Monday: Long day spent listening to cultural exchange presentations. We were put into groups with two or three EPHEC, a business school at Alma, students. Mine went well, and since we're not being graded, it went great. I tried to correct some grammar mistakes made by the EPHEC students just putting the French version of their paper through a translation program, but they didn't seem to get some of them. It's maple syrup, not syrup of maple. My one problem, which a lot of us have voiced, is that I felt like I was back in high school. The school has actual bells to tell people when to go to class, not a sound I'm used to anymore, they're rude to their professors, talk during presentations. Just disappointing on the whole. Then we went to French class which was a barrel of laughs, as always.
Tuesday: Internship. I...ah...checked my CSW email...and did some reading for EU Seminar 1...and watched some Daily Show clips. Yeah, not much to do. European Security seminar that evening, more Balkans. Problem is that Jamie jumps around, so I've a feeling I'll need to do some reading on the Balkan history before the test to get everything straight.
Wednesday: Actual stuff to do at the internship-researching parliamentary questions for answers. More reading for EU Seminar 1, for the test on Friday.
Thursday: Class day. Defense Economics, European Security Seminar, EU Seminar 2. Studying for the test.
Friday: EU Seminar I midterm. Wasn't terrible. The rest of the day was spent back at the house, not doing much of anything.
Saturday: Morning/most of the afternoon spent at school in the hallway to use the Internet, as it's faster here and I'll trade speed for the comfort of home. Church.
Tomorrow's activities will be included in the super long post about Fall Break, which we are currently enjoying. Oh, and I made another album on Facebook for those family members interested, i.e. Mum, as Mini Europe dominates the album. :) Well, I'm off to Italy tomorrow. Land of temperatures projected to be in the 70s, gelato, pizza, old buildings, and...other stuff.
28 October 2006
23 October 2006
Last Weekend Before Fall Break
Thursday: Class day, EU Seminar II, Defense Economics, EU Seminar 1. Lotsa economics and such.
Friday: Free day! I went to the Museum of Musical Instruments by the Royal Palace. It was awesome! Lots of instruments and headphones came with the ticket and played music done by the instrument in front of you. Pretty building too. Then I did assorted Brussels/EU gear shopping I'd put off. Really just got 2 t-shirts.
Saturday: Day of wandering around the Grand Place and Rue Neuve, the main shopping street, with Sara and Erofile. It was pretty fun. And educational. I helped Sara pick out an outfit for her boyfriend. We were going for the urban but not gangster look. While avoiding blue. It was pretty fun. :) For dinner I went to the Lebanese place around the corner from host family's house with Sara, Erofile, Erin, and Sarah Brown and her friend Laura. We were there for about three hours just talking and eating Mediterranean food. Yummy!
Sunday: Sara's birthday! Happy 20th! We went to Mini Europe which is like Splendid China only an EU propaganda machine and yet subtle. It has models of landmarks from every EU member country including a huge Houses of Parliament, the Grand Place, the Brandenburg Gate complete with a small Berlin wall which is being torn down (very cool). Since I took pictures of, oh, everything, expect another album on Facebook quite soon. The Laysons had a nice dinner for Sara, curry chicken which certainly cleared out my sinuses and a very good chocolate icing layer cake partially made with shredded almonds.
It was a good weekend but this week is going to be filled with research for papers and studying for the EU Seminar 1 test on Friday. But Fall Break is next week! Less than a week until I'm in Italy! Ciao!
Friday: Free day! I went to the Museum of Musical Instruments by the Royal Palace. It was awesome! Lots of instruments and headphones came with the ticket and played music done by the instrument in front of you. Pretty building too. Then I did assorted Brussels/EU gear shopping I'd put off. Really just got 2 t-shirts.
Saturday: Day of wandering around the Grand Place and Rue Neuve, the main shopping street, with Sara and Erofile. It was pretty fun. And educational. I helped Sara pick out an outfit for her boyfriend. We were going for the urban but not gangster look. While avoiding blue. It was pretty fun. :) For dinner I went to the Lebanese place around the corner from host family's house with Sara, Erofile, Erin, and Sarah Brown and her friend Laura. We were there for about three hours just talking and eating Mediterranean food. Yummy!
Sunday: Sara's birthday! Happy 20th! We went to Mini Europe which is like Splendid China only an EU propaganda machine and yet subtle. It has models of landmarks from every EU member country including a huge Houses of Parliament, the Grand Place, the Brandenburg Gate complete with a small Berlin wall which is being torn down (very cool). Since I took pictures of, oh, everything, expect another album on Facebook quite soon. The Laysons had a nice dinner for Sara, curry chicken which certainly cleared out my sinuses and a very good chocolate icing layer cake partially made with shredded almonds.
It was a good weekend but this week is going to be filled with research for papers and studying for the EU Seminar 1 test on Friday. But Fall Break is next week! Less than a week until I'm in Italy! Ciao!
19 October 2006
Internship Days
Tuesday: Fought the wireless computer at work to do some research on UN conventions, finally managed it, sort of, but I played a lot of solitare waiting for it to connect. But I got to make a huge list of un convention signatories and color coded EU countries, accession countries, and EFTA countries. Sorta fun. Went to AUBC for a Jamie optional session but he didn't make it so we all just hung out for about an hour and a half and I read about 98 pages of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Odd book, but I'm sure it'd make more sense in the movie. I hope.
Wednesday: Sent out over 60 emails about Colombia to a couple Parliament committees, the Commission, and the Council. Got a nice reply from one of them! :) Called me Mrs. Koons though, but how could the MEP know I'm only 20? *shrug* Did some more UN conventin research and watched some Daily Show and Colbert Report over lunch. I was on a better computer, nicer even.
Not much else going on. Weather is still spastic, sunny and rainy, cold yet warm in the sun. Go figure. It feels a bit like fall though, which is nice. :)
Wednesday: Sent out over 60 emails about Colombia to a couple Parliament committees, the Commission, and the Council. Got a nice reply from one of them! :) Called me Mrs. Koons though, but how could the MEP know I'm only 20? *shrug* Did some more UN conventin research and watched some Daily Show and Colbert Report over lunch. I was on a better computer, nicer even.
Not much else going on. Weather is still spastic, sunny and rainy, cold yet warm in the sun. Go figure. It feels a bit like fall though, which is nice. :)
16 October 2006
Last Week and Academic Field Trip 2-Luxembourg and Maastricht
Monday: Long class day with two EU Seminar 1 lectures and a European Security thing with Jamie Shea. Oh, and French. Learned some vocabulary...and such.
Tuesday: Internship day. Wrote some summaries of reports on life in a couple countries. It's not fun to live in either Sudan or Colombia these days.
Wednesday: More internship stuff. Some research on Council press releases for countries CSW cares about. Met the bus at 7 for the trip to Luxembourg. I got there early and everything and then...I realized I forgot my camera. So, any and all pictures you see on Facebook are not mine. I'll try to credit where they're all from. So, frustration set in on the trip right at the beginning.
Thursday: Long day in Luxembourg. Went to Court of Justice for speakers. We were supposed to watch a hearing but it got cancelled on us. Anyway, it was interesting and we got stuff from them. Pamphlets and the like. Then we did a city tour led by Jerry which was pretty cool then we were let loose on our own. I really liked the Cathedral, I think it might even be my favorite so far. The city was quite small, but pretty.
Friday: Tour of the casemates, really long tunnels and such that went under the fortresses on the cliff things. Had openings for cannons and such. We then went to the European Investment Bank. Kinda dry but a very informative and sorta interesting. We then drove to Maastricht.
Saturday: Maastricht! New city, new country. First time in the Netherlands for me. We went to the caves of St. Pietersburg. Really extensive system of tunnels made by stone miners, the stone is softer underground and hardens up outside so it's good for building. It's very pure air and always 50 degrees but has no electric lighting so we used kerosene lamps. We even went through a small section for the "extreme" experience- in the dark with no light whatsoever. So we felt along the walls until we got to the guide and the lamps. I have such a new appreciation for being blind-I don't like it. We then went on a guided city tour. Saw some churches, old buildings, the building where the Maastricht Treaty was signed, linking the city to our classes. We then had free time so I walked around to find souvenirs and found some. :)
Sunday: Bus ride to Tongeren, tried to go to the history museum but it was closed due to construction. So we walked around the antiques market which is massive and sometimes has scary dead animals. But lots of chandeliers, randomly. Then on to Leuven for a Jerry tour of the university and city. Fifth oldest in Europe, you know. Catholic too. Lotsa churches and religious figures as buildings. Saint's body's there too. Damian, he worked with lepers in Hawaii and was cannonized in the 90s. Then back to Brussels. Did laundry and used host family's wireless for the first time!! So family, I can Skype from home now! Woot.
Monday: EU Seminar 2, Defense Economics, EU Seminar 2. Competition Policy, Procurement, and the Budget. Very interesting. Sure.
Tuesday: Internship day. Wrote some summaries of reports on life in a couple countries. It's not fun to live in either Sudan or Colombia these days.
Wednesday: More internship stuff. Some research on Council press releases for countries CSW cares about. Met the bus at 7 for the trip to Luxembourg. I got there early and everything and then...I realized I forgot my camera. So, any and all pictures you see on Facebook are not mine. I'll try to credit where they're all from. So, frustration set in on the trip right at the beginning.
Thursday: Long day in Luxembourg. Went to Court of Justice for speakers. We were supposed to watch a hearing but it got cancelled on us. Anyway, it was interesting and we got stuff from them. Pamphlets and the like. Then we did a city tour led by Jerry which was pretty cool then we were let loose on our own. I really liked the Cathedral, I think it might even be my favorite so far. The city was quite small, but pretty.
Friday: Tour of the casemates, really long tunnels and such that went under the fortresses on the cliff things. Had openings for cannons and such. We then went to the European Investment Bank. Kinda dry but a very informative and sorta interesting. We then drove to Maastricht.
Saturday: Maastricht! New city, new country. First time in the Netherlands for me. We went to the caves of St. Pietersburg. Really extensive system of tunnels made by stone miners, the stone is softer underground and hardens up outside so it's good for building. It's very pure air and always 50 degrees but has no electric lighting so we used kerosene lamps. We even went through a small section for the "extreme" experience- in the dark with no light whatsoever. So we felt along the walls until we got to the guide and the lamps. I have such a new appreciation for being blind-I don't like it. We then went on a guided city tour. Saw some churches, old buildings, the building where the Maastricht Treaty was signed, linking the city to our classes. We then had free time so I walked around to find souvenirs and found some. :)
Sunday: Bus ride to Tongeren, tried to go to the history museum but it was closed due to construction. So we walked around the antiques market which is massive and sometimes has scary dead animals. But lots of chandeliers, randomly. Then on to Leuven for a Jerry tour of the university and city. Fifth oldest in Europe, you know. Catholic too. Lotsa churches and religious figures as buildings. Saint's body's there too. Damian, he worked with lepers in Hawaii and was cannonized in the 90s. Then back to Brussels. Did laundry and used host family's wireless for the first time!! So family, I can Skype from home now! Woot.
Monday: EU Seminar 2, Defense Economics, EU Seminar 2. Competition Policy, Procurement, and the Budget. Very interesting. Sure.
09 October 2006
Glorious Weekend of Nothingness
Well....almost nothing.
Friday: Actually a bit productive but slept for oh, 10 or so hours? At least. I met with my cultural exchange group to talk about US food. Then went for confession as I missed Mass last weekend due to the trip. Then I went back to the house to relax and play the Sims and watch some downloaded TV shows.
Saturday: Went to campus to the use the Internet in the afternoon, went to Mass at a church on Rue Neuve, played Sims.
Sunday: Played Sims, oh, all day. Other random stuff of no consequence.
So really, not productive at all. It was very relaxing. I'll make up for it this next weekend because we're going to Luxembourg and Maastricht. So, short entry because nothing much happened. :)
Friday: Actually a bit productive but slept for oh, 10 or so hours? At least. I met with my cultural exchange group to talk about US food. Then went for confession as I missed Mass last weekend due to the trip. Then I went back to the house to relax and play the Sims and watch some downloaded TV shows.
Saturday: Went to campus to the use the Internet in the afternoon, went to Mass at a church on Rue Neuve, played Sims.
Sunday: Played Sims, oh, all day. Other random stuff of no consequence.
So really, not productive at all. It was very relaxing. I'll make up for it this next weekend because we're going to Luxembourg and Maastricht. So, short entry because nothing much happened. :)
05 October 2006
Internship Days and Class Day
Tuesday: Did some research for CSW then went to the International Trade Committee meeting to take notes. The European Parliament has a couple really nice buildings. It was pretty cool if not the most interesting thing in the world.
Wednesday: Long day at Parliament again. Went to the Foreign Affairs committee which was more interesting than the Trade one. I got to hear/see Javier Solana address them too. :) For those of you not versed in EU stuff, he's the Secretary General of the Council and the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, thus an important person. He was on our first test too, thus it was doubly cool.
Thursday: EU Seminar II test, ugh. I dislike economics. European Security seminar, Defense Economics seminar, nothing!
We've entered the Belgium weather phase of the semester it seems. It's cold, been kinda rainy and the high for the next six days isn't going to get above 65 degrees. And my nose is rebelling. Of course. Because it's been nice so why not hate Jennifer now. *rolls eyes* I plan to hole up for the next few days and relax. It'll be fun. =)
Wednesday: Long day at Parliament again. Went to the Foreign Affairs committee which was more interesting than the Trade one. I got to hear/see Javier Solana address them too. :) For those of you not versed in EU stuff, he's the Secretary General of the Council and the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, thus an important person. He was on our first test too, thus it was doubly cool.
Thursday: EU Seminar II test, ugh. I dislike economics. European Security seminar, Defense Economics seminar, nothing!
We've entered the Belgium weather phase of the semester it seems. It's cold, been kinda rainy and the high for the next six days isn't going to get above 65 degrees. And my nose is rebelling. Of course. Because it's been nice so why not hate Jennifer now. *rolls eyes* I plan to hole up for the next few days and relax. It'll be fun. =)
02 October 2006
Very Good News
I've been accepted to King's College in London for Spring 2007!!! I've been provisionally allocated Greek Philosophy and Epistemology and Metaphysics. So, today is a good day! This was all pretty fast too, only took a couple weeks I think as the date on the acceptance letter attached to the email was September 28th. So, yay! A good day.
Academic Field Trip 1-Stasbourg and Trier
Monday: Class day as well as meeting with my group from one of the schools here on the UCL campus. Our topic is food, showing the differences between Belgium and the US. It's a cultural exchange...should be interesting, I hope.
Tuesday: No internship, everyone's traveling. First test here in Brussels...EU Seminar I, as in the three major institutions, history, and legislative procedures. As in, a lot of stuff. I think I did okay...I'll find out at the end of this next class.
Wednesday: Packing, got October's abonnement, productive for about two hours then played the Sims until I left to meet the bus. We drove to St. Avold as a halfway point to Strasbourg that night.
Thursday: Busy day. Walking tour of Strasbourg, saw the Clock do it's thing in the Cathedral, went to European Parliament, listened to Peter Stasny talk about being an MEP, hotel, dinner out in Strasbourg on our own. I had a regional thing for dinner: Choucroute Alsace (I think that's how it's spelled): basically a base of sauerkraut with five different kinds of meat on top. Quite good if a bit pricy which was alleviated by splitting it with another girl on the program. For complete explanations of the clock, a picture is needed so wait for the album on Facebook.
Friday: Another busy day. Went to the Council of Europe (the human rights organization that has 46 members and includes countries like Turkey and Russia whereas the EU does not), went into Alsace to Riquewehr to see a town with mostly a German influence over the centuries, toured the Koenigsbourg castle, back to Strasbourg. For dinner I had another regional dish: tarte flambee, basically a pizza like thing with a thin cream-ish layer, onions and bits of ham. Also quite good.
Saturday: Off to Trier. Long walking tour to see all the old Roman stuff: part of a gate, the Cathedral which has 5 different architectural styles, Constantine's (yes, that guy) throne hall (which interestingly enough is now a Protestant church), the Roman baths and the best preserved sewer system outside Rome, and the amphitheater where people died and gladiators fought. And yes, I can now say I have been bar hopping. So, it was two bars, but whatever. And I didn't drink anything, of course. But I turned it into a sociological study (nerdy, I know). Apparently going to bars means you a) drink, b) stand around, c) talk really loud to be heard, d) butt into other people's conversations, e) attempt to listen to the music, and f) either encourage or discourage advances by others. And both were smoky. Ugh. But it was social and interesting if not a really good time.
Sunday: Bad day. I made the mistake of going kayaking. Sure, it was pretty. But we must have gotten stuck on rocks at least a dozen times and turned around at least that much. And if I know next to nothing about kayaking, my partner knew even less. It hurt, it took forever, and it was not fun. And this is putting it lightly. I'm not a sporty person, a fact hammered home a lot yesterday. Needless to say, as I type, my shoulders are protesting...very loudly.
Monday: Class day. Morning trip to the Justus Lipsius building-Council of the EU building. Another speaker but we've now been to two of the three main EU instutions.
Busy week, but we've now been here a month and a day. I guess it seems that long...but this next month will pass even faster due to the trips.
Tuesday: No internship, everyone's traveling. First test here in Brussels...EU Seminar I, as in the three major institutions, history, and legislative procedures. As in, a lot of stuff. I think I did okay...I'll find out at the end of this next class.
Wednesday: Packing, got October's abonnement, productive for about two hours then played the Sims until I left to meet the bus. We drove to St. Avold as a halfway point to Strasbourg that night.
Thursday: Busy day. Walking tour of Strasbourg, saw the Clock do it's thing in the Cathedral, went to European Parliament, listened to Peter Stasny talk about being an MEP, hotel, dinner out in Strasbourg on our own. I had a regional thing for dinner: Choucroute Alsace (I think that's how it's spelled): basically a base of sauerkraut with five different kinds of meat on top. Quite good if a bit pricy which was alleviated by splitting it with another girl on the program. For complete explanations of the clock, a picture is needed so wait for the album on Facebook.
Friday: Another busy day. Went to the Council of Europe (the human rights organization that has 46 members and includes countries like Turkey and Russia whereas the EU does not), went into Alsace to Riquewehr to see a town with mostly a German influence over the centuries, toured the Koenigsbourg castle, back to Strasbourg. For dinner I had another regional dish: tarte flambee, basically a pizza like thing with a thin cream-ish layer, onions and bits of ham. Also quite good.
Saturday: Off to Trier. Long walking tour to see all the old Roman stuff: part of a gate, the Cathedral which has 5 different architectural styles, Constantine's (yes, that guy) throne hall (which interestingly enough is now a Protestant church), the Roman baths and the best preserved sewer system outside Rome, and the amphitheater where people died and gladiators fought. And yes, I can now say I have been bar hopping. So, it was two bars, but whatever. And I didn't drink anything, of course. But I turned it into a sociological study (nerdy, I know). Apparently going to bars means you a) drink, b) stand around, c) talk really loud to be heard, d) butt into other people's conversations, e) attempt to listen to the music, and f) either encourage or discourage advances by others. And both were smoky. Ugh. But it was social and interesting if not a really good time.
Sunday: Bad day. I made the mistake of going kayaking. Sure, it was pretty. But we must have gotten stuck on rocks at least a dozen times and turned around at least that much. And if I know next to nothing about kayaking, my partner knew even less. It hurt, it took forever, and it was not fun. And this is putting it lightly. I'm not a sporty person, a fact hammered home a lot yesterday. Needless to say, as I type, my shoulders are protesting...very loudly.
Monday: Class day. Morning trip to the Justus Lipsius building-Council of the EU building. Another speaker but we've now been to two of the three main EU instutions.
Busy week, but we've now been here a month and a day. I guess it seems that long...but this next month will pass even faster due to the trips.
25 September 2006
A relaxing weekend...
Thursday: full day of class, EU Seminar 1, European Security with Jamie, and EU Seminar 2
Friday: Went to Hillary's homestay to plan Fall Break- we're going to Italy! Flying into Rome and out of Venice. Should be a lot of fun.
Saturday: Went to the Military Museum with Sara then the Welcome Fair, sort of a Brussels/Belgium information fair thing. Saw Jerry there...we were joking when we first gave a woman directions to the building that it'd be something he'd likely be at...and he was. Kind of funny. And there was a random gospel group...made me think if the Blues Brothers.
Sunday: Liege with Sara and Krishna. It was...nice. They had this huge Sunday market going on but we didn't get to wander very much. We tried to find the Glass Museum and failed but we did go to the Museum of Religious Art. But our tour guide didn't or wouldn't speak English so she and Sara had a lovely conversation while Krishna and I looked at stuff. It was shiny...and pretty but it was an odd way to see it, with the lady hovering kind of. We then walked up a very steep hill (and I'm not a hiker type of person) to the Citadel which is really an old brick wall, an obelisk monument, and a hospital. All in all though, we went on a train and it was nice to get out of the city and see more of Beligum.
Friday: Went to Hillary's homestay to plan Fall Break- we're going to Italy! Flying into Rome and out of Venice. Should be a lot of fun.
Saturday: Went to the Military Museum with Sara then the Welcome Fair, sort of a Brussels/Belgium information fair thing. Saw Jerry there...we were joking when we first gave a woman directions to the building that it'd be something he'd likely be at...and he was. Kind of funny. And there was a random gospel group...made me think if the Blues Brothers.
Sunday: Liege with Sara and Krishna. It was...nice. They had this huge Sunday market going on but we didn't get to wander very much. We tried to find the Glass Museum and failed but we did go to the Museum of Religious Art. But our tour guide didn't or wouldn't speak English so she and Sara had a lovely conversation while Krishna and I looked at stuff. It was shiny...and pretty but it was an odd way to see it, with the lady hovering kind of. We then walked up a very steep hill (and I'm not a hiker type of person) to the Citadel which is really an old brick wall, an obelisk monument, and a hospital. All in all though, we went on a train and it was nice to get out of the city and see more of Beligum.
21 September 2006
My first couple days of the internship
So, I'm interning at a place called C.S.W., aka Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Sorta like Amnesty International but focusing on religious freedoms with the same country watches and public information campaigns.
Tuesday: Didn't do a whole lot, read different briefings basically learning how not nice it can be in other countries, mostly in the third world. Burma, not so fun. Sudan too. Did research on the Council of Europe.
Wednesday: Didn't have to go in until 10:30! Called a bunch of MEP (Member of European Parliament) offices to see if they got an invitation to a reception being held next week in Strasbourg on religious intolerance. Want to call them? O2 284 + extension, starting with the 7, because you call assistants, not the MEP. Then I did some research on Indonesia's Aceh province and their thing with shari'a law. Also organized photos.
I think it'll be a good time, on the whole. Next week I have off as everyone's traveling and the week after I get to go to committee meetings, which should be a lot of fun. Or just interesting...at least I'm determined that they will be.
On another note, I've made albums on Facebook of all my pictures (well, sorta) so far. But as I've taken over 500...I was selective. Check it out here: http://american.facebook.com/photos.php?id=7402928 If it doesn't work, please let me know and I'll work on getting everyone access.
Tuesday: Didn't do a whole lot, read different briefings basically learning how not nice it can be in other countries, mostly in the third world. Burma, not so fun. Sudan too. Did research on the Council of Europe.
Wednesday: Didn't have to go in until 10:30! Called a bunch of MEP (Member of European Parliament) offices to see if they got an invitation to a reception being held next week in Strasbourg on religious intolerance. Want to call them? O2 284 + extension, starting with the 7, because you call assistants, not the MEP. Then I did some research on Indonesia's Aceh province and their thing with shari'a law. Also organized photos.
I think it'll be a good time, on the whole. Next week I have off as everyone's traveling and the week after I get to go to committee meetings, which should be a lot of fun. Or just interesting...at least I'm determined that they will be.
On another note, I've made albums on Facebook of all my pictures (well, sorta) so far. But as I've taken over 500...I was selective. Check it out here: http://american.facebook.com/photos.php?id=7402928 If it doesn't work, please let me know and I'll work on getting everyone access.
18 September 2006
My weekend in Paris
Thursday: Bus was supposed to leave at 7, really left around 7:25 ish. Then we hit traffic so we got in late, around midnight at least. So, we're at the end of 3 and had to get to the end of the 12. We change tracks at Saint-Lazare, figuring a short walk or just stairs but no, it's a very long walk and the last train is at 12:45 and it's about 12:35 right now. So other people start to run, so we do too. It's a long rain with all our junk and several sets of stairs. We made it to a train on the 12 in the right direction and got everyone on thanks to Mamie wedging the door open for Tamara. We get to the right stop, tired and thirsty and then proceed to trek the five or so blocks to the hostel. But we get there and get some sleep.
Friday: Long day, but very productive and successful. Eiffel Tower in the morning, Musee de Orsay, Notre Dame, Arc d'Triumphe by taking a picture in the middle of the Champs de Elysees, the Louvre. We had limited visibility from the tower due to the cloud cover and light rain. From there we took a boat down to the Orsay (and continued to use it to get to the next few stops). The Orsay was cool (didn't have much time at any of these places but we hit the highlights) we saw the impressionists, Monet and the like. Back on the boat to Notre Dame, went around the church and visited a small wine festival. Back on the boat to the Champs de Elysees stop to walk up to take a picture of the Arc and did so by standing in the middle of traffic. Red and green man became our constant companions (red man-don't walk-was very stern most of the time). Then we walked down to the Louvre (a long walk) but got in for free due to it being after 6 and the fact that we were students. Again, saw the highlights, Mona, Venus, Winged Victory, Coronation of Napoleon, the big stuff.
Saturday: Woke early to get to Versailles to avoid a lot of the crowds (sorta succeeded). It was very pretty, we just did the Grand Apartments tour. So, the big stuff again. It was nice, ornate, over the top but we got an audio guide with the ticket, so it had plenty of good information. Then on to Montmartre. I took a tram up to the Sacre Coeur because I know my own limits. It was worth the metro ticket. It was a very nice church and I wandered a bit before leaving and managing to meet up with Sean, Sarah, and Mamie to wander around the art shops. Then we decided to kill time before meeting up with everyone else by sitting on the steps of the church. Happened to sit near a guitar player, and we happened to stick around and he happened to be joined by about 6 other guitar guys. It turned into a big jam session and we stuck around for about three hours or so. It was a ton of fun and we got to see the sunset, which was really pretty over the city. We got a late dinner (three courses, fixed menu at 10 euro) then split up, some to go listen to the guys again who were now near Notre Dame and three of us (me included) to get some sleep.
Sunday: Allie came with me to church at Notre Dame, we decided on the Gregorian Mass at 10 so we got to hear then chant style and Latin, so I really didn't understand anything but whatever. It was gorgeous and I went to Mass at Notre Dame, so there. We then got brunch and went to a Starbucks for Allie then went to get our stuff from the hostel and off to the bus station. Bus ride was long than it was supposed to be again because another bus in the same company broke down and a 20 minute stop turned into about an hour with more people getting on and shrinking our space so none of us really got any sleep.
All in all:
The Metro's stupid, but well lit and nice trains. Small tickets that you have to get and buying more than one doesn't mean one ticket works more than once, no you end up with several small tickets equal to how many you bought. And transferring between lines means walking through an underground maze to the other line, not going up or down or something that we're used to.
Paris: very pretty, good architecture and landmarks. A bit pricy though and too many smokers-bad for the allergies.
So...a good time was had by all and I had a lot of fun!
Friday: Long day, but very productive and successful. Eiffel Tower in the morning, Musee de Orsay, Notre Dame, Arc d'Triumphe by taking a picture in the middle of the Champs de Elysees, the Louvre. We had limited visibility from the tower due to the cloud cover and light rain. From there we took a boat down to the Orsay (and continued to use it to get to the next few stops). The Orsay was cool (didn't have much time at any of these places but we hit the highlights) we saw the impressionists, Monet and the like. Back on the boat to Notre Dame, went around the church and visited a small wine festival. Back on the boat to the Champs de Elysees stop to walk up to take a picture of the Arc and did so by standing in the middle of traffic. Red and green man became our constant companions (red man-don't walk-was very stern most of the time). Then we walked down to the Louvre (a long walk) but got in for free due to it being after 6 and the fact that we were students. Again, saw the highlights, Mona, Venus, Winged Victory, Coronation of Napoleon, the big stuff.
Saturday: Woke early to get to Versailles to avoid a lot of the crowds (sorta succeeded). It was very pretty, we just did the Grand Apartments tour. So, the big stuff again. It was nice, ornate, over the top but we got an audio guide with the ticket, so it had plenty of good information. Then on to Montmartre. I took a tram up to the Sacre Coeur because I know my own limits. It was worth the metro ticket. It was a very nice church and I wandered a bit before leaving and managing to meet up with Sean, Sarah, and Mamie to wander around the art shops. Then we decided to kill time before meeting up with everyone else by sitting on the steps of the church. Happened to sit near a guitar player, and we happened to stick around and he happened to be joined by about 6 other guitar guys. It turned into a big jam session and we stuck around for about three hours or so. It was a ton of fun and we got to see the sunset, which was really pretty over the city. We got a late dinner (three courses, fixed menu at 10 euro) then split up, some to go listen to the guys again who were now near Notre Dame and three of us (me included) to get some sleep.
Sunday: Allie came with me to church at Notre Dame, we decided on the Gregorian Mass at 10 so we got to hear then chant style and Latin, so I really didn't understand anything but whatever. It was gorgeous and I went to Mass at Notre Dame, so there. We then got brunch and went to a Starbucks for Allie then went to get our stuff from the hostel and off to the bus station. Bus ride was long than it was supposed to be again because another bus in the same company broke down and a 20 minute stop turned into about an hour with more people getting on and shrinking our space so none of us really got any sleep.
All in all:
The Metro's stupid, but well lit and nice trains. Small tickets that you have to get and buying more than one doesn't mean one ticket works more than once, no you end up with several small tickets equal to how many you bought. And transferring between lines means walking through an underground maze to the other line, not going up or down or something that we're used to.
Paris: very pretty, good architecture and landmarks. A bit pricy though and too many smokers-bad for the allergies.
So...a good time was had by all and I had a lot of fun!
14 September 2006
Photos
I've uploaded some photos to Flickr, so see the link in the sidebar. I'm going to figure out either a better way of doing it or just putting them on Facebook and posting the link.
13 September 2006
Brussels Post the Third
Busy past few days on my end, but the weather's been nice and sunny on the whole.
Saturday: Did some reading then went down to the Grand Place to meet up with Hillary. We visited the Coudenberg, a museum of excavated ruins of old buildings on the spot where the Royal Palace now stands, basically a chapel and a palace built for previous rulers of the city before a fire and the buildings were leveled. That was Saturday's highlight.
Sunday: Bruges!!! Jerry gave us a tour then let us loose, so I went with Hillary to the Hospital Museum where they have this box by Memling about St. Ursula. Kinda cool. We went in the Cathedral to see a Pieta by Michelangelo, "a" not "the" because there are several and this one is less...graphic. It's just Mary and a three year old Jesus. Also in the church were statues of the apostles with how they died. Peter with an upside down cross, etc. He's the only one I could pick out. Perhaps Mum would like to help with the rest?
Monday: Two interviews, European Link and C.S.W. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide), my two most promising and interesting interviews. Then the first class with Dr. Jamie Shea, of NATO. He was the spokesman during the thing in 1999, dunno which thing, he told us but I seem to have forgotten. Anyway, he's British and funny and invited us all to lunch with him at NATO! Very cool. Then we had a class on the European Commission followed by my first Living in French class. I miss German and American language education. The former because I find myself remembering more the more I hear French and the latter because the teacher started in French and only spoke a few sentences total in 90 minutes in English. It's how they learn languages, the new language right from the beginning, but I hate feeling stupid at the beginning of a class. So, I can now sorta say my name is Jennifer, I am a student, I am single and have no children (Sara says I can now go on a date and get the important things out of the way first), and that I live in America.
Tuesday: Next two interviews with Bertelsmann Foundation (owners of the a media company with the same name, they own Random House and BMG, I believe) and Costmasters/Mediprotect. The former was great, the secretary was speaking German on the phone, which was great, but the second was disappointing. I was there before the guy was and the work he wanted done would likely take a full time person a year, or at least six months. I'll be interning for about 20 days, I don't have the time to study and understand EU regulation and then apply it to the medical devices industry. The regulation would be interesting, the rest of it, not so much. In the states, you're supposed to start out working to write regulation in the executive agencies then later in your career help companies get around it or understand it. I don't think it would be good for my career to work around things before I help create them. Besides, it's way too hard to get to.
Wednesday: Lotsa free time before my last interview, OCO Consulting. So, I went to hand the letters to the police so they can come make sure we live where we say we do. Only thing is that the address given was way out at the other side of the commune and was the wrong one. They were very helpful and spoke English and told me where to go. But when I got to the correct police station, the person trying to help me didn't speak English. So he found a guy who did and we eventually got it straightened out. But yet another adventure happened in the interim. But I did go into a small Apple store-so now I feel all warm and fuzzy. :) Yes, I am such a nerd about some things.
My next post shall contain everything I did this coming weekend while in Paris! I'm going on a bus with about eight other people and we're all staying in a hostel together. Should be fun if it doesn't rain as I've heard it might. Either way, expect a blow by blow account and pictures!
Saturday: Did some reading then went down to the Grand Place to meet up with Hillary. We visited the Coudenberg, a museum of excavated ruins of old buildings on the spot where the Royal Palace now stands, basically a chapel and a palace built for previous rulers of the city before a fire and the buildings were leveled. That was Saturday's highlight.
Sunday: Bruges!!! Jerry gave us a tour then let us loose, so I went with Hillary to the Hospital Museum where they have this box by Memling about St. Ursula. Kinda cool. We went in the Cathedral to see a Pieta by Michelangelo, "a" not "the" because there are several and this one is less...graphic. It's just Mary and a three year old Jesus. Also in the church were statues of the apostles with how they died. Peter with an upside down cross, etc. He's the only one I could pick out. Perhaps Mum would like to help with the rest?
Monday: Two interviews, European Link and C.S.W. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide), my two most promising and interesting interviews. Then the first class with Dr. Jamie Shea, of NATO. He was the spokesman during the thing in 1999, dunno which thing, he told us but I seem to have forgotten. Anyway, he's British and funny and invited us all to lunch with him at NATO! Very cool. Then we had a class on the European Commission followed by my first Living in French class. I miss German and American language education. The former because I find myself remembering more the more I hear French and the latter because the teacher started in French and only spoke a few sentences total in 90 minutes in English. It's how they learn languages, the new language right from the beginning, but I hate feeling stupid at the beginning of a class. So, I can now sorta say my name is Jennifer, I am a student, I am single and have no children (Sara says I can now go on a date and get the important things out of the way first), and that I live in America.
Tuesday: Next two interviews with Bertelsmann Foundation (owners of the a media company with the same name, they own Random House and BMG, I believe) and Costmasters/Mediprotect. The former was great, the secretary was speaking German on the phone, which was great, but the second was disappointing. I was there before the guy was and the work he wanted done would likely take a full time person a year, or at least six months. I'll be interning for about 20 days, I don't have the time to study and understand EU regulation and then apply it to the medical devices industry. The regulation would be interesting, the rest of it, not so much. In the states, you're supposed to start out working to write regulation in the executive agencies then later in your career help companies get around it or understand it. I don't think it would be good for my career to work around things before I help create them. Besides, it's way too hard to get to.
Wednesday: Lotsa free time before my last interview, OCO Consulting. So, I went to hand the letters to the police so they can come make sure we live where we say we do. Only thing is that the address given was way out at the other side of the commune and was the wrong one. They were very helpful and spoke English and told me where to go. But when I got to the correct police station, the person trying to help me didn't speak English. So he found a guy who did and we eventually got it straightened out. But yet another adventure happened in the interim. But I did go into a small Apple store-so now I feel all warm and fuzzy. :) Yes, I am such a nerd about some things.
My next post shall contain everything I did this coming weekend while in Paris! I'm going on a bus with about eight other people and we're all staying in a hostel together. Should be fun if it doesn't rain as I've heard it might. Either way, expect a blow by blow account and pictures!
08 September 2006
Belgium vs. the US
Differences encountered so far:
*Plugs have two round prongs instead of our two flat rectangle things
*Belgium has two languages, the speakers of each not really like the speakers of the other
*Belgium has a king and a parliament, we have a president and Congress
*Europe has internet cafes, we have Borders and other WIFI places
*Belgium has small grocery stores, we have huge ones
*Stores close at 6ish but US stores stay open until 11 or so
*Belgium has communes, DC just has areas called different things
*You can't really get skim milk in Belgium, a fact greatly lamented
*Water fountains don't seem to exist really in Belgium, another fact greatly lamented
*An abonnement in Brussels allows you a month of public transportation for a flat rate, DC Metro charges you every trip
*French fries are called frites because Belgians know they were invented in Belgium not in France
*Things normally carried in a CVS are split between a pharmacy (Apotheek or Pharmacie), a grocery store, and Di which sells shampoo and makeup and stuff like that
*Well, Belgium speaks French and Flemish, we speak English
Others will come to me throughout my stay so be aware that these comparisons will continue. For now, au revoir...I think that's how it's spelled...
*Plugs have two round prongs instead of our two flat rectangle things
*Belgium has two languages, the speakers of each not really like the speakers of the other
*Belgium has a king and a parliament, we have a president and Congress
*Europe has internet cafes, we have Borders and other WIFI places
*Belgium has small grocery stores, we have huge ones
*Stores close at 6ish but US stores stay open until 11 or so
*Belgium has communes, DC just has areas called different things
*You can't really get skim milk in Belgium, a fact greatly lamented
*Water fountains don't seem to exist really in Belgium, another fact greatly lamented
*An abonnement in Brussels allows you a month of public transportation for a flat rate, DC Metro charges you every trip
*French fries are called frites because Belgians know they were invented in Belgium not in France
*Things normally carried in a CVS are split between a pharmacy (Apotheek or Pharmacie), a grocery store, and Di which sells shampoo and makeup and stuff like that
*Well, Belgium speaks French and Flemish, we speak English
Others will come to me throughout my stay so be aware that these comparisons will continue. For now, au revoir...I think that's how it's spelled...
End of the First Full Week
Tuesday: Free day, wandered around the Grand Place; toured the Royal Palace (only open until the 10th), saw a ceiling that at first looked like green velvet but was really 1.4 million jewel beetles...a lot of dead bugs but very pretty. Had a scoop of mango ice cream, probably was gelato, but it was amazing. :) And started the chocolate collection for the semester. :D
Wednesday: Bus tour of Brussels and the Royal Museum of Central Africa. The tour was great, actually saw trees and grass which I don't usually with living in the city. The museum was...interesting. All the animals were taxidermied so they were...dead. I'm used to models or was blissfully unaware of the state of the animals I was looking at. At any rate, I saw more dead butterflies and animals than I was prepared for. And turtles in jars...poor Great A'Tuin relatives.
Thursday: First day of classes! Safety talk by a police officer first thing, basically a lecture on how to avoid pickpockets. Like any of us would really walk down the street with their wallet hanging out of their pocket or purse...whatever. Then a class on the structure of Belgium's government and a guest speaker explaining the history of Belgium to 1555. My French test was awesome, she asked for those with no experience with French to raise their hands, there were 7 or so of us, and we put our names on a paper and then were done.
Friday: Went to register in the town hall of the commune (Brussels is split into 19 communes, or small communities) mine being downtown as I'm in the commune of Bruxelles, or the heart of Brussels. They seemed to be confused so I'm glad that my host father was there because he could explain things. Sara and I now have to go to the police so they can confirm I live where I say I live. Just finished a class on the origins of the EU and we finish up Belgian history this afternoon.
Everyone is planning or beginning to plan weekend trips. My problem is that I don't care about drinking, nor do I want to find ways to do such things. I'm a history person, I want to go to the tourist spots, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and museums, like the Louve. And I don't want to go to the British Isles because I'm saving those for the spring. And I've done Venice, though I suppose going back would be okay because it was pretty cool. Rome would be cool too. I've a feeling I may be traveling on my own a bit, which is okay with me because, if I do say so myself, I am excellent company. :) But don't worry Mum, I'll find people to go with so I'm in a group and thus safer. We shall see.
Wednesday: Bus tour of Brussels and the Royal Museum of Central Africa. The tour was great, actually saw trees and grass which I don't usually with living in the city. The museum was...interesting. All the animals were taxidermied so they were...dead. I'm used to models or was blissfully unaware of the state of the animals I was looking at. At any rate, I saw more dead butterflies and animals than I was prepared for. And turtles in jars...poor Great A'Tuin relatives.
Thursday: First day of classes! Safety talk by a police officer first thing, basically a lecture on how to avoid pickpockets. Like any of us would really walk down the street with their wallet hanging out of their pocket or purse...whatever. Then a class on the structure of Belgium's government and a guest speaker explaining the history of Belgium to 1555. My French test was awesome, she asked for those with no experience with French to raise their hands, there were 7 or so of us, and we put our names on a paper and then were done.
Friday: Went to register in the town hall of the commune (Brussels is split into 19 communes, or small communities) mine being downtown as I'm in the commune of Bruxelles, or the heart of Brussels. They seemed to be confused so I'm glad that my host father was there because he could explain things. Sara and I now have to go to the police so they can confirm I live where I say I live. Just finished a class on the origins of the EU and we finish up Belgian history this afternoon.
Everyone is planning or beginning to plan weekend trips. My problem is that I don't care about drinking, nor do I want to find ways to do such things. I'm a history person, I want to go to the tourist spots, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and museums, like the Louve. And I don't want to go to the British Isles because I'm saving those for the spring. And I've done Venice, though I suppose going back would be okay because it was pretty cool. Rome would be cool too. I've a feeling I may be traveling on my own a bit, which is okay with me because, if I do say so myself, I am excellent company. :) But don't worry Mum, I'll find people to go with so I'm in a group and thus safer. We shall see.
04 September 2006
My first few days...
I'm in Brussels! Yay! So to recap my time so far:
Thursday:
Travel day. Small-world theory event: Danielle Stuart (who I went to middle school and high school with for 7 years) was not only on my first two flights but sat across the aisle from me on the first flight. She's studying at Oxford (oooo). So that was awesome. But my flight from Miami to London was a little cramped. I got very little sleep due to the woman in front of me leaning all the way back and me in the middle seat with a guy on either side, the one to the left with a loud iPod and the one to the right moving all the time. And the plane was too warm. The flight from London to Brussels was pretty short but not bad due to me knowing/meeting the other two AU students on the flight.
Friday (Traveling took all night so the last flight was on Friday but is up there ^):
After the flights I basically crashed at the hotel, taking a nap before our orientation at 5. We all had dinner at Le Grand Cafe downtown and then we all went out exploring. My group wandered around looking for chocolate and found it by the famous statue. After that we wandered more and then went back to the hotel to sleep.
Saturday:
More general orientation with a tour of the Grand Place by Jerry (our professor). Very entertaining and informing, actually. One of the best guided tours I've had in a while. Then we met our families. I and Sara Scott, another AU student, are staying with the Layson family composed of Pablo, originally from the Philippines, Sara, originally from Italy, and their youngest, Sophie who's a senior in college. They are all very nice and helpful. And Sara's apparently a wonderful cook and so far, I certainly agree. I'm living on the Rue de la Révolution (such a cool name for a street) which is in Upper Town of the commune of Bruxelles, which is the heart of Brussels). I'm a five minute walk (or so) from the cathedral and only about ten or so more minutes from the Grand Place and the very center of the city. It's a nice area with easy walking distance to the park near the American Embassy, should I feel homesick I can go and look at the flag waving and the 24 hour guard and I'm sure the feeling will cease immediately.
Sunday:
Mass at the Cathedral in French. Didn't understand a word but it seemed shorter than at home. No kneeling either. And the hosts were thicker. Beautiful church though, Gothic with high ceilings and arches and a gorgeous organ. Very nice. I won't mind going every week. Maybe go once or twice to the other church nearby with an English mass. Spent the rest of the day organizing my room which is a little bigger than Sara's but we're going to switch in October. My room has the shower room up a short set of stairs which is unusual but kind of cool.
Monday (today):
Woke up, tried to get an abonnement (which will get me a month of unlimited metro travel which is necessary for getting to school) but failed as it isn't open until 10, got to the AU Brussels Center at Alma just fine, had more orientation and a campus tour, and am now waiting on my internship appointment with Catherine the internship coordinator. All in all, a good time so far.
~ Jennifer
Thursday:
Travel day. Small-world theory event: Danielle Stuart (who I went to middle school and high school with for 7 years) was not only on my first two flights but sat across the aisle from me on the first flight. She's studying at Oxford (oooo). So that was awesome. But my flight from Miami to London was a little cramped. I got very little sleep due to the woman in front of me leaning all the way back and me in the middle seat with a guy on either side, the one to the left with a loud iPod and the one to the right moving all the time. And the plane was too warm. The flight from London to Brussels was pretty short but not bad due to me knowing/meeting the other two AU students on the flight.
Friday (Traveling took all night so the last flight was on Friday but is up there ^):
After the flights I basically crashed at the hotel, taking a nap before our orientation at 5. We all had dinner at Le Grand Cafe downtown and then we all went out exploring. My group wandered around looking for chocolate and found it by the famous statue. After that we wandered more and then went back to the hotel to sleep.
Saturday:
More general orientation with a tour of the Grand Place by Jerry (our professor). Very entertaining and informing, actually. One of the best guided tours I've had in a while. Then we met our families. I and Sara Scott, another AU student, are staying with the Layson family composed of Pablo, originally from the Philippines, Sara, originally from Italy, and their youngest, Sophie who's a senior in college. They are all very nice and helpful. And Sara's apparently a wonderful cook and so far, I certainly agree. I'm living on the Rue de la Révolution (such a cool name for a street) which is in Upper Town of the commune of Bruxelles, which is the heart of Brussels). I'm a five minute walk (or so) from the cathedral and only about ten or so more minutes from the Grand Place and the very center of the city. It's a nice area with easy walking distance to the park near the American Embassy, should I feel homesick I can go and look at the flag waving and the 24 hour guard and I'm sure the feeling will cease immediately.
Sunday:
Mass at the Cathedral in French. Didn't understand a word but it seemed shorter than at home. No kneeling either. And the hosts were thicker. Beautiful church though, Gothic with high ceilings and arches and a gorgeous organ. Very nice. I won't mind going every week. Maybe go once or twice to the other church nearby with an English mass. Spent the rest of the day organizing my room which is a little bigger than Sara's but we're going to switch in October. My room has the shower room up a short set of stairs which is unusual but kind of cool.
Monday (today):
Woke up, tried to get an abonnement (which will get me a month of unlimited metro travel which is necessary for getting to school) but failed as it isn't open until 10, got to the AU Brussels Center at Alma just fine, had more orientation and a campus tour, and am now waiting on my internship appointment with Catherine the internship coordinator. All in all, a good time so far.
~ Jennifer
12 August 2006
It Came!!!
My Student Visa is at my house and has been for a week. I'm very relieved. At first, the website said to get it in at least three weeks before you left and it'd take about a week for US citizens. Then, the Atlanta consulate told my dad that it wouldn't be ready by the 14th of August and it'd be a stretch to get it done by the 31st, which is when I leave for Brussels. And then, low and behold, it arrives last Saturday afternoon. So, I'm relieved. I was prepared to start calling on Monday, bugging them about it. I mean, I'm fairly boring...my parents are financially stable, I'm perfectly healthy (ish) with no diseases, I don't have a criminal record...why would it take so long? But maybe the person was just being cautious. At any rate, I'm glad to have one less thing to worry about. Now if only the airports would stop freaking out...
15 July 2006
Feeling...
Creative. It's a slightly uncomfortable feeling, I admit. I've been feeling inklings all week but only now have a way to fully deal with them as other avenues have proven unsuccessful. I went to Jo Ann's.
If you've never been to a craft store, start with Michael's. It's the best for everything...but it doesn't have fabric. Which is sad, but so it goes. So, I went to Jo Ann's to solve that problem. The thing is, you go in feeling creative looking for something to quench that feeling only when you get to the fabric department, the feeling only intensifies and worsens. Too much there...too many avenues for creativity. So, I picked about five fabrics and...ran. Sort of. Walked, really. But now I have about 3 yards of various fabrics for pillows.
Yes, I'm going to make pillows. And they're sort of going to match each other! I found a purple and a green that match and two blues that match. Then I made the mistake of walking by the flat quarters and found very pretty oriental squares, so I had to get black for the backs of those pillows. I wish my mum had never taught me how to sew...or use the sewing machine. Then this disease wouldn't be an issue. Anyway, off to go deal with this creativity. Good thing I don't have enough time to make another quilt. I'm such a nerd sometimes...or simply a freak as schwester likes to say...c'est la vie.
If you've never been to a craft store, start with Michael's. It's the best for everything...but it doesn't have fabric. Which is sad, but so it goes. So, I went to Jo Ann's to solve that problem. The thing is, you go in feeling creative looking for something to quench that feeling only when you get to the fabric department, the feeling only intensifies and worsens. Too much there...too many avenues for creativity. So, I picked about five fabrics and...ran. Sort of. Walked, really. But now I have about 3 yards of various fabrics for pillows.
Yes, I'm going to make pillows. And they're sort of going to match each other! I found a purple and a green that match and two blues that match. Then I made the mistake of walking by the flat quarters and found very pretty oriental squares, so I had to get black for the backs of those pillows. I wish my mum had never taught me how to sew...or use the sewing machine. Then this disease wouldn't be an issue. Anyway, off to go deal with this creativity. Good thing I don't have enough time to make another quilt. I'm such a nerd sometimes...or simply a freak as schwester likes to say...c'est la vie.
24 June 2006
Six Months and A Day...
Until Christmas. My mum's favorite thing about her birthday (tomorrow) is that it's in the middle of the year between her favorite holiday- Christmas. She gets presents every six months at any rate. There's a tropical wave off the coast right now. Sounds happy, doesn't it? It could turn into a tropical depression, thus taking it's sadness out on the rest of us. Then turn into a storm then a hurricane. Let's hope that doesn't happen. Great dark clouds though. No strange mental ramblings to report today, unfortunately. Just my usual Saturday hour or so in Borders. Heard that song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"? Very interesting. Gets stuck in the head far too easy, in my opinion.
So, in honor of the song, I shall close with the lyrics.
Black Horse And The Cherry Tree
KT Tunstall
two, three, four (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) well my heart knows me better than i know myself so i'm gonna let it do all the talking. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) i came across a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) i fell in fear, upon my back i said don't look back, just keep on walking. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) when the big black horse that looked this way, said hey lady, will you marry me? (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) but i said no, no, no,no-no-no i said no, no, you're not the one for me no, no, no,no-no-no i said no, no, you're not the one for me (ooooo,woo-hoo) and my heart had a problem, in the early hours, so it stopped it dead for a beat or two. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) but i cut some cord, and i shouldn't have done that, and it won't forgive me after all these years (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) so i sent her to a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) now it won't come back , cause it's oh so happy and now i've got a hole for the world to see (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) but it said no, no, no,no-no-no i said no, no, you're not the one for me no, no, no,no-no-no said no, no, you're not the one for me (ooooo,woo-hoo) (not the one for me, yeah) (ooooo,woo-hoo) said no,no, no,no, no, no, no you're not the one for me said no,no, no,no, no, no, no you're not the one for me big black horse and a cherry tree i can't quite get there cause they've all forsaken me big black horse and a cherry tree i can't quite get there cause they've all forsaken me
So, in honor of the song, I shall close with the lyrics.
Black Horse And The Cherry Tree
KT Tunstall
two, three, four (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) well my heart knows me better than i know myself so i'm gonna let it do all the talking. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) i came across a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) i fell in fear, upon my back i said don't look back, just keep on walking. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) when the big black horse that looked this way, said hey lady, will you marry me? (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) but i said no, no, no,no-no-no i said no, no, you're not the one for me no, no, no,no-no-no i said no, no, you're not the one for me (ooooo,woo-hoo) and my heart had a problem, in the early hours, so it stopped it dead for a beat or two. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) but i cut some cord, and i shouldn't have done that, and it won't forgive me after all these years (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) so i sent her to a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree. (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) now it won't come back , cause it's oh so happy and now i've got a hole for the world to see (woo-hoo,woo-hoo) but it said no, no, no,no-no-no i said no, no, you're not the one for me no, no, no,no-no-no said no, no, you're not the one for me (ooooo,woo-hoo) (not the one for me, yeah) (ooooo,woo-hoo) said no,no, no,no, no, no, no you're not the one for me said no,no, no,no, no, no, no you're not the one for me big black horse and a cherry tree i can't quite get there cause they've all forsaken me big black horse and a cherry tree i can't quite get there cause they've all forsaken me
18 June 2006
Father's Day
Happy Father's Day. A few more gray hares from me. <- my father's day card to my dad. It had gray bunnies on the front. It was his kind of joke.
We're up in Gainesville, FL visiting my grandparents today. They moved about a year and a half or so ago to this retirement community, Oak Hammock, from Frederick, MD. I've decided I really am happy for them because their leaving the area meant I am less homesick at school, more independent, more social, and more self-reliant. I liked their house though....and the city. Anyway. Gainesville's the home of the University of Florida, UF to the Floridians. Sprawling mass of a school with about 48,000 people attending in a given semester. The city's population (normal) is about 50,000. Thus, the apartment complex on every corner around here for the students. I like my smaller school. :)
Not too much else going on for me...working, filing and the like. Typing envelopes on a typewriter! It's kind of fun...quite loud but makes me appreciate computers all the more. And my iPod helps keep away the boredom and some of the mental wanderings while filing. I'm too efficient at it though...I get done far too quickly and things don't pile up fast enough. And I can't just sit around until they do pile up again. More's the pity.
My mum's birthday is this coming Sunday. We're going to the beach. One would normally think that for a person living in Florida, thus an hour and a half or so away from the beach most of the time, the beach would be a nice place to go. Not so much for me. I think it's the sand. Or the sunscreen thing. Or the heat. Either way, I'm not a big fan. So, I'll bring a book and just read. The week after that is the 4th of July. I don't have to work that day, which is nice, but I do have to work the day before. And we're going to the beach again. But my dad always has a concert he has to play on the 4th so at least they'll do the beach thing while I'm not there. Then it's Pirates time. The movie comes out on my dad's birthday. He's well aware that we'll be going to see it that day. He's voiced no objections so if he has any...well...whatever.
Other than the holidays coming up, not much is going on. Work, blah, meeting a friend to go to the local fitness room, yadda yadda...going through DVDs the family has acquired in my absence, fun.
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight. Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you.
So fine. I watched the Sound of Music yesterday. I'm also trying to pick up a bit of French for Brussels. It's slow going.
We're up in Gainesville, FL visiting my grandparents today. They moved about a year and a half or so ago to this retirement community, Oak Hammock, from Frederick, MD. I've decided I really am happy for them because their leaving the area meant I am less homesick at school, more independent, more social, and more self-reliant. I liked their house though....and the city. Anyway. Gainesville's the home of the University of Florida, UF to the Floridians. Sprawling mass of a school with about 48,000 people attending in a given semester. The city's population (normal) is about 50,000. Thus, the apartment complex on every corner around here for the students. I like my smaller school. :)
Not too much else going on for me...working, filing and the like. Typing envelopes on a typewriter! It's kind of fun...quite loud but makes me appreciate computers all the more. And my iPod helps keep away the boredom and some of the mental wanderings while filing. I'm too efficient at it though...I get done far too quickly and things don't pile up fast enough. And I can't just sit around until they do pile up again. More's the pity.
My mum's birthday is this coming Sunday. We're going to the beach. One would normally think that for a person living in Florida, thus an hour and a half or so away from the beach most of the time, the beach would be a nice place to go. Not so much for me. I think it's the sand. Or the sunscreen thing. Or the heat. Either way, I'm not a big fan. So, I'll bring a book and just read. The week after that is the 4th of July. I don't have to work that day, which is nice, but I do have to work the day before. And we're going to the beach again. But my dad always has a concert he has to play on the 4th so at least they'll do the beach thing while I'm not there. Then it's Pirates time. The movie comes out on my dad's birthday. He's well aware that we'll be going to see it that day. He's voiced no objections so if he has any...well...whatever.
Other than the holidays coming up, not much is going on. Work, blah, meeting a friend to go to the local fitness room, yadda yadda...going through DVDs the family has acquired in my absence, fun.
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight. Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you.
So fine. I watched the Sound of Music yesterday. I'm also trying to pick up a bit of French for Brussels. It's slow going.
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