friends. I really don't think anyone took us seriously, because middle school girls are always saying that and then they get busy and get boyfriends and blah, blah.
Well, we were different. All through high school we saw each other one or two times a year. Many of my birthday presents were plane tickets to St. Louis. We sent packages to each other, countless letters, and talked on the phone every few months. Before she came to visit, I used to frantically clean my room. Mom asked me if Lizzy could visit more often.
We had really only been good friends for 2 years in Michigan, but our friendship only got stronger over the years. We often wonder if it would have been the same if she stayed in Michigan. I really doubt it, which is a very weird thing to think about.
I think a lot of our friendship has to do with how independent she and I both are. Our egos are evenly matched, so when we need reassurance, the other knows exactly how to react. We also didn't need to constantly be in contact, because we were both busy and doing well in high school, but if something big ever happened, she'd be the first to know. But when we're around each other, it's just as if we see each other every day. I'm completely comfortable in my skin around her.
Granted, we are a lot alike, but we do differ in big ways. For example, Lizzy is a conservative sorority girl going to school in the South. She's had a lot of serious boyfriends. She enjoys waking up early. She doesn't like cats. (Cleo has tried to eat her several times) She likes The Da Vinci Code. (Oh gosh. That hurt me just to type.)
But, even after all of that, we think alike about most things. She's one of my closest and dearest friends, and probably will be for the rest of my life. And I'm incredibly lucky to have that...and to have figured it out when I was 11-year-old.
Anyway, Lizzy spent her Spring Break here, since her dad's Frequent Flyer Miles paid for the whole ticket. Brat. But otherwise, everything else she paid for herself, so she really does love me. I got a frantic call at 10 AM from the Frankfurt Airport about how to work the machine and some old lady who didn't speak English. Haha.
It was great seeing Lizzy reacting to Germany, since I knew it would be paradise for her. The girl is a clean machine (hence the frantic cleaning before her arrival) and loves organization. She saw Kathinka vacuuming her room and whispered to me "Now I know where my parents get it!" We spent the first few days in Freiburg, which she fell in love with too. She got to meet my friends who were in town and get a glimpse into my everyday life. Most of the people were from Wisconsin, which lead to the Miller vs. Budweiser debate. Lizzy gave tours at the brewery in St. Louis for two summers, so she wasn't about to put up with boys from Wisconsin putting down her favorite beer. I just sat back and laughed.
We also went out to Munich for 2 nights, which was a nice little getaway. The trip also made me realize that I could see myself living in Munich someday. It just had a really great feel to it...and happens to be insanely expensive. Of course.
We went on a tour of the city and got to see all kinds of historical landmarks. We went and had a beer at the Hofbrauhaus and chatted with guys from Brazil. We took a stroll through the Englisher Garten and saw naked old men sunbathing. We took the S-Bahn up to Dachau for the day. Once we got there and got off the bus, I didn't notice the gigantic concrete block in front of me, fell over it, and ended up in a pile on the ground. Lizzy, being the nice girl she is, took a picture of me sprawled out on the ground. The bruise actually wasn't too bad.
And, sure, we saw a lot of really great things in Southern Germany, but the nicest part was spending a week with her and just talking. We talked about our families, politics, spirituality, plans for the future, our choirs, being young, her dog Ted, and on and on. Niiice.
We also talked about bridesmaid dress colors. She's thinking brown or moss green. I'm thinking I need to actually date a guy for more than 4-months before even entertaining that idea.
Saying goodbye to Lizzy was the easiest goodbye to do, probably because I've gotten so used to it. I know she's happy and taken care of. And I know she's always there.
I am so cheesy.
Alright. The sun is out again, I have reading to do, and I drank too much coffee. I also have to get ready for Amanda to get here tomorrow and invade my room for a week. I have no idea what I'm going to do with her while I'm in class, but she took German for two years in middle school and she's a big girl. I have to blow up the air mattress again, though. Bahhh.
But with each visitor I have, I get to see the city anew. This place really feels like home and any time anyone asks me what my favorite city in Europe is, I am quick to say Freiburg. I could not have possibly ended up in a better location. I just need to make the most of these last 3 months.
Luckily, I'm blooming right along with Freiburg.
Anyhow, guten Morgen from Freiburg! It's a glorious Sunday morning, complete with sunshine, chirping birds, and church bells. I woke up about an hour ago (around 10) and have been laying in bed daydreaming and reading since then. Now, I am enjoying some apricot Special K and a banana with bio-forest honey. And I'm writing in my blog, so as to procrastinate my homework some more. I also have much to talk about, since the past month has been brimming with exciting adventures. And to think, I was bored during the last entry....PSH.
But first, I will talk about right now, and then I will do my best to rewind and recapture all of the excitement for ya'll.
My second semester officially started on April 16th, so I am officially back in school now. It's odd going to class when it's 75 and sunny outside, but it will also be really cool being in a busy college town in the middle of summer. Over the past two weeks, Freiburg has had the most gorgeous weather. Every single day it's sunny, in the 70s, and there's a slight breeze. In addition, the city is fully in bloom and is unlike anything I've ever seen in the US. Granted, we have a Green major and the Germans love their plants, but the whole city smells like flowers. I also spend a lot more time outside here than I do at home, so my spirits are continually lifted by how beautiful it is around here. Every day I go lay out in the grass in front of my Wohnung and read in the sun. Yesterday Alex invited me over to StuSie and we hung out by the lake for hours. KC also stopped by with free cheesecake.
Really, I can't complain about much these days.
I have class Mon-Wed, a total of 12 credits, and they're all "read books and write about it" classes. So, totally my thing.
- Die deutsche Teilung und Einheit in Text und Film - (German Division and Unity in Text and Film) - this is my only AYF course, which is all about East and West Germany and Berlin. So, we're reading some good stuff AND I'm getting more history. The professor is absolutely adorable, very organized, and knows what she's talking about. We also are taking a trip to Berlin May 24th-28th, so I'm excited.
- Erzaehlungen der Romantik - (Stories of the Romantic) - this is an actual Uni course, but one designed for foreign students, so it's just read 30-40 pages of German text and then meet and talk about symbolism and historical context. Easy enough.
- Publikumbeschimpfungen? Deutsches Drama der Gegenwart - (Abusing the public? Current German Drama) this is another foreign student course, but we're reading a bunch of modern German plays that are...different. Luckily, the professor is awesome and really does well to engage the class, so even weirdo German drama makes a little bit of sense.
- American Modernism - and finally, my English class. We're reading T.S. Eliot, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, etc. so this is my blow off class because I could very easily be taking it at home. And I've read all of those authors before. Molly and I had a love-hate relationship with Faulkner's "Light in August" in high school. The professor moved to Germany from America 5 years ago and makes it quite clear that he's very happy about his decision. He's funny and very professor-ish.
So, that's my schedule, which hopefully won't be the death of me. I really have very little work to do but it seems so hard to do, considering I've gotten used to being a total bum. However, I have become a very healthy bum. I'm doing my best to eat a lot better, which means eating a ton of veggies, fruit, and toast with Daddy's Apple Butter. Gala apples, strawberries, bio-bananas, and pears are all cheap. I splurge on red peppers and avocadoes, though. Mmmm.
I'm also running 3-4 miles a few times a week, which really is agreeing with me. It's gotten to the point where I can outrun the mosquitoes, which is a good sign. Running alongside a river at dusk is just asking for trouble. I guess my latest goal is to outrun my dad up at Mackinac Island in September. Mwahaha.
As for my travels, I am going to go one trip at a time over the next few entries so as to not totally overwhelm myself. Really, there have only been 3, but the middle one was 11-days of madness in Eastern Europe. I could write a doctoral thesis on the ridiculousness of that venture, so I'll break it up by country.
-Munich
-Budapest
-Brasov/Bucharest
-Istanbul
-Spain
Here goes.
MUNICH -
I will start of this chapter with the Story of Lizzy. Thus spake Rebecca.
For those of you who don't know, Lizzy and I met during a church road rally when we were in 6th grade. When we first met, we didn't like each other at all, which was actually a promising sign. She was smart, musically inclined, fun to be around, came from a good family, and was insanely mature for her age. Naturally, I hated her.
Eventually we got past all that and became good friends. We spent most of our time together on Sunday afternoons after church, since we went to different middle schools and rarely saw each other. The spring of 7th grade, she called me in tears and told me that her dad had gotten a new job and they would be moving to Missouri that summer. Of course, we swore to stay in touch and always be good friends. I really don't think anyone took us seriously, because middle school girls are always saying that and then they get busy and get boyfriends and blah, blah.
Well, we were different. All through high school we saw each other one or two times a year. Many of my birthday presents were plane tickets to St. Louis. We sent packages to each other, countless letters, and talked on the phone every few months. Before she came to visit, I used to frantically clean my room. Mom asked me if Lizzy could visit more often.
We had really only been good friends for 2 years in Michigan, but our friendship only got stronger over the years. We often wonder if it would have been the same if she stayed in Michigan. I really doubt it, which is a very weird thing to think about.
I think a lot of our friendship has to do with how independent she and I both are. Our egos are evenly matched, so when we need reassurance, the other knows exactly how to react. We also didn't need to constantly be in contact, because we were both busy and doing well in high school, but if something big ever happened, she'd be the first to know. But when we're around each other, it's just as if we see each other every day. I'm completely comfortable in my skin around her.
Granted, we are a lot alike, but we do differ in big ways. For example, Lizzy is a conservative sorority girl going to school in the South. She's had a lot of serious boyfriends. She enjoys waking up early. She doesn't like cats. (Cleo has tried to eat her several times) She likes The Da Vinci Code. (Oh gosh. That hurt me just to type.)
But, even after all of that, we think alike about most things. She's one of my closest and dearest friends, and probably will be for the rest of my life. And I'm incredibly lucky to have that...and to have figured it out when I was 11-year-old.
Anyway, Lizzy spent her Spring Break here, since her dad's Frequent Flyer Miles paid for the whole ticket. Brat. But otherwise, everything else she paid for herself, so she really does love me. I got a frantic call at 10 AM from the Frankfurt Airport about how to work the machine and some old lady who didn't speak English. Haha.
It was great seeing Lizzy reacting to Germany, since I knew it would be paradise for her. The girl is a clean machine (hence the frantic cleaning before her arrival) and loves organization. She saw Kathinka vacuuming her room and whispered to me "Now I know where my parents get it!" We spent the first few days in Freiburg, which she fell in love with too. She got to meet my friends who were in town and get a glimpse into my everyday life. Most of the people were from Wisconsin, which lead to the Miller vs. Budweiser debate. Lizzy gave tours at the brewery in St. Louis for two summers, so she wasn't about to put up with boys from Wisconsin putting down her favorite beer. I just sat back and laughed.
We also went out to Munich for 2 nights, which was a nice little getaway. The trip also made me realize that I could see myself living in Munich someday. It just had a really great feel to it...and happens to be insanely expensive. Of course.
We went on a tour of the city and got to see all kinds of historical landmarks. We went and had a beer at the Hofbrauhaus and chatted with guys from Brazil. We took a stroll through the Englisher Garten and saw naked old men sunbathing. We took the S-Bahn up to Dachau for the day. Once we got there and got off the bus, I didn't notice the gigantic concrete block in front of me, fell over it, and ended up in a pile on the ground. Lizzy, being the nice girl she is, took a picture of me sprawled out on the ground. The bruise actually wasn't too bad.
And, sure, we saw a lot of really great things in Southern Germany, but the nicest part was spending a week with her and just talking. We talked about our families, politics, spirituality, plans for the future, our choirs, being young, her dog Ted, and on and on. Niiice.
We also talked about bridesmaid dress colors. She's thinking brown or moss green. I'm thinking I need to actually date a guy for more than 4-months before even entertaining that idea.
Saying goodbye to Lizzy was the easiest goodbye to do, probably because I've gotten so used to it. I know she's happy and taken care of. And I know she's always there.
I am so cheesy.
Alright. The sun is out again, I have reading to do, and I drank too much coffee. I also have to get ready for Amanda to get here tomorrow and invade my room for a week. I have no idea what I'm going to do with her while I'm in class, but she took German for two years in middle school and she's a big girl. I have to blow up the air mattress again, though. Bahhh.
But with each visitor I have, I get to see the city anew. This place really feels like home and any time anyone asks me what my favorite city in Europe is, I am quick to say Freiburg. I could not have possibly ended up in a better location. I just need to make the most of these last 3 months.
Luckily, I'm blooming right along with Freiburg.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
maps of the mindset/mindsets of the map
Relaxing is so much more enjoyable when you feel that you deserve it.
I'm bored, which is something I hate being. I doubt anyone really enjoys being bored, but I hate even admitting that I am. Being bored means you're not being creative with your time, or you're just being lazy. OR you're a child and just want to disagree with all of the suggestions your parents give you. Ah. Those were the days.
Of course, these days the suggestions coming from my parents are great. Mom tried to convince me to join my friends for a cruise on the Medierranean, but that's when Lizzy's here. And Dad was going on about southern France. I am trying to figure out my travel plans but it's getting very confusing. I have no idea where Lizzy and I will end up next week, so we'll discuss it when she's here. She says she absolutely doesn't care, but I don't believe her. At this point I'm thinking a night or two in Munich, but who knows. Then after that, tentatively Budapest, Brasov, Bucharest, and Istanbul, but this all needs to be discussed once Natalie gets back from wherever she is in Europe. And then, a weekend in Spain to do nothing but sit on the beach and read about 4 books. And then...Norway? Morocco? Here is my list of places I would still really, really like to see while here. Have fun with it.
1) Berlin 2) Amsterdam 3) southern France 4) Stavanger 5) Barcelona 6) Florence
This are kind of in order...well, not really. We'll see where I end up. No matter what, I am still seeing a lot more of the world than I probably deserve to.
That's the future. It would sound a lot more cheery if I weren't in such a crap mood. The highlight of today was the super cute guy Stephanie and I saw at the T-Mobile store. That or the whole grapefruit I ate. I'm telling you, things are really exciting around here.
I met up with Steph for lunch to hear all about her travels. First, she went to Russia with Erica which I guess ended up being a grand adventure. No one spoke English and they all hated tourists, so she said it taught her a lot about being a good traveler. They also couldn't pronounce anything and it took them 2 hours to find their hostel in St. Petersburg. After that I guess they literally had to write things on their hands and hold it up so that they could get tickets on the right trains and such. And she learned to avoid the police, since they harass tourists and charge them for anything they feel like.
Oddly enough, I was wildly jealous. What an adventure! I can't wait to get into Eastern Europe and be completely out of my element and be dressed like a completely hobo. That's what being young is for. Questionably hygiene and doing things in a foreign country that your parents probably wouldn't approve of. Feel free to quote me on that.
But, alas, Russia is not in the works. At least not this year. I would love to go there someday, but not now. It also takes such a long time to get Visas and such. For like a week in February all my friends were talking about was paperwork to get into Russia. I almost felt left out because I didn't have any formidable looking Cryillic documents. Maryia was getting ready to go storm down the Belarussian embassy in Berlin because they almost didn't let her go home to see her mom. It was all very dramatic around here for awhile.
As for my OWN travels...
I have no idea when the last time I wrote was. Probably about 4 months ago, as my father told me. But, anyway, I'll do my best to recap.
FATHER - The weirdest part of having my dad around was paying attention to his mannerisms, because I figure that's kind of like seeing what I'll be like when I'm in my 40s. And that whole bit about your parents becoming your friends the older you get is starting to make sense. Terrifying. Another weird thing I'm realizing is that I do look up to my parents about a lot of things and I very much value their advice, but I am simply going to disagree with them on others. And when I was little that always seemed to be a bad thing, I guess. But now I am older and establishing my place in the world, so it's ok to disagree and have my own opinions. They have mature justifications now and aren't just products of teenage spite. I'm not fighting with anyone about it. Actually, I'm learning the art of biting my tongue. I think that's the magical thing, no? Me? Biting my tongue?
For my curious parents reading this, I am not referring to one specific thing. In fact, I can't even think of an example. So stop wondering. I am growing into my own person. It's nice.
So, yes, it was wonderful seeing my dad, but iit was also very surprising. I honestly thought I would get upset with him and that there was no way we'd peacefully coexist for a week. But I didn't give the ol' guy enough credit, I suppose. Or myself. And my dad got a ton of father-daughter time, which I know is something he's wanted for years.
I choose to thank the Atlantic Ocean.
EX-BOYFRIEND - John and I are an old married couple in a lot of ways. I guess a lot of that is because he's the only guy I've dated who started out as a really good friend. We also were especially close my freshman year at U of M, which was...tremulous.
Wow. What a good word for 2005.
John also surprised me a lot, which was nice. We only bickered with each other once, and that was when we were in Rome, decided to take a walk after dinner, and I figured a map wasn't necessary. Needless to say, 4 hours later we returned to our hotel after exploring in depth corners of Rome that I really didn't care to see. But I did get to see all of Rome that day and the weather could not have possibly been better. I also got to see all of it with a boy who watched out for me, which meant giving the death stare to any man in the Metro who was getting a bit too close. And John really does give a great death stare. Even I was afraid.
Italy is great, but every time I venture out of my Germany bubble, I feel it. I have some very American ways which will probably stay with me forever, but I've noticed little changes in my mindset. For instance, my cleanliness, taste in desserts, and even how often I smile at strangers has all changed. Oh and my raging addiction to coffee. But Italy is obviously violently different. I whined a few times about the streets being dirty, men staring blatantly at me, and how loud people were being. John just told me to be quiet.
I'm horrified to think of what's going to bother me when I come home. Ok. Avoiding that thought.
Seeing John was wonderful and I tried to kidnap him so he couldn't go. Shucks.
My only regret is that they closed the SISTINE CHAPEL. That was #1 of my list. I gave some Swiss Guards serious attitude until John yanked me away.
AUNT, UNCLE, & COUSINS (oh my!) - The Baldwins absolutely met expectations. It was glorious. We got lost several dozen times, got the cops called on us in Salzburg, had a bloody accident on a luge in the Schwarzwald, and did our best to find suitable food for Dylan. I had a marvelous time with my family and it was nice having some intense bonding time.
The only sad part was when Aunt Kathy would suddenly look a lot like my own Ma. And then made me miss her a lot. Don't get me wrong, it was great having a Mom-figure for a week, even though she wasn't my favorite person at 8:30 in the morning. Victoria was groaning too, so I didn't feel too bad. But in Salzburg she woke me up with coffee, so she made up for it...kinda.
We got to see all kinds of great tourist sites in Bavaria, Austria, and the Schwarzwald. And we did so in an Audi A4 hatchback, where I was smushed in the backseat with Victoria and Dylan. It reminded me so much of when Jimmy was young, since Dylan is 8 and that was a mere 5 years ago. We had to get on Dylan to blow his nose, not get his feet all over the seats, stop repeating phrases just to drive his sisters crazy, etc.
I really did get awesome little brother training. And in return, Jimmy is going to be such a pro when one of his girlfriends starts crying over nothing and melts down into a blubbery mess. You're welcome, Bub.
So, as you can see, my personal connections and I have been all over the map...literally.
Now, I am not traveling, and haven't been doing much in the past week. I accidentally volunteered to clean out the oven. I also went to go see 'The Departed' in German, and I had NO idea what was going on. I understood about 90%, so I think even in English I would have been lost. But, Leonardo Dicaprio was very enjoyable to look at. Despite the thug boy look he had goin' on. I've also started running more, which is great. I love running. I just hope my shins continue to agree with the idea.
And now, I go make the dinner. Lizzy gets here on Saturday. I don't know how she's going to handle having Europe in the palm of her hand, but it'll give her a taste of my life.
I'm bored, which is something I hate being. I doubt anyone really enjoys being bored, but I hate even admitting that I am. Being bored means you're not being creative with your time, or you're just being lazy. OR you're a child and just want to disagree with all of the suggestions your parents give you. Ah. Those were the days.
Of course, these days the suggestions coming from my parents are great. Mom tried to convince me to join my friends for a cruise on the Medierranean, but that's when Lizzy's here. And Dad was going on about southern France. I am trying to figure out my travel plans but it's getting very confusing. I have no idea where Lizzy and I will end up next week, so we'll discuss it when she's here. She says she absolutely doesn't care, but I don't believe her. At this point I'm thinking a night or two in Munich, but who knows. Then after that, tentatively Budapest, Brasov, Bucharest, and Istanbul, but this all needs to be discussed once Natalie gets back from wherever she is in Europe. And then, a weekend in Spain to do nothing but sit on the beach and read about 4 books. And then...Norway? Morocco? Here is my list of places I would still really, really like to see while here. Have fun with it.
1) Berlin 2) Amsterdam 3) southern France 4) Stavanger 5) Barcelona 6) Florence
This are kind of in order...well, not really. We'll see where I end up. No matter what, I am still seeing a lot more of the world than I probably deserve to.
That's the future. It would sound a lot more cheery if I weren't in such a crap mood. The highlight of today was the super cute guy Stephanie and I saw at the T-Mobile store. That or the whole grapefruit I ate. I'm telling you, things are really exciting around here.
I met up with Steph for lunch to hear all about her travels. First, she went to Russia with Erica which I guess ended up being a grand adventure. No one spoke English and they all hated tourists, so she said it taught her a lot about being a good traveler. They also couldn't pronounce anything and it took them 2 hours to find their hostel in St. Petersburg. After that I guess they literally had to write things on their hands and hold it up so that they could get tickets on the right trains and such. And she learned to avoid the police, since they harass tourists and charge them for anything they feel like.
Oddly enough, I was wildly jealous. What an adventure! I can't wait to get into Eastern Europe and be completely out of my element and be dressed like a completely hobo. That's what being young is for. Questionably hygiene and doing things in a foreign country that your parents probably wouldn't approve of. Feel free to quote me on that.
But, alas, Russia is not in the works. At least not this year. I would love to go there someday, but not now. It also takes such a long time to get Visas and such. For like a week in February all my friends were talking about was paperwork to get into Russia. I almost felt left out because I didn't have any formidable looking Cryillic documents. Maryia was getting ready to go storm down the Belarussian embassy in Berlin because they almost didn't let her go home to see her mom. It was all very dramatic around here for awhile.
As for my OWN travels...
I have no idea when the last time I wrote was. Probably about 4 months ago, as my father told me. But, anyway, I'll do my best to recap.
FATHER - The weirdest part of having my dad around was paying attention to his mannerisms, because I figure that's kind of like seeing what I'll be like when I'm in my 40s. And that whole bit about your parents becoming your friends the older you get is starting to make sense. Terrifying. Another weird thing I'm realizing is that I do look up to my parents about a lot of things and I very much value their advice, but I am simply going to disagree with them on others. And when I was little that always seemed to be a bad thing, I guess. But now I am older and establishing my place in the world, so it's ok to disagree and have my own opinions. They have mature justifications now and aren't just products of teenage spite. I'm not fighting with anyone about it. Actually, I'm learning the art of biting my tongue. I think that's the magical thing, no? Me? Biting my tongue?
For my curious parents reading this, I am not referring to one specific thing. In fact, I can't even think of an example. So stop wondering. I am growing into my own person. It's nice.
So, yes, it was wonderful seeing my dad, but iit was also very surprising. I honestly thought I would get upset with him and that there was no way we'd peacefully coexist for a week. But I didn't give the ol' guy enough credit, I suppose. Or myself. And my dad got a ton of father-daughter time, which I know is something he's wanted for years.
I choose to thank the Atlantic Ocean.
EX-BOYFRIEND - John and I are an old married couple in a lot of ways. I guess a lot of that is because he's the only guy I've dated who started out as a really good friend. We also were especially close my freshman year at U of M, which was...tremulous.
Wow. What a good word for 2005.
John also surprised me a lot, which was nice. We only bickered with each other once, and that was when we were in Rome, decided to take a walk after dinner, and I figured a map wasn't necessary. Needless to say, 4 hours later we returned to our hotel after exploring in depth corners of Rome that I really didn't care to see. But I did get to see all of Rome that day and the weather could not have possibly been better. I also got to see all of it with a boy who watched out for me, which meant giving the death stare to any man in the Metro who was getting a bit too close. And John really does give a great death stare. Even I was afraid.
Italy is great, but every time I venture out of my Germany bubble, I feel it. I have some very American ways which will probably stay with me forever, but I've noticed little changes in my mindset. For instance, my cleanliness, taste in desserts, and even how often I smile at strangers has all changed. Oh and my raging addiction to coffee. But Italy is obviously violently different. I whined a few times about the streets being dirty, men staring blatantly at me, and how loud people were being. John just told me to be quiet.
I'm horrified to think of what's going to bother me when I come home. Ok. Avoiding that thought.
Seeing John was wonderful and I tried to kidnap him so he couldn't go. Shucks.
My only regret is that they closed the SISTINE CHAPEL. That was #1 of my list. I gave some Swiss Guards serious attitude until John yanked me away.
AUNT, UNCLE, & COUSINS (oh my!) - The Baldwins absolutely met expectations. It was glorious. We got lost several dozen times, got the cops called on us in Salzburg, had a bloody accident on a luge in the Schwarzwald, and did our best to find suitable food for Dylan. I had a marvelous time with my family and it was nice having some intense bonding time.
The only sad part was when Aunt Kathy would suddenly look a lot like my own Ma. And then made me miss her a lot. Don't get me wrong, it was great having a Mom-figure for a week, even though she wasn't my favorite person at 8:30 in the morning. Victoria was groaning too, so I didn't feel too bad. But in Salzburg she woke me up with coffee, so she made up for it...kinda.
We got to see all kinds of great tourist sites in Bavaria, Austria, and the Schwarzwald. And we did so in an Audi A4 hatchback, where I was smushed in the backseat with Victoria and Dylan. It reminded me so much of when Jimmy was young, since Dylan is 8 and that was a mere 5 years ago. We had to get on Dylan to blow his nose, not get his feet all over the seats, stop repeating phrases just to drive his sisters crazy, etc.
I really did get awesome little brother training. And in return, Jimmy is going to be such a pro when one of his girlfriends starts crying over nothing and melts down into a blubbery mess. You're welcome, Bub.
So, as you can see, my personal connections and I have been all over the map...literally.
Now, I am not traveling, and haven't been doing much in the past week. I accidentally volunteered to clean out the oven. I also went to go see 'The Departed' in German, and I had NO idea what was going on. I understood about 90%, so I think even in English I would have been lost. But, Leonardo Dicaprio was very enjoyable to look at. Despite the thug boy look he had goin' on. I've also started running more, which is great. I love running. I just hope my shins continue to agree with the idea.
And now, I go make the dinner. Lizzy gets here on Saturday. I don't know how she's going to handle having Europe in the palm of her hand, but it'll give her a taste of my life.
Friday, March 02, 2007
six months
I have yet to start my paper, which probably should be stressing me out, but right now it's not. I suppose that's because it's the only real worry on my mind right now, which I figure is pretty remarkable.
I have so much to update, but right now I'm too exhausted to. Normally I don't write unless I'm ready to commit to a lengthy entry bursting with detail and nonsense, but this will just be me venting, I guess. I've got a few thoughts roaming around my head and I figured I'd share them, because they are such beautiful thoughts.
First I spent a week non-stop with my father, which was actually wonderful. Then I spent a week straight with John, which was also wonderful. Not only did I get to see some amazing places, but I got to spend time with two of my favorite people in the world. Now I am lonesome and very aware of the fact that no one will be crashing on my little air mattress tonight. There will be no one to wake up and greet tomorrow. I thought I would be rejoicing to have all of my personal space back, but I think a part of me also knew that I'd miss sharing it. One of my favorite things to think about is generous people who have very little. Like the tales of poor people who share their last scraps of clothes with beggars on the street? I'm a total sucker for all of that. I also love the feeling that I'm taking care of people, which means my maternal instincts are finally surfacing after remaining dormant for far too long.
(But don't overestimate me. I still get nervous when I think about babies. They're just one step up from a football on my scale of "Interesting Things", because they can move and they are mildly interesting to look at, but that's about it because they smell and are loud. Any baby related to me earns extra points, but I just don't feel like I can connect with them until they hit the toddler years. Being able to walk and talk earns a someone a lot of respect from me. And you'd be surprised at how many people my age can't really master the latter.)
Anyway, it's not like I was sharing scraps with my dad and John, but it was nice to have them here in my world. And I happen to think it's a spectacular world, in which I have now lived for 6 months.
Tonight I finally met my new roommate, Tanya. She comes from Milwaukee and is a Business major at UWisconsin. She's in a 9 person program of Wisconsin kids over here for one semester. All but one of her classes are in English, but she seems to have pretty good German. We chatted for a bit in the kitchen and she invited me to go get dinner with some of the kids in her program, so I accepted. Write my paper vs. meet new people. After all, I am a Krug.
After dinner, I went with a few people to Innisfree to grab a drink and continue chatting. They had two middle aged guys playing live music and we had a good time identifying the songs, sharing roommate horror stories, making fun of Britney Spears, and discussing travel plans. Tanya is very cool and I think she and I are definitely going to get along well. Tom moved out last week which just makes me horribly sad every time I think about him not being just down the hall from me. But now Tanya's here, so hallelujah. She also had to ask me how to mop and how the kitchen duties work. Perhaps this will prove to my roommates that I am not the only clueless one. All Americans are born allergic to menial tasks.
I left Innisfree at 11, after only having one drink. I have no doubt that I'll see those people again, because we Americans have to stick together here in the Vaterland. I walked home in the rain and immediately after getting home, called David, the Perfect Man.
My ex-boyfriend, Dave, kind of gets randomly dragged in and out of my life. Ok. I phrased that poorly. But I do call him maybe 4 or 5 times a year, and it's always when he least expects it. He doesn't mind it, and always sounds genuinely happy that I've called. It's entirely impulsive and I have no idea why I do it, but usually it's when I'm most content with my life. The last time I saw him was a few weeks before leaving for Germany, when I went out to get sushi with him and stole his wallet at the end of the meal. We argued for a good 10 minutes about me paying while I literally sat on his wallet until he finally caved, but he did make a few growling noises. Whatever. He's paid for so much crap for me. I felt wonderful about returning the favor. I appreciate being spoiled but sometimes I like spoiling. Especially when I am a waitress and am walking around with way too much cash.
We talked for maybe a half hour. He's living in an apartment in downtown Chicago for a while, which is all paid for by his company. He's got a bunch of friends coming down for St. Patricks day and he's got a new job working for the company that he really likes. I asked him if he was happy 3 times in a row, because usually people who aren't really happy break down after number 2 or 3. I don't know. It's just something about hearing that phrase and hearing yourself lying about it if you're not really happy? Maybe I am just making up mental tricks that don't really work but they sound good in theory. Are you happy? Are you happy?
I told him all about my family, running around Europe, volunteering after graduation, blah blah. He confessed that he was planning on stopping by my dad's house the next time he was in Michigan so he could get my address in Germany to send me something. The only contact he has with me is my cell phone, and that's in some drawer somewhere in Michigan, so I guess he really wanted to get in touch with me. Wow.
I told him I'd call him again after I finish my paper. That will be my reward. That and the glistening new scrapbook I bought yesterday, which will hopefully be completed for your viewing pleasure by late summer. Then maybe I'll let him send me something. I'm curious to see what it will be. Knowing him I will have to yell a lot about not being too generous.
He turned it on me, of course, and asked me if I'm happy.
"I have nothing to complain about. Yes. I am."
Which actually, scarily, is the truth. And actually a very backwards way to put things. Maybe there is something about growing up that lets you settle nicely into your life. Every day I feel more and more like I fit comfortably into my own skin, even though I am well aware that I have no idea where life will lead me. Going to Germany isn't helping me earn the degree that "respectable" society is going to fawn over, but it is providing me with the life skills that will ultimately make the difference. So, for the time being, I am not going to worry or stress, or waste energy on the things that don't matter. I'll make my aunts proud, who are living vicariously through me.
I promise glittering updates about Germany, Italy, and the men in my life will follow. I just have to survive until Wednesday and then I will be able to properly float.
Are you happy?
I have so much to update, but right now I'm too exhausted to. Normally I don't write unless I'm ready to commit to a lengthy entry bursting with detail and nonsense, but this will just be me venting, I guess. I've got a few thoughts roaming around my head and I figured I'd share them, because they are such beautiful thoughts.
First I spent a week non-stop with my father, which was actually wonderful. Then I spent a week straight with John, which was also wonderful. Not only did I get to see some amazing places, but I got to spend time with two of my favorite people in the world. Now I am lonesome and very aware of the fact that no one will be crashing on my little air mattress tonight. There will be no one to wake up and greet tomorrow. I thought I would be rejoicing to have all of my personal space back, but I think a part of me also knew that I'd miss sharing it. One of my favorite things to think about is generous people who have very little. Like the tales of poor people who share their last scraps of clothes with beggars on the street? I'm a total sucker for all of that. I also love the feeling that I'm taking care of people, which means my maternal instincts are finally surfacing after remaining dormant for far too long.
(But don't overestimate me. I still get nervous when I think about babies. They're just one step up from a football on my scale of "Interesting Things", because they can move and they are mildly interesting to look at, but that's about it because they smell and are loud. Any baby related to me earns extra points, but I just don't feel like I can connect with them until they hit the toddler years. Being able to walk and talk earns a someone a lot of respect from me. And you'd be surprised at how many people my age can't really master the latter.)
Anyway, it's not like I was sharing scraps with my dad and John, but it was nice to have them here in my world. And I happen to think it's a spectacular world, in which I have now lived for 6 months.
Tonight I finally met my new roommate, Tanya. She comes from Milwaukee and is a Business major at UWisconsin. She's in a 9 person program of Wisconsin kids over here for one semester. All but one of her classes are in English, but she seems to have pretty good German. We chatted for a bit in the kitchen and she invited me to go get dinner with some of the kids in her program, so I accepted. Write my paper vs. meet new people. After all, I am a Krug.
After dinner, I went with a few people to Innisfree to grab a drink and continue chatting. They had two middle aged guys playing live music and we had a good time identifying the songs, sharing roommate horror stories, making fun of Britney Spears, and discussing travel plans. Tanya is very cool and I think she and I are definitely going to get along well. Tom moved out last week which just makes me horribly sad every time I think about him not being just down the hall from me. But now Tanya's here, so hallelujah. She also had to ask me how to mop and how the kitchen duties work. Perhaps this will prove to my roommates that I am not the only clueless one. All Americans are born allergic to menial tasks.
I left Innisfree at 11, after only having one drink. I have no doubt that I'll see those people again, because we Americans have to stick together here in the Vaterland. I walked home in the rain and immediately after getting home, called David, the Perfect Man.
My ex-boyfriend, Dave, kind of gets randomly dragged in and out of my life. Ok. I phrased that poorly. But I do call him maybe 4 or 5 times a year, and it's always when he least expects it. He doesn't mind it, and always sounds genuinely happy that I've called. It's entirely impulsive and I have no idea why I do it, but usually it's when I'm most content with my life. The last time I saw him was a few weeks before leaving for Germany, when I went out to get sushi with him and stole his wallet at the end of the meal. We argued for a good 10 minutes about me paying while I literally sat on his wallet until he finally caved, but he did make a few growling noises. Whatever. He's paid for so much crap for me. I felt wonderful about returning the favor. I appreciate being spoiled but sometimes I like spoiling. Especially when I am a waitress and am walking around with way too much cash.
We talked for maybe a half hour. He's living in an apartment in downtown Chicago for a while, which is all paid for by his company. He's got a bunch of friends coming down for St. Patricks day and he's got a new job working for the company that he really likes. I asked him if he was happy 3 times in a row, because usually people who aren't really happy break down after number 2 or 3. I don't know. It's just something about hearing that phrase and hearing yourself lying about it if you're not really happy? Maybe I am just making up mental tricks that don't really work but they sound good in theory. Are you happy? Are you happy?
I told him all about my family, running around Europe, volunteering after graduation, blah blah. He confessed that he was planning on stopping by my dad's house the next time he was in Michigan so he could get my address in Germany to send me something. The only contact he has with me is my cell phone, and that's in some drawer somewhere in Michigan, so I guess he really wanted to get in touch with me. Wow.
I told him I'd call him again after I finish my paper. That will be my reward. That and the glistening new scrapbook I bought yesterday, which will hopefully be completed for your viewing pleasure by late summer. Then maybe I'll let him send me something. I'm curious to see what it will be. Knowing him I will have to yell a lot about not being too generous.
He turned it on me, of course, and asked me if I'm happy.
"I have nothing to complain about. Yes. I am."
Which actually, scarily, is the truth. And actually a very backwards way to put things. Maybe there is something about growing up that lets you settle nicely into your life. Every day I feel more and more like I fit comfortably into my own skin, even though I am well aware that I have no idea where life will lead me. Going to Germany isn't helping me earn the degree that "respectable" society is going to fawn over, but it is providing me with the life skills that will ultimately make the difference. So, for the time being, I am not going to worry or stress, or waste energy on the things that don't matter. I'll make my aunts proud, who are living vicariously through me.
I promise glittering updates about Germany, Italy, and the men in my life will follow. I just have to survive until Wednesday and then I will be able to properly float.
Are you happy?
Monday, February 12, 2007
tuition and fruition
I miss Mexican food. I guess I just didn't realize how much until my father told me that today.
My list of things I want him to bring me: guacamole, taco spice, Robitussin, Zip-Loc bags, and cheesy Chex Mix. Also Tostitos, even if they are merely crumbs after the flight.
Funny to think that Turkish food is all over the place here, and at home it's all Mexican. And everyone everywhere is in an uproar about immigration. So, of course I will immediately crave Turkish food once I'm back home. You should be craving it right now, as you read this. As I continue on this rant, I will mention that I miss all the crazy Spanish speaking cooks at Cottage Inn. They used to throw things at me, teach me dirty words, put up Maxim posters, etc. I also won $5 off of Rene from the Argentina vs. Germany World Cup game. That was better than any tip I received that day.
ONWARD
So, Germany universities have finally decided to catch up with the times and have started imposing something called Studiengebuehren, which are student fees to go to university. Up until now, Germans have been able to go to University completely free of charge, which sounds great if you're moi, but now that I've come here, I realize the advantages to going to the most expensive public school in my great nation. Sure, looking at my tuition bills makes me want to start living off of grass and water, but that money goes somewhere. Most of it goes to the football team, but at least $50 goes toward something good! Maybe?
For example, I miss having a beautiful big student gym, a health clinic, a library that is open from 8 AM to 5 AM every day, newly renovated campus buildings, etc. And hey, other majors get all kinds of huge cool toys to play with. I picked a major that involves a lot of paper, public humiliation and a few expensive plane tickets, so I obviously wasn't thinking clearly. But still! My University is super expensivo, but it's one of the best in the world for a reason. So, now I feel a little better about being in poverty when I get to pay off my loans.
Anyway, students are LIVID about these Studiengebuehren, which I would totally understand, but they're 500 Euro. THAT'S HOW MUCH I PAID FOR RENT IN A SINGLE MONTH LAST YEAR. And they're all over campus with flyers and BOYKOTT written all over everything in black and yellow. They're trying to talk to me and I just give them dirty looks. You can afford those cigarettes, eh, but you can't afford your own education?
I realize they're poor students. I am definitely on that team and shamelessly ask for any discount I can. And I want to reach out to them and say "Guys! I'm on your team! But c'mon! It could only get better!" The Uni here isn't in shambles, but it could do with some re-touching. The library isn't even open on Sunday, which I find absolutely intolerable. Sunday is my Holy Day of Homework.
I don't mean to make anyone angry, especially if you're an irate German student who somehow stumbled upon my blog. But that's just my opinion on the matter.
Today I also accidentally ordered 'Sewing for Dummies' off of amazon.de. The best part is that I checked the address of where it's being sent? Mary Markley Residence Hall, Ann Arbor. So, not only did I accidentally buy a book for 30 Euro, it's now being sent to some random freshman in my old dorm. And I highly doubt they're interesting in sewing. I mean, they should be, but not everyone can be as cool as me.
I have now sent about 3 e-mails to German Amazons (haha I'm so funny) begging to cancel the order. I also freaked out about it to Tom, who wasn't even really phased. We're gonna try to call tomorrow. If that doesn't work, then I'll enlist Laura to drive out to Ann Arbor and wrestle my book away from someone.
And yes, I do WANT the book "Sewing for Dummies". I think I'd put it to good use. After 5 blankets, I'm sick of crocheting and I need to try something new. Like making my own clothes. Everything I own is boring anyway. I can sew boring stuff. The scariest part is figuring out a new machine. I've only just now mastered my camera...after a year.
Today wasn't terribly eventful. I woke up, had 3 cups of coffee for breakfast, went to the AYF office , got my new Time (YEAAAH) and found out I got a 1,4 for my IH class. That's roughly a 95%. Cool. But of course, none of this goes into my GPA. Bah.
Then I found out my Kunst Klausur grade, which wasn't nearly as impressive. But I think that will be severely curved. And, once again, none of this goes into my GPA. Phew.
As you can see, I have mixed feelings about this.
Oh Choir Concerts! I almost forgot.
They went pretty well. The one on Saturday night was the best, I think. The acoustics in the church we were in were amazing, which made it hard for everyone to hear each other. But we made more mistakes on Sunday, so they recorded the good concert.
It felt good to get up and sing, even though I am definitely not used to using a folder when I sing a choir concert. My heart and my wrist suffered. Yea, we got to sing more music, but I'd rather sing fewer songs really well. But hey, I'm in a different world. Quantity over quality round here, I guess.
However, flowy black pants are definitely a worldwife requirement for female choir directors. I remember being with my mom when she bought hers.
Christoph came on Saturday night and ended up being my only fan, which was so sweet of him. It made me feel very loved. I know Tom would have come, but he says classical music makes him sleepy, which I can understand.
I'm used to having a Fan Club that takes up half the audience, so this time around was a little different which was definitely ok. And Mom, I tried desperately to get a picture with my director afterward, but I couldn't find her. I figured that was a thing you would have done. I've learned this after roughly 293453 choir concerts with you and your camera.
Anyway, choir is over for the semester. And I definitely plan on singing with them next semester because the program says Purcell. I am very excited about this. You know you are a choir geek when Purcell gets you antsy to sight-read.
Dad gets here in 6 days. I am doing my best to get these papers conquered before that, but it's not looking good. For example, I spent last Friday at the library 7-10. You would be hard pressed to find another time in my life where I've ever been at the library on a Friday, much less at night. Then I was back there again tonight until close.
If you thought your college experience was hard, did you ever try to do it in another language? HUH?
Of course, I can also be put in my place, because I met some Japanese girl studying Advanced Macroeconomics in German.
Ah well. My first semester officially ends on Wednesday, so that'll be nice.
Alright this entry officially sucks. I've been trying to write lately but none of it's passing the test. I'll let this one fly just so you all can see what a failed entry looks like. It has no flow and I'm writing like I'm 13 again. But that's life, I guess.
But then again, how much excitement can you really expect from a girl who wants to make her own clothes and loves old English madrigals?
My list of things I want him to bring me: guacamole, taco spice, Robitussin, Zip-Loc bags, and cheesy Chex Mix. Also Tostitos, even if they are merely crumbs after the flight.
Funny to think that Turkish food is all over the place here, and at home it's all Mexican. And everyone everywhere is in an uproar about immigration. So, of course I will immediately crave Turkish food once I'm back home. You should be craving it right now, as you read this. As I continue on this rant, I will mention that I miss all the crazy Spanish speaking cooks at Cottage Inn. They used to throw things at me, teach me dirty words, put up Maxim posters, etc. I also won $5 off of Rene from the Argentina vs. Germany World Cup game. That was better than any tip I received that day.
ONWARD
So, Germany universities have finally decided to catch up with the times and have started imposing something called Studiengebuehren, which are student fees to go to university. Up until now, Germans have been able to go to University completely free of charge, which sounds great if you're moi, but now that I've come here, I realize the advantages to going to the most expensive public school in my great nation. Sure, looking at my tuition bills makes me want to start living off of grass and water, but that money goes somewhere. Most of it goes to the football team, but at least $50 goes toward something good! Maybe?
For example, I miss having a beautiful big student gym, a health clinic, a library that is open from 8 AM to 5 AM every day, newly renovated campus buildings, etc. And hey, other majors get all kinds of huge cool toys to play with. I picked a major that involves a lot of paper, public humiliation and a few expensive plane tickets, so I obviously wasn't thinking clearly. But still! My University is super expensivo, but it's one of the best in the world for a reason. So, now I feel a little better about being in poverty when I get to pay off my loans.
Anyway, students are LIVID about these Studiengebuehren, which I would totally understand, but they're 500 Euro. THAT'S HOW MUCH I PAID FOR RENT IN A SINGLE MONTH LAST YEAR. And they're all over campus with flyers and BOYKOTT written all over everything in black and yellow. They're trying to talk to me and I just give them dirty looks. You can afford those cigarettes, eh, but you can't afford your own education?
I realize they're poor students. I am definitely on that team and shamelessly ask for any discount I can. And I want to reach out to them and say "Guys! I'm on your team! But c'mon! It could only get better!" The Uni here isn't in shambles, but it could do with some re-touching. The library isn't even open on Sunday, which I find absolutely intolerable. Sunday is my Holy Day of Homework.
I don't mean to make anyone angry, especially if you're an irate German student who somehow stumbled upon my blog. But that's just my opinion on the matter.
Today I also accidentally ordered 'Sewing for Dummies' off of amazon.de. The best part is that I checked the address of where it's being sent? Mary Markley Residence Hall, Ann Arbor. So, not only did I accidentally buy a book for 30 Euro, it's now being sent to some random freshman in my old dorm. And I highly doubt they're interesting in sewing. I mean, they should be, but not everyone can be as cool as me.
I have now sent about 3 e-mails to German Amazons (haha I'm so funny) begging to cancel the order. I also freaked out about it to Tom, who wasn't even really phased. We're gonna try to call tomorrow. If that doesn't work, then I'll enlist Laura to drive out to Ann Arbor and wrestle my book away from someone.
And yes, I do WANT the book "Sewing for Dummies". I think I'd put it to good use. After 5 blankets, I'm sick of crocheting and I need to try something new. Like making my own clothes. Everything I own is boring anyway. I can sew boring stuff. The scariest part is figuring out a new machine. I've only just now mastered my camera...after a year.
Today wasn't terribly eventful. I woke up, had 3 cups of coffee for breakfast, went to the AYF office , got my new Time (YEAAAH) and found out I got a 1,4 for my IH class. That's roughly a 95%. Cool. But of course, none of this goes into my GPA. Bah.
Then I found out my Kunst Klausur grade, which wasn't nearly as impressive. But I think that will be severely curved. And, once again, none of this goes into my GPA. Phew.
As you can see, I have mixed feelings about this.
Oh Choir Concerts! I almost forgot.
They went pretty well. The one on Saturday night was the best, I think. The acoustics in the church we were in were amazing, which made it hard for everyone to hear each other. But we made more mistakes on Sunday, so they recorded the good concert.
It felt good to get up and sing, even though I am definitely not used to using a folder when I sing a choir concert. My heart and my wrist suffered. Yea, we got to sing more music, but I'd rather sing fewer songs really well. But hey, I'm in a different world. Quantity over quality round here, I guess.
However, flowy black pants are definitely a worldwife requirement for female choir directors. I remember being with my mom when she bought hers.
Christoph came on Saturday night and ended up being my only fan, which was so sweet of him. It made me feel very loved. I know Tom would have come, but he says classical music makes him sleepy, which I can understand.
I'm used to having a Fan Club that takes up half the audience, so this time around was a little different which was definitely ok. And Mom, I tried desperately to get a picture with my director afterward, but I couldn't find her. I figured that was a thing you would have done. I've learned this after roughly 293453 choir concerts with you and your camera.
Anyway, choir is over for the semester. And I definitely plan on singing with them next semester because the program says Purcell. I am very excited about this. You know you are a choir geek when Purcell gets you antsy to sight-read.
Dad gets here in 6 days. I am doing my best to get these papers conquered before that, but it's not looking good. For example, I spent last Friday at the library 7-10. You would be hard pressed to find another time in my life where I've ever been at the library on a Friday, much less at night. Then I was back there again tonight until close.
If you thought your college experience was hard, did you ever try to do it in another language? HUH?
Of course, I can also be put in my place, because I met some Japanese girl studying Advanced Macroeconomics in German.
Ah well. My first semester officially ends on Wednesday, so that'll be nice.
Alright this entry officially sucks. I've been trying to write lately but none of it's passing the test. I'll let this one fly just so you all can see what a failed entry looks like. It has no flow and I'm writing like I'm 13 again. But that's life, I guess.
But then again, how much excitement can you really expect from a girl who wants to make her own clothes and loves old English madrigals?
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