Tomorrow morning my group leaves for Frankfurt so we can fly to Tallinn (the capital of Estonia). Several days later, we fly to Berlin for a few days. We will finally return around the 3rd of February. During this time, my laptop will be in Freiburg and I will have limited internet access.
We're hoping that my two alarms (plus friend backup) will be sufficient to awaken me in time to catch the bus with plenty of time to spare. I've already packed and even have a list of stuff to grab and take with me this time. Hopefully I'll actually be able to use transportation successfully.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
This past weekend.
SATURDAY
One day, I will learn to work well with public transportation. Saturday was not that day. We had to be at the train station at 7:45, so my friends and I made plans to be at the tram station at 7:15. I set my alarm for 6:15. Plently of time. So when I'm awakened at 7:10 by my friend calling me to ask me to bring batteries for her camera, I panicked a bit. When she calls me in three minutes to tell me to run because the tram is leaving in five minutes and the next one doesn't come until 7:48, I really panic. I basically throw on enough clothes to leave the apartment respectably, grab the rest, grab my backpack and coat, and sprint to the tram. I made it with like one minute to spare. And when we get to the place where we're catching the bus to Heidelberg we wait for the later tram because so many people have missed the first one. Somehow I managed to bring with me my wallet, camera, cell phone, iPod, and pretty much everything I would have brought with me anyway. I was only lacking a book to read on the bus (and I even grabbed the batteries for Daria).
So we get to Heidelberg and head for the castle. It's gorgeous. You have great views of the city (proven with countless pictures that I'll link to) and the castle itself was really cool. We go into the wine cellar of the castle where we see this enormous wine keg. It's about 2.5 times my height. We all exclaim about how large it is, and then we go into the next room. And there we see a wine keg we can stand on. It's about as tall as a standard house. Don't worry, there are pictures.
Next we go to lunch (we pass a Hard Rock Cafe but decide on our trusty Turkish favorite, doner.) It's good, and then we go on our city tour. The guide is from Richmond and Georgia (the state). Her sister went to William and Mary, as it turns out. Small world. (Also in the realm of it being a small world, I was eating dinner at a friend's flat, and I was talking with his flatmate. His girlfriend went to UVa and she actually grew up and went to high school in Williamsburg. That's crazy.)
On the city tour, the coolest thing we see is the University of Heidelberg Studentenkarzer, the student jail. This was considered a right of passage for students at the university. They would be sent here for disturbing the neighbors, and after three days of bread and water only, they would be given regular meals, they could go to class, all of the normal things. There was graffiti all over the walls. These guys apparently had the time of their collective life here.
We then get pastries and hot chocolate and return home via bus.
SUNDAY: Perhaps even more epic than Saturday was.
I decided that since I can barely follow Mass without a missal (which is currently on its way to me) I was going to sleep in today. I woke up first at 7:45 (it figures), but I went back to sleep and rewoke at 9:30. I was going to "do homework" and then decide if I wanted to go to the festival in Umkirch later that day. I, shockingly, got very little homework done and decided to go to the festival anyway. We get on the tram and then wait for the bus. There are many curiously dressed people at the bus stop, and we clearly look like a bunch of Americans. We arrive at the festival and there are people in all sorts of strange costumes. This festival was originally to scare away the winter spirits so that spring could start. Kids were dressed up in Halloween costumes and they would get candy from the people parading down the street. The people parading down the street would also occasionally dump confetti on a person's head (and I mean a LOT of confetti). I also decided to try heisswein (hot wine). It's exactly as delicious as it sounds. It was pretty terrible. After watching the parade for about an hour and a half, we decided we were FREEZING and headed home.
I returned to my apartment to my Australian flatmate setting up for her Australia Day party. She was having the party for the approximately 10 Australians in Freiburg. I left for Daria's room to work on my study guide. I returned at around 10 pm to a party. It's really funny what music they love over here. They were all drunkenly screaming along to "Locomotion" as if it were the new pop hit. They would also do this to classic rock. I joined them for a bit before heading to bed. When I reawoke today around 7:30 they were still in her room listening to music. In college, that's what you call a champion. I had slept surprisingly well (better than the guys who live in our flat did, apparently.)
Heidelberg 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005266&l=b8b87&id=1222890044
Heidelberg 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005267&l=89a9d&id=1222890044
Heidelberg 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005269&l=e10a5&id=1222890044
the student jail: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005270&l=83fe9&id=1222890044
the festival: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005308&l=b888d&id=1222890044
One day, I will learn to work well with public transportation. Saturday was not that day. We had to be at the train station at 7:45, so my friends and I made plans to be at the tram station at 7:15. I set my alarm for 6:15. Plently of time. So when I'm awakened at 7:10 by my friend calling me to ask me to bring batteries for her camera, I panicked a bit. When she calls me in three minutes to tell me to run because the tram is leaving in five minutes and the next one doesn't come until 7:48, I really panic. I basically throw on enough clothes to leave the apartment respectably, grab the rest, grab my backpack and coat, and sprint to the tram. I made it with like one minute to spare. And when we get to the place where we're catching the bus to Heidelberg we wait for the later tram because so many people have missed the first one. Somehow I managed to bring with me my wallet, camera, cell phone, iPod, and pretty much everything I would have brought with me anyway. I was only lacking a book to read on the bus (and I even grabbed the batteries for Daria).
So we get to Heidelberg and head for the castle. It's gorgeous. You have great views of the city (proven with countless pictures that I'll link to) and the castle itself was really cool. We go into the wine cellar of the castle where we see this enormous wine keg. It's about 2.5 times my height. We all exclaim about how large it is, and then we go into the next room. And there we see a wine keg we can stand on. It's about as tall as a standard house. Don't worry, there are pictures.
Next we go to lunch (we pass a Hard Rock Cafe but decide on our trusty Turkish favorite, doner.) It's good, and then we go on our city tour. The guide is from Richmond and Georgia (the state). Her sister went to William and Mary, as it turns out. Small world. (Also in the realm of it being a small world, I was eating dinner at a friend's flat, and I was talking with his flatmate. His girlfriend went to UVa and she actually grew up and went to high school in Williamsburg. That's crazy.)
On the city tour, the coolest thing we see is the University of Heidelberg Studentenkarzer, the student jail. This was considered a right of passage for students at the university. They would be sent here for disturbing the neighbors, and after three days of bread and water only, they would be given regular meals, they could go to class, all of the normal things. There was graffiti all over the walls. These guys apparently had the time of their collective life here.
We then get pastries and hot chocolate and return home via bus.
SUNDAY: Perhaps even more epic than Saturday was.
I decided that since I can barely follow Mass without a missal (which is currently on its way to me) I was going to sleep in today. I woke up first at 7:45 (it figures), but I went back to sleep and rewoke at 9:30. I was going to "do homework" and then decide if I wanted to go to the festival in Umkirch later that day. I, shockingly, got very little homework done and decided to go to the festival anyway. We get on the tram and then wait for the bus. There are many curiously dressed people at the bus stop, and we clearly look like a bunch of Americans. We arrive at the festival and there are people in all sorts of strange costumes. This festival was originally to scare away the winter spirits so that spring could start. Kids were dressed up in Halloween costumes and they would get candy from the people parading down the street. The people parading down the street would also occasionally dump confetti on a person's head (and I mean a LOT of confetti). I also decided to try heisswein (hot wine). It's exactly as delicious as it sounds. It was pretty terrible. After watching the parade for about an hour and a half, we decided we were FREEZING and headed home.
I returned to my apartment to my Australian flatmate setting up for her Australia Day party. She was having the party for the approximately 10 Australians in Freiburg. I left for Daria's room to work on my study guide. I returned at around 10 pm to a party. It's really funny what music they love over here. They were all drunkenly screaming along to "Locomotion" as if it were the new pop hit. They would also do this to classic rock. I joined them for a bit before heading to bed. When I reawoke today around 7:30 they were still in her room listening to music. In college, that's what you call a champion. I had slept surprisingly well (better than the guys who live in our flat did, apparently.)
Heidelberg 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005266&l=b8b87&id=1222890044
Heidelberg 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005267&l=89a9d&id=1222890044
Heidelberg 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005269&l=e10a5&id=1222890044
the student jail: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005270&l=83fe9&id=1222890044
the festival: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2005308&l=b888d&id=1222890044
Sunday, January 25, 2009
i'll update soon
I have approximately 196 pictures waiting to be linked from facebook. Saturday, our German class took a field trip to Heidelberg. Sunday, we went to a carnival in a small town that was designed to "scare away winter" which was a little crazy. And last night, the Australian girl in my flat had a huge party for Australia Day. In short, there is a very long entry coming. I'm just not sure when it's coming.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
middle schoolers
Middle schoolers in Germany? Just as annoying as middle schoolers in the US. You can't understand what they're saying here, which can be either good or bad.
Things have been relatively boring here, since classes have started. German should be good--we took a field trip to several different grocery stores today so we could learn German words for food (and learn that baking soda doesn't exist here). The seminar will be enjoyable, if not entirely worthwhile. Yesterday we talked about nothing for an hour and THEN got started, and today it was only 20 minutes. Maybe it'll keep getting better.
Last night we tried to find our way to a bar near one of the other dorms. After an hour of wandering the streets of Freiburg, we made our way back to the tram stop and went home. It was quite disappointing. But an adventure nonetheless. The directions that Dave tried to give us included "go through the tunnel" and "when you see the mountain, turn left." Needless to say, they weren't very helpful.
We're going to Nice for spring break (which is Easter Weekend)! We're flying from Basel to Nice on Friday and returning on Monday evening. Now we have to look at hostels and that business. There are five of us going so far, me, Daria, Matt, Andrew, and Rachel. (I don't know that I had any pictures of her.) If we can find a sixth person it will make it much easier to book a hostel room. We'll see.
Things have been relatively boring here, since classes have started. German should be good--we took a field trip to several different grocery stores today so we could learn German words for food (and learn that baking soda doesn't exist here). The seminar will be enjoyable, if not entirely worthwhile. Yesterday we talked about nothing for an hour and THEN got started, and today it was only 20 minutes. Maybe it'll keep getting better.
Last night we tried to find our way to a bar near one of the other dorms. After an hour of wandering the streets of Freiburg, we made our way back to the tram stop and went home. It was quite disappointing. But an adventure nonetheless. The directions that Dave tried to give us included "go through the tunnel" and "when you see the mountain, turn left." Needless to say, they weren't very helpful.
We're going to Nice for spring break (which is Easter Weekend)! We're flying from Basel to Nice on Friday and returning on Monday evening. Now we have to look at hostels and that business. There are five of us going so far, me, Daria, Matt, Andrew, and Rachel. (I don't know that I had any pictures of her.) If we can find a sixth person it will make it much easier to book a hostel room. We'll see.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
wallet
I'd just like to take a short entry to gush about how perfect my wallet that I got from Buschie is. With both zippered pockets, I can separate my francs from my euros (including change), I have a pocket for my ID, and best of all, my cell phone that I got for over here fits in with my euros. It's awesome. I thought I should share it with the world.
Monday, January 19, 2009
picture
This is a picture of everyone who was on the train that had to stop in Schliengen. From left to right:
John (goes to Loyola Chicago, not "The John"), Andrew (a WM student too, who I hadn't met before this trip), Matt (generally the Matt I'll be talking about, other Matt is Matt Shoemaker), Daria (pronounced "Dair-ee-a"), me, Dave (goes to Penn State like a fifth of the group).
John (goes to Loyola Chicago, not "The John"), Andrew (a WM student too, who I hadn't met before this trip), Matt (generally the Matt I'll be talking about, other Matt is Matt Shoemaker), Daria (pronounced "Dair-ee-a"), me, Dave (goes to Penn State like a fifth of the group).
homework
So, we had our first classes today. They gave us the option of taking a slightly harder German 101, which I elected to take. I figure I'm not getting credit for the German anyway, and even if I were, I'd just be getting transfer credits, not credits towards my GPA. And I know a tiny bit of German (more than a bunch of people). So I'm in German 101 Section B, which is harder than A and C.
Then we had our seminar. The three people I've spent most of my time hanging out with (Andrew, Matt, and Daria) are all in B and I'm in A. When the director described how the groups (A-D) were divided up, B had the most IR experience, D was business people, C is those without IR experience, and B was a little less IR experience or the leftovers. I'm a little nervous about the people in my class. I was the only one who, when we were asked, knew who went to EU Summits (head of government and foreign minister from each member country). So I'm nervous that it won't be as hard or interesting as B would have been. I feel like it's arbitrary, because Andrew and I are both in the same department at the same school, and we're in different groups.
I'm also a little worried about who's in the class with me. There's "The Tom," the obnoxious guy who was in Freiburg last semester for the other Freiburg program who seems to get drunk a lot. There's also "The John," who just seems obnoxious. Luckily, though, "The John" seems to know his stuff. I'll take smart and obnoxious over obnoxious and a "funny guy" anyday. There just seem like there are a lot of personalities in the class that I don't feel like dealing with. We'll see how it goes. I have homework tonight for both classes, so that should be fun (not). Maybe I'll be better about doing homework this semester than I was last semester.
Then we had our seminar. The three people I've spent most of my time hanging out with (Andrew, Matt, and Daria) are all in B and I'm in A. When the director described how the groups (A-D) were divided up, B had the most IR experience, D was business people, C is those without IR experience, and B was a little less IR experience or the leftovers. I'm a little nervous about the people in my class. I was the only one who, when we were asked, knew who went to EU Summits (head of government and foreign minister from each member country). So I'm nervous that it won't be as hard or interesting as B would have been. I feel like it's arbitrary, because Andrew and I are both in the same department at the same school, and we're in different groups.
I'm also a little worried about who's in the class with me. There's "The Tom," the obnoxious guy who was in Freiburg last semester for the other Freiburg program who seems to get drunk a lot. There's also "The John," who just seems obnoxious. Luckily, though, "The John" seems to know his stuff. I'll take smart and obnoxious over obnoxious and a "funny guy" anyday. There just seem like there are a lot of personalities in the class that I don't feel like dealing with. We'll see how it goes. I have homework tonight for both classes, so that should be fun (not). Maybe I'll be better about doing homework this semester than I was last semester.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
dreary
I'm a little sad the Ravens lost. Joe Flacco still did something this season that no other rookie quarterback has done, ever, in winning two postseason games. So I guess I'll take it. I just hope we don't let Ray leave.
And it's supposed to rain today, just like it has either rained or snowed everyday since we've gotten here. I appreciate the sentiment, but at the same time, I'd love a dry day.
(PS: I'm totally wearing my Ravens sweatshirt today even though we lost.)
And it's supposed to rain today, just like it has either rained or snowed everyday since we've gotten here. I appreciate the sentiment, but at the same time, I'd love a dry day.
(PS: I'm totally wearing my Ravens sweatshirt today even though we lost.)
pictures
Pics from going to the bars our first Friday night
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004888&l=0edd5&id=1222890044
Pics from the Basel trip today
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004884&l=5b0a2&id=1222890044
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004888&l=0edd5&id=1222890044
Pics from the Basel trip today
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004884&l=5b0a2&id=1222890044
dodging bullets
Oh man. I had a hard time waking up today. I guess that's what happens when you go to bed at 2 am (after watching NCIS via skype!!) and expect to get up a little before 8. So I left my room a little after 8 and had to wait for the 8:17 tram to the center of town so I could go to Mass at the Münster, but I didn't know exactly where to go. I thought we passed it on the tram, so I got off when we passed what looked like a cathedral. It wasn't a cathedral, so I walked to the stop that the German woman had told me to get off at. I get there at like 8:45, and I follow an old woman into the Church. It turns out I don't know Mass as well as I thought I did. I'm looking for an English missal.
So in the process of rushing to church I forget to grab my passport to bring with me to Basel (just across the Swiss border). No big deal, Switzerland has open borders. I get to the train station after Mass and my friends aren't there yet--they missed the first train (none of us are ever on time to meet) and so it was looking like they were gonna be cutting it close and might not make the train. I went to buy a ticket from Auggen to Basel from the machine on Track 4, where the train leaves from, but it was broken, so I went to Track 3, thinking to maybe get the ticket from the machine there. I was over there for a while, and around 10:13, I decide to head back to Track 4 to wait for my friends. I get to the track and my friend Matt is shouting at me to get on the train. Apparently they had been calling my cell phone and shouting for me and knocking on the glass of the train and all sorts of things to get my attention on the next track. So I barely make the train and we head for Basel.
We can't actually get past Auggen without tickets to Basel (our tram pass covers the rest) and they clearly didn't buy tickets because the machine was broken on that track. So we get to Auggen and I look out the window and don't see hardly anything at all. I sorta freak out and think there won't be anything there. Meanwhile, we continue past Auggen, now riding illegally without tickets. Some of the guys with us get nervous and go to find a conductor so we can purchase tickets. The conductor tells us we'll have to get off at the next stop and buy tickets there.
We stop in Schliengen, a TINY town in the middle of nowhere. There's really like houses and nothing else there, and of COURSE nothing is open there, because it's Sunday. We start to wander the town (we have an hour until the next train) and then it starts to rain a bit. So we head back to the corrugated hut that is next to the train tracks and wait out the rain. There is graffiti on the tunnel to the other side of the tracks, including Garfield in Egypt. Picture links follow.
We finally get back on the train and head to Basel. We're all hungry and looking for a place to eat. Everything is really expensive, so they see a McDonald's and go to see how cheap it is. I've made it my personal vow not to eat McDonald's or drink Coke or Starbucks, but I go along because I've brought a croissant with me. Burgers are like 11 francs (comparable to a dollar) so we go back to this restaurant attached to a window vendor. The window isn't that expensive, so we go inside. It turns out to be an "American" restaurant, and sells pizza and hamburgers. We all get one or the other, and everything is at least 14 francs. It's absurdly priced. We complain to each other, we eat, we head out to explore the city.
We explore, we see the Münster, we see another church. It starts to rain and we keep walking. Daria and I consider stopping and just visiting this Egyptian museum, but decide against it, saying we can always come back. We end up walking in circles around this city and it starts pouring. We're on the other side of the city and we start our trek back to the train station. By the time we get there, we're all soaked through. Luckily I wore my rain jacket, but it was close to soaked through.
We get on the train, just glad to be heading home to watch the football game at the Irish pub (Eagles game for sure and maybe the Ravens game). I fall asleep listening to Secret Garden, and Daria wakes me up, the train stopped, and there are the politzei randomly checking for passports. I start silently freaking out a bit as everyone pulls out their passports and I figure to get my Uni. Freiburg ID and my MD driver's license (it's the best I can do). They guys were sitting in a group of four in front of me and Daria and they all pull theirs out to be inspected. The politzei spends a while looking at them, and he asks where they're from. Andrew says "America". the politzei replies "No, where you're coming from now." One of them then says "Freiburg," which I correct to "Basel" and the guy corrects himself. The politzei gives them back their passports and moves towards our row and Daria pulls out her passport and I pull out my only two IDs, and he just waves his hand and moves on. WHEW. Now I'm about to leave for football.
So in the process of rushing to church I forget to grab my passport to bring with me to Basel (just across the Swiss border). No big deal, Switzerland has open borders. I get to the train station after Mass and my friends aren't there yet--they missed the first train (none of us are ever on time to meet) and so it was looking like they were gonna be cutting it close and might not make the train. I went to buy a ticket from Auggen to Basel from the machine on Track 4, where the train leaves from, but it was broken, so I went to Track 3, thinking to maybe get the ticket from the machine there. I was over there for a while, and around 10:13, I decide to head back to Track 4 to wait for my friends. I get to the track and my friend Matt is shouting at me to get on the train. Apparently they had been calling my cell phone and shouting for me and knocking on the glass of the train and all sorts of things to get my attention on the next track. So I barely make the train and we head for Basel.
We can't actually get past Auggen without tickets to Basel (our tram pass covers the rest) and they clearly didn't buy tickets because the machine was broken on that track. So we get to Auggen and I look out the window and don't see hardly anything at all. I sorta freak out and think there won't be anything there. Meanwhile, we continue past Auggen, now riding illegally without tickets. Some of the guys with us get nervous and go to find a conductor so we can purchase tickets. The conductor tells us we'll have to get off at the next stop and buy tickets there.
We stop in Schliengen, a TINY town in the middle of nowhere. There's really like houses and nothing else there, and of COURSE nothing is open there, because it's Sunday. We start to wander the town (we have an hour until the next train) and then it starts to rain a bit. So we head back to the corrugated hut that is next to the train tracks and wait out the rain. There is graffiti on the tunnel to the other side of the tracks, including Garfield in Egypt. Picture links follow.
We finally get back on the train and head to Basel. We're all hungry and looking for a place to eat. Everything is really expensive, so they see a McDonald's and go to see how cheap it is. I've made it my personal vow not to eat McDonald's or drink Coke or Starbucks, but I go along because I've brought a croissant with me. Burgers are like 11 francs (comparable to a dollar) so we go back to this restaurant attached to a window vendor. The window isn't that expensive, so we go inside. It turns out to be an "American" restaurant, and sells pizza and hamburgers. We all get one or the other, and everything is at least 14 francs. It's absurdly priced. We complain to each other, we eat, we head out to explore the city.
We explore, we see the Münster, we see another church. It starts to rain and we keep walking. Daria and I consider stopping and just visiting this Egyptian museum, but decide against it, saying we can always come back. We end up walking in circles around this city and it starts pouring. We're on the other side of the city and we start our trek back to the train station. By the time we get there, we're all soaked through. Luckily I wore my rain jacket, but it was close to soaked through.
We get on the train, just glad to be heading home to watch the football game at the Irish pub (Eagles game for sure and maybe the Ravens game). I fall asleep listening to Secret Garden, and Daria wakes me up, the train stopped, and there are the politzei randomly checking for passports. I start silently freaking out a bit as everyone pulls out their passports and I figure to get my Uni. Freiburg ID and my MD driver's license (it's the best I can do). They guys were sitting in a group of four in front of me and Daria and they all pull theirs out to be inspected. The politzei spends a while looking at them, and he asks where they're from. Andrew says "America". the politzei replies "No, where you're coming from now." One of them then says "Freiburg," which I correct to "Basel" and the guy corrects himself. The politzei gives them back their passports and moves towards our row and Daria pulls out her passport and I pull out my only two IDs, and he just waves his hand and moves on. WHEW. Now I'm about to leave for football.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
:-D
I just watched an episode of NCIS via skype. TV in English=amazing. Plus, this means I can watch the football game tomorrow!! I'm so happy.
PS: what are the tv sites, Hope? because a lot of them don't work outside of the US
PS: what are the tv sites, Hope? because a lot of them don't work outside of the US
hiking
So I'm not a hiker. Who could have guessed?
We hiked the Black Forest today. I have pictures on facebook. They're viewable below (you don't need a facebook.)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004837&l=3aa3d&id=1222890044
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004838&l=b4687&id=1222890044
Basically, it's good, I'm sore, I'm running through money (Ikea, phone, power strip, etc). Oh, and I don't like beer, even in Germany. But I tried it!
We hiked the Black Forest today. I have pictures on facebook. They're viewable below (you don't need a facebook.)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004837&l=3aa3d&id=1222890044
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2004838&l=b4687&id=1222890044
Basically, it's good, I'm sore, I'm running through money (Ikea, phone, power strip, etc). Oh, and I don't like beer, even in Germany. But I tried it!
Friday, January 16, 2009
quick update
Have made friends, including the one other WM kid. It's hard learning names. I spoke two German sentences today (on my own!!) They were: Do you have more of this? and Do you have fat-free milk? It was so cool. More later.
what i wrote on the plane
7:14 pm
plane is supposed to take off
8:45 pm
We're sitting int he plane while they work to fix a starter valve on one of the plane's engines. Odds are, we'll change planes or the flight will be cancelled. Yippee. I have a splitting headache (no thanks to the crying babies and shouting two-year-old) and I need to be Alexandered like woah. I wonder if I can get some motrin from the flight crew. I'm also tired--> I'm ready for the jet lag but as a result I'm exhausted. I'm also hot (probably for the lats time in a while). Conclusion: I'm grumpy.
9:00 pm
It's going to be at least another hour. We're probably going to have to get off the plane.
10:15 pm
Well, we deplaned and then replaned about 10 minutes later. Three hours late. I found a seat away from the kids.
11:25 am
Just landed. Snow! -10 degrees Celsius. Snow!
plane is supposed to take off
8:45 pm
We're sitting int he plane while they work to fix a starter valve on one of the plane's engines. Odds are, we'll change planes or the flight will be cancelled. Yippee. I have a splitting headache (no thanks to the crying babies and shouting two-year-old) and I need to be Alexandered like woah. I wonder if I can get some motrin from the flight crew. I'm also tired--> I'm ready for the jet lag but as a result I'm exhausted. I'm also hot (probably for the lats time in a while). Conclusion: I'm grumpy.
9:00 pm
It's going to be at least another hour. We're probably going to have to get off the plane.
10:15 pm
Well, we deplaned and then replaned about 10 minutes later. Three hours late. I found a seat away from the kids.
11:25 am
Just landed. Snow! -10 degrees Celsius. Snow!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I will write an entry soon
Sorry guys, I've been busy with orientation and buying things like towels and power strips. I'm here, I'm safe, it's warmer here than it is in Williamsburg and Baltimore, I've met people, I've spoken a bit of German, I just saw a smart car, and to those of you who understand what this means: my dorm is like Fauquier, except no roommate and a bigger closet.
Friday, January 9, 2009
packing
I started packing today... and by packing, I do mean sorting stuff I intend to pack later. Conclusion reached: I have a lot of stuff. And a ton of medicine. I also have a lot of stuff that I don't use that just sits in my room in 406 that I'd like to take with me so that it's familiar. I doubt I'll have room, though. How in the world will everything I want to take fit in my suitcases.
In related news, my new backpack came in today!! I got one from Swiss Gear, the kind with the little Red Cross emblem on them. It has so many compartments; it's awesome. I decided that while I do love having a teal backpack with hibiscus flowers all over it, it wasn't so appropriate for Europe (or college in general, for that matter.) And it has so many compartments!
Since I decided I really shouldn't go down to Williamsburg today, I decided to watch TV all day while pretending to pack and then later do some real packing. I've swiftly come to love House. If I catch the beginning of the show, I can't stop watching it. I don't think it's the kind of show I would actively seek out, though.
I wonder if I could convince my family to buy me some iTunes episodes of TV shows while I'm gone. Because I love me some NCIS and some SVU, but I somehow don't think they'd be the same in German.
I picked out some new glasses today! I got them from that Doctor's VisionWorks place that's on the Avenue. (For those of you WM kids, the Avenue's like New Town, but less expensive.) They're pretty cool--if I ever have pictures, I'll upload them.
In related news, my new backpack came in today!! I got one from Swiss Gear, the kind with the little Red Cross emblem on them. It has so many compartments; it's awesome. I decided that while I do love having a teal backpack with hibiscus flowers all over it, it wasn't so appropriate for Europe (or college in general, for that matter.) And it has so many compartments!
Since I decided I really shouldn't go down to Williamsburg today, I decided to watch TV all day while pretending to pack and then later do some real packing. I've swiftly come to love House. If I catch the beginning of the show, I can't stop watching it. I don't think it's the kind of show I would actively seek out, though.
I wonder if I could convince my family to buy me some iTunes episodes of TV shows while I'm gone. Because I love me some NCIS and some SVU, but I somehow don't think they'd be the same in German.
I picked out some new glasses today! I got them from that Doctor's VisionWorks place that's on the Avenue. (For those of you WM kids, the Avenue's like New Town, but less expensive.) They're pretty cool--if I ever have pictures, I'll upload them.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Eurail Pass
I'm trying to figure out which Eurail pass I should buy. And I should buy it soon so I can get free shipping. So what I'm looking at is a limited pass, like 8 or 10 trips over a certain period. Countries I'm interested in include: Germany (obviously), France, Italy, "Benelux" (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg all count as one). Those are the main ones, and I can get a pass that gets me those four countries. I'd also like to see the rest of Europe, but I don't think I can afford to just whirl around the continent. I'm also looking into cheap flights around Europe. Mainly, I'm thinking about where I want to go and why. Like, I want to go to Italy so I can visit the Vatican (!!!), I want to go to France so I can go to Paris and then perhaps on to London. I'd also like to Amsterdam, and to Denmark (another country, mainly to go to Copenhagen).
If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it. Basically, how big of a pass should I get? What countries should I include?
If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it. Basically, how big of a pass should I get? What countries should I include?
Sunday, January 4, 2009
First post!
Hey everyone!! I figured I ought to start this blog since I leave in nine days. And besides, since everyone's at Sinfonicron, it's not like you all have anything better to do with your time. To give you all an update, I haven't started packing, planning what to pack, or buying stuff I'm going to need. I did get 100 euro for Christmas. I figure it's a start.
So you all know how awkward I am in real life, right? Don't expect this to be any better. Minimal improvements, maybe.
Current saga: Will I be able to watch the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl? They certainly will both start at or after midnight, but it's even the matter of finding television coverage. I will keep you posted.
PS: Sinfoni-love!! And 406 love!!
So you all know how awkward I am in real life, right? Don't expect this to be any better. Minimal improvements, maybe.
Current saga: Will I be able to watch the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl? They certainly will both start at or after midnight, but it's even the matter of finding television coverage. I will keep you posted.
PS: Sinfoni-love!! And 406 love!!
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