Around...

I am still in Eastern Europe...
I will be in Prague tomorrow...

I miss everyone...

2 Notes...

The days in Freiburg are passing me by too quickly. I have been already here for over a month. The snow has melted, but the sun really hasn't fully come out of it cocoon yet. The air is crisp and at times the mountains of the Black Feorrest sneak out of the shadows of the fog to say, "Hello." I find myself each day staring outside the window during my classes. All I want to do is to get to know the city a little bit better as each day goes by. The Freiburg streets are filled with laughter and the spirit of youth. I envy all those strangers strolling along the sidewalks. I wish I were part of this longer....

On another note, I am leaving tomorrow for two weeks. I will be going first to Budapest, then Krakow, Prague after that, and, lastly,Tallinn. I am soo excited!!! This is the first time I will be going to Eastern Europe. All these cities are located in some of the new annexed states of the EU. I will have my cell phone on me, but unfortunately, I don't think I will answer just because the phone rates are very expensive. I think, there is a better chance of anyone catching me via e-mail. I wish everyone the best, and I will see/talk to you in about two weeks. (I come back March 5th.) I am sooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!


I wanna fly away...

Keggel....

Last night I went out with my mentor and the some other people from my group. We went to a bar where they have Keggel. Keggel happens to be the German version of bowling except smaller and it only has 9 pins instead of 10. Ah, it was sooo much fun. Especially because people were making the balls bounce (which is not very good) from one lane to another. Thomas Staub, my mentor, invited us a couple of drinks (free German [dark] beer!!!) and some dessert. OMG, dessert was amazing. I had a freshly made crepe with chocolate and vanilla icecream, chocolate syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream!!! hahaha the calories keep on racking up. Of course, we also had to play men vs. women. There 4 guys and 3 of us. The men, not surprisingly, were saying, "Be ready to die. We'll kick your ass!!!" But as soon as they opened their mouths to say those words, we kicked their ASSES!!! We beat them and I am going to brag about it till the end of this month!!!!
After we came back, we went to Engelberger E (i live at Engelberger F) to celebrate my friend Andrew's 21st birthday. More cake, more icecream, more alcohol to drink!!! And did i get any work done, or did i study for my German test today? NOOOOOOO hahaha, i am so screwed. Ah, whatever!!!
Well, just 2 more days before i go, woot!!!

Damn Birds!!!

I have come to the conclusion that my sister Jessica is completely right to hate all avian species. Why am i soo for this now after so many years of opposing??? Well, the news is that yesterday, Germany confirmed its first cases of the H5N1 strain of BIRD FLU!!!!!! Omg, it's starting to get everywhere now. First, it was the mad cow disease, and now the chickens are getting it. I must say that i am not planning on going to the other side and becoming a vegetarian, or worst a vegan (*disclosure: i do not hate vegetarians/vegans.... some of them are my friends). It is hard to comes to terms with the realization that this epidemic is not so much third world any more. I also think there has been certain factors that have really hightened this to a whole new level. For example, an e-mail sent from my IES program to all the students of the my group. It reads:

Dear Students,

There have been cases of avian flu with swans at the German coast of the Baltic Sea.
We would like to ask you that you avoid direct contact any kind of poultry on your travels (live animal markets and poultry farms, as well as free-ranging or caged poultry).
The symptoms of the avian flu are respiratory infection, fever, body aches, possible nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, shivering and weakness. Vaccines against the avian flu are not yet available, as the new form of virus first needs to develop.
Thanks and take care

Take care??? Yeah i am sure that will totally prevent me from getting ill. I love how much they worry about us here. hahaha Also, CNN International does not help one bit of all. Every five seconds they play the headline: "Europe in Crisis." Once again, not helping. Well, maybe if i catch the bird flu i will grow some wings and then save alot of money by not having to buy airplane/train tickets, and by also switching to GEICO.

hahaha


Rubber Ducky
Whoo, whoo, whoo
Patito Lindo
Whoo, whoo, whoo
Sang by my lovely sister Christianne

Smashing Valendoom's Day!!!

Well, as it has been a tradition in the last 22 years of my life, I will once again spend Valentine's Day alone. But it's ok, I have grown accustomed to it, and why should i celebrate a holiday that was created by the Hallmark industry only to suck out more blood out of the souls of the consumers. (I say this, and yet, i still wish i had a Valentine....what can you say, at times i am consumer whore, i guess [und ich weiß, dass ich einen Valentine habe].) But that has nothing to do with it. Oh well....

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE

But the real news of today, is way better than any other thing in the world (ok, maybe not everything). I have recently discovered that the Smashing Pumpkins are currently working on the process of a REUNION!!!!! Yes, omg, i am lovin' this. (Germany has been great but without my Smashing Pumpkins Music i am suffering and slowly disintegrating away.) Oh God, you gotta love Billy Corgan's voice and the drums and the bass, and the... omg, this is too orgasmic to handle right now. *breather* lol I will await patiently for this gift from the gods of music. However, i am desperate to finally hear the Smashing Pumpkins play again after their 6year break up. Omg, and if there is a tour??? I DEFINATELY have to go. NO MATTER WHAT!?!?!?!?! Sign me up...


You can see the news here:

http://www.nme.com/news/smashing-pumpkins/20311


Today is the greatest
Day I ’ve ever known
Can’t live for tomorrow
Tomorrow’s much too long
I burn my eyes out
Before I get out
I wanted more
Than life could ever grant
Bored by the chore
Of saving face
Today is the greatest
Day I have ever known
Can’t wait for tomorrow
I might not have that long
I’ll tear my heart out
Before I get out
Pink ribbon scars
That never forget
I’ve tried so hard
To cleanse these regrets
My angel wings
Were bruised and restrained
My belly stings
Today is
Today is
Today is
The greatest day
That I have ever known
I want to turn you on
I want to turn you round
I want to turn you on
I want to turn you
Today is the greatest
Today is the greatest day
Today is the greatest day
That I have ever known
-Smashing Pumpkins, "Today"

Karnivale on 2/12/06

Yesterday, i was at Bad Saekingen at Karnivale. Karnivale is an annual tradition held in the middle of winter. In the old days people thought that winter was brought on by some ghosts, and so in response to these threatening ghosts, the people of the village decided to dress up as scary or as outrageous as possible in order to scare the ghosts of winter away. So, now to keep the tradition alive people hold parades around this time of year to remember. It was so much fun!!! It's like Halloween in the February. Also, if you are not wearing a charm around your neck, the witches and all the gobblings will attack. Of course, i didn't buy a charm so i was thrown confetti, hit about 3 times, my scarf was taken away, and this huge monster threw me on his back and I was like that for a couple of minutes. Hahaha!!! it was so much fun, and if i return to that again, i still won't buy a charm. Its much more fun being harrassed by these creatures!!!



You left too early
Didn't even say goodbye
You wrote rudely
"Don't call"
Didn't even say
"ich liebe dich"
the last 2 times
I am going overboard with this
just ignore it
I wish you best
Don't know when we will
talk again

Waving the flag...

Boo!!!!

Isn't she the cutest little tiger???

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is wine!!! He is preparing Gluewein.

It's hot wine with spices. It's great in the cold because it warms you up and of course after having seven of them in about 2 hours will also make you warm.

Marching around the streets. There were over 6,000 people in the parade!!!

Geneva

So I was at Geneva Switzerland the last couple of days. Beutiful city but I wish i would have been able to see more of it. i was mostly all the time in UN meetings!!!! Yeah!!!!! I am dead tired, but hope you enjoy the pics.

At the hotel....

Listening to one of the delegates answer my question....

The environment around the UN offices...

And of course, the UN flags

Change of Mind

Yeah, so my flatmates suck! Ok NOT all of them, just one in particular. You see there is this one flatmate of mine which I thought we were getting along great. He has been the one that I have had the most interaction with. We are always lauging and joking, and he's even asked me a couple of times if I want to go the Mounde Bar with him and some friends. So apparently, he hates me. Yeah, a friend of mine that lives on the second with one his best friends over heard him talking about me. He said that he didn't like because I am always asking for favors, asking for beers and cigarettes, and that I am too loud and crazy. Oh, and he also said that since my arrival he has been missing some beers. What?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

First of all, I might be a bit loud, but I am not a outrageously crazy girl that comes home at 5 in the a.m. and makes crazy noise...

2. I have never asked for a cigi. I don't even smoke!!!

3. Yes, I asked him for a beer once or twice, but I was joking. Apparently, this guy doesn't have any humor...

4. I don't even like beer. Why the hell would I take his? I love my hard liquor too much to reduce myself unto the life of a beer robber....

5. I have only been here a month and this guy feels that he can judge me already. And you know, it's not like he is at the flat the entire day so he can form this analytical and hypothetical assumption about me.

I just worry too much abou what people think. I just wish he would like me. It gets on my nerves that people can be such two-face. And the Germans say that us Amricans are so superficial... I guess we are not the only ones. ( Disclosure: I am not making any judgments about other Germans, I am just venting about this one in particular.) Oh well, he will be moving out this weekend, what do I care? I will have a new flatmate soon and I hope that he likes me better than this one...
*sigh*

Unproductive ist mein Name

This weekend went by so fast and I didn't do anything. I am afraid next weekend will be the same but it's ok because I will be coming back from Geneva. I really wish I could go up North around the outskirts of Hanover, but lack of resources has made me postpone this action until April or May. *sigh* Many of the students from the program went to Munich this weekend. My flatmates asked me why I didn't go.... I wasn't asked to join...
Oh well, I hope they had fun and hopefully I will get to go soon. I just wish I was here by myself without any other students. Like last time. But hey, at least I am here, and that is what really counts. I can't be complaining all the time about this and that. The good thing is that I am getting along very well with my flatmates. I love talking to them, and even though at times I feel embarrassed I try to speak really sloooow German to them. hahahaha.

Sex on the Beach is My New Favorite

Yeah, you heard right, but I am talking about the drink you little pervs. hahaha Well, i found this great discovery out last night due to my good friend Erica who introduced me to this new little friend of mine. So last night we went out to this bar called Glamour to celebrate a friends birthday. However, Glamour has every Wednesday night free drinks for girls from 9-11. and the cool thing is that they dont let boys in till 11. but you can imagine how it gets. it's like hunting for fish in a barrel. but after one mojito, two white russians, one marguerita, two sex on the beach, on three beers i was having quite some fun. and oh my goodness, my all time dream came true. i had a dance off with a complete stranger. this guy came up to me and said "you think you dance good." and so i said, "Bring it!" i SWEAR we had a freaking dance off. there was a huge circle around us and they were yelling out "ohhhh" "ouch" "damn". but guess who one....
MOI!!!! oh my gosh it was so much fun but the best part other than the dance off is the allllll the free drinks!!! till then... keep on dancing

A Few Pictures of Freiburg

Since it's Germany of course you need the official and national mode of transportation. THE BICYCLE!!! I was once told that they are the Silent Killers. And I totally agree.

And of course what would Germany be without the Turkish Döner and Falafel restaurants all over the place. Aha, and you thought Falafels were Greek. Not!!! Those Greeks got you good!!!

This is the church I pass to go to school, and I also attend services at times there.

The Blue Bridge: I cross this bridge each day to go to school. Only bicycles and pedestrians are allowed to use the bridge. I swear one day I am going to get ran over by one of them.