Tuesday, September 26, 2006
In brief
So, I would like to show you lots of pictures of the crazy time I had in Munich, and of the beautiful cathedral in Cologne, but someone stole my camera. That is all. Now I am still mad, and feeling somewhat irresponsible. Oh well. I still got wayyyyy drunk and had a huge deal of fun. More later, maybe.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Travelling 1
Right now, I am sitting in the train station in Brussels, awaiting my train at 14:28 for Cologne, and bored as hell because I had to wait two hours because I got off of my original train because I couldn't find my seat, which was really easy to find all along except for the fact that I had thought my seat was 01 when it was actually 098. In any case, it's a long and confusing story, but suffice it to say changing trains is really easy and convenient.
In any case, this is the life of the traveller, I guess. I've been in Europe for 5 days now, and in that time I've gone from Paris to Brussels and spent three days in Brussels. That was a fun experience, especially because I got to spend most of my time trying to figure out how to find things, until eventually I got to know my way around. I almost feel like I lived in Brussels now. I mean, I sort of did, for three days. In any case, some highlights:
My first day was sort of dull. I explored the Grand Place and the Bourse area, which are mostly one big tourist trap, as evidenced by the numerous stores selling souvenirs and the twenty or so groups of about 50 high school students or elderly retirees. It was fun, that day, to learn how well I know French and to see how well I come across as French. Especially interesting was the train ride, during which the man next to me, an American, couldn't tell until I spoke English that I wasn't in fact French. This happened a few other times when I was buying a ticket or ordering at a restaurant, when someone would first speak to me in French. Most of the time I could get by without a problem. Reasurring, I guess.
My second day I decided to actually go see something, so I went to the Parc de Bruxelles, the park that sits in front of the royal palace. A picture of the park is at left. I have some pictures of the palace too, but I'll save those until later, maybe. Or post them on facebook. Whatever works.
Anyway, after the park, I rode the metro out to the atomium, famed building from the 1958 world's fair. It's quite an amazing building to see, maybe worth the 6 euros it costs a student to get in, and definitely a tourist trap. Despite all that, it was probably the highlight of my time here, since I got to see the views from up high and just relax for a second. See the photo below:
And for my third day, I pretty much just relaxed, having lunch at a restaurant that had a really good flavored beer, and spending my evening resting and relaxing. So, that brings us to today, and to my trip to Cologne. Hopefully I'll be able to update on that soon. For now, Reo out!
In any case, this is the life of the traveller, I guess. I've been in Europe for 5 days now, and in that time I've gone from Paris to Brussels and spent three days in Brussels. That was a fun experience, especially because I got to spend most of my time trying to figure out how to find things, until eventually I got to know my way around. I almost feel like I lived in Brussels now. I mean, I sort of did, for three days. In any case, some highlights:
My first day was sort of dull. I explored the Grand Place and the Bourse area, which are mostly one big tourist trap, as evidenced by the numerous stores selling souvenirs and the twenty or so groups of about 50 high school students or elderly retirees. It was fun, that day, to learn how well I know French and to see how well I come across as French. Especially interesting was the train ride, during which the man next to me, an American, couldn't tell until I spoke English that I wasn't in fact French. This happened a few other times when I was buying a ticket or ordering at a restaurant, when someone would first speak to me in French. Most of the time I could get by without a problem. Reasurring, I guess.
My second day I decided to actually go see something, so I went to the Parc de Bruxelles, the park that sits in front of the royal palace. A picture of the park is at left. I have some pictures of the palace too, but I'll save those until later, maybe. Or post them on facebook. Whatever works.Anyway, after the park, I rode the metro out to the atomium, famed building from the 1958 world's fair. It's quite an amazing building to see, maybe worth the 6 euros it costs a student to get in, and definitely a tourist trap. Despite all that, it was probably the highlight of my time here, since I got to see the views from up high and just relax for a second. See the photo below:
And for my third day, I pretty much just relaxed, having lunch at a restaurant that had a really good flavored beer, and spending my evening resting and relaxing. So, that brings us to today, and to my trip to Cologne. Hopefully I'll be able to update on that soon. For now, Reo out!
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Escape is not an option
Being home is so amazing. I mean, in the initial rush of everything, I really only have time right now to remember how much I missed everyone down south, and I feel like come my departure, I might hit tears at some point because of all the emotion that will hit me when I realize how many people and how many places I'm leaving behind. I'm in such a flurry right now, juggling seeing everyone and getting prep'd to go (which will eventually include packing) and just generally getting adjusted to the new life that is rapidly approaching in under one week. I mean, come this time next week, it will be 8:38 in the morning and I will be waking up in Paris! AHHHH!!!!
So, to be honest, I'm filled with so much hope and confidence and excitement to go to Paris and so much doubt and fear and confusion at what I'm leaving behind that it's just too much to handle anything else. Had a great Thursday-into-Friday...Jason and I went up to visit Vincent at his new apartment in Upland. The highlight was probably the, I think we determined, four-and-a-half hour conversation Vincent and I had from 11:30-4 last night - a conversation that was epic in proportion and reminded me of the types of conversations we used to have as teenagers riding home from school, the conversations that really cemented our friendship. One thing has changed, though - I think at this point both of us are really much much much more open to listening to what the other has to say, because we know how much we each have been through and we've been through it all together. I'm so grateful to have that. It sounds corny, yes, but I am grateful.
In other news, I finished just about the greatest novel I've read this year - Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. I don't think that since A Home at the End of the World have I read a novel with characters I can so directly identify with and that I can so view as completely human and come to life. Middlesex had that quality for me too, and (ironically) Pride and Prejudice. I don't know how these authors do it, and I know that it's probably a pretty unique thing for each person and that different characters become real to different people, but wow. It's like reading about yourself, which makes the failures of the main characters that much harder to take and makes their successes so much more thrilling and relieving. It's almost like someone had said to you, "Here is a glimpse into your future - here's where you'll learn about heartbreak, here's where you'll find your self-confidence, here's where you'll grow up," and you just read along, astonished at how much of the past the tale has predicted and worried a little about the mistakes you're going to make in the future. Anyway, if you haven't already read it (I mean, c'mon, it won the Pulitzer - where have you been? where have I been?) I highly highly recommend it.
Yes, well, that said, it's 11:48 PM, and I need to go to bed to get ready to see my dad tomorrow and perhaps to reveal to him some big news (I mean, the chances are getting rarer and rarer). So, I hope everyone is as excited about what lies ahead as I am, and I bid you a humble and appreciative adieu. Until next time...when, it is entirely possible, I could be somewhere in Europe!
So, to be honest, I'm filled with so much hope and confidence and excitement to go to Paris and so much doubt and fear and confusion at what I'm leaving behind that it's just too much to handle anything else. Had a great Thursday-into-Friday...Jason and I went up to visit Vincent at his new apartment in Upland. The highlight was probably the, I think we determined, four-and-a-half hour conversation Vincent and I had from 11:30-4 last night - a conversation that was epic in proportion and reminded me of the types of conversations we used to have as teenagers riding home from school, the conversations that really cemented our friendship. One thing has changed, though - I think at this point both of us are really much much much more open to listening to what the other has to say, because we know how much we each have been through and we've been through it all together. I'm so grateful to have that. It sounds corny, yes, but I am grateful.
In other news, I finished just about the greatest novel I've read this year - Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. I don't think that since A Home at the End of the World have I read a novel with characters I can so directly identify with and that I can so view as completely human and come to life. Middlesex had that quality for me too, and (ironically) Pride and Prejudice. I don't know how these authors do it, and I know that it's probably a pretty unique thing for each person and that different characters become real to different people, but wow. It's like reading about yourself, which makes the failures of the main characters that much harder to take and makes their successes so much more thrilling and relieving. It's almost like someone had said to you, "Here is a glimpse into your future - here's where you'll learn about heartbreak, here's where you'll find your self-confidence, here's where you'll grow up," and you just read along, astonished at how much of the past the tale has predicted and worried a little about the mistakes you're going to make in the future. Anyway, if you haven't already read it (I mean, c'mon, it won the Pulitzer - where have you been? where have I been?) I highly highly recommend it.
Yes, well, that said, it's 11:48 PM, and I need to go to bed to get ready to see my dad tomorrow and perhaps to reveal to him some big news (I mean, the chances are getting rarer and rarer). So, I hope everyone is as excited about what lies ahead as I am, and I bid you a humble and appreciative adieu. Until next time...when, it is entirely possible, I could be somewhere in Europe!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
A climax, of sorts...
So, it's Labor Day Weekend, and, for once I can actually say that summer is really ending on Labor Day weekend. You know, most of my life (at least my recent life), I've started school before or way after Labor Day, so I'm not used to it actually meaning the end of summer. But this year I finished work yesterday and am moving off campus tomorrow (hopefully), so Labor Day Weekend is truly the end of what was my summer.
I guess it would be nice if I could reflect on the summer at this point, but, well, I'm not going to do that. I mean, my jobs were good, I learned a great deal in both cases, and now I'm done with them. Living on campus was great, though not as social as living on campus during the year (or, for that matter, in any undergrad residence except Mirrielees). I had some good times, had some trying times, am still sort of stressing about my impending departure, and am ready to end the summer for good.
That said, I am glad to have made the decision to stay on campus this summer. I regret not getting the chance to see my friends around Orange County as much as I would have liked, but absence makes the heart grow stronger as they say. So cliche. Olay! But yeah, it was fun, and, you know, I really fit a bit better in the Bay Area than I do in Orange County. It's come to feel so much more homely, so much more comfortable. It's only been two years, so I guess it's about time. Now I know how long it takes me to warm up to a place. I am Bay Area now, unfortunately, and fortunately, and Orange County is slowly fading into my past. Of course, as always, it's really the people from a place who matter, and the people from Orange County are what truly mean the most to me. The place - well, you have to admit, it's sort of boring. It has it's nice features, but not as many as a place like the Bay Area or Paris or New York. I guess I'm just more cosmopolitan than I would have thought. Such is youth.
Anyway, I decided to donate blood today, before I quickly become ineligible (either because I've been in France for six months or for other reasons which would more permanently bar me from donating). I'm glad to have done it - at least I can say I once gave blood now. Who knows if I'll ever be able to again. It's kind of a freaky feeling. Frustrating, you know, when you want to help out, but when you're told you're ineligible because you once had sex. Oh well.
And in the end, the summer is making a nice little conclusion of itself. I look forward to two weeks in Orange County, and to my 11 hour flight to Paris, and to a few days in Brussels and a few in Madrid and/or London, and to meeting my host mother, and to meeting French people, and to meeting new people in general, and to whatever life brings me. Here we go again!
I guess it would be nice if I could reflect on the summer at this point, but, well, I'm not going to do that. I mean, my jobs were good, I learned a great deal in both cases, and now I'm done with them. Living on campus was great, though not as social as living on campus during the year (or, for that matter, in any undergrad residence except Mirrielees). I had some good times, had some trying times, am still sort of stressing about my impending departure, and am ready to end the summer for good.
That said, I am glad to have made the decision to stay on campus this summer. I regret not getting the chance to see my friends around Orange County as much as I would have liked, but absence makes the heart grow stronger as they say. So cliche. Olay! But yeah, it was fun, and, you know, I really fit a bit better in the Bay Area than I do in Orange County. It's come to feel so much more homely, so much more comfortable. It's only been two years, so I guess it's about time. Now I know how long it takes me to warm up to a place. I am Bay Area now, unfortunately, and fortunately, and Orange County is slowly fading into my past. Of course, as always, it's really the people from a place who matter, and the people from Orange County are what truly mean the most to me. The place - well, you have to admit, it's sort of boring. It has it's nice features, but not as many as a place like the Bay Area or Paris or New York. I guess I'm just more cosmopolitan than I would have thought. Such is youth.
Anyway, I decided to donate blood today, before I quickly become ineligible (either because I've been in France for six months or for other reasons which would more permanently bar me from donating). I'm glad to have done it - at least I can say I once gave blood now. Who knows if I'll ever be able to again. It's kind of a freaky feeling. Frustrating, you know, when you want to help out, but when you're told you're ineligible because you once had sex. Oh well.
And in the end, the summer is making a nice little conclusion of itself. I look forward to two weeks in Orange County, and to my 11 hour flight to Paris, and to a few days in Brussels and a few in Madrid and/or London, and to meeting my host mother, and to meeting French people, and to meeting new people in general, and to whatever life brings me. Here we go again!
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