I have to say,... Not only is the SUMMER German landscape beautiful... It is also quite breathtaking in Winter. I wish you could all see how pretty it is to drive the winding roads through snow covered hills and along the rivers in Southern Germany :)
So tonight we have plans for CLUB DEEP in Heidelberg!!! I expect a crazy underground German New Year’s Eve techno/house party. I’ve been to Club Deep before… so not that exciting… But still, I’ll be with Matze and a never ending flow of various German beers and imported Russian vodkas. I’m going to use my new makeup tips from YouTube makeup vloggers…. Hoping my look will blow away all the entranced techno-dancing Germans.
Did you know, in Germany today is a ‘half holiday’, and tomorrow is a full holiday? Maybe that is why all of the grocery stores were so busy and empty by 5:00!! No more food for the weekend!! AAAHH!! Get all the sausage, bread and cheese you can carry!!!!
Jeeze they have so many holidays here!! Matze’s whole family and I have vacations until the 10th of January 2011!! LOL!! Not sure if it’s my American blood… but this is getting to be too much! I wanna go back to school/work!!
On another note, I’m impressed with the increasing flow of spam posts on my blog. Why is this happening? Must be a sign that my fan base is growing. Are there really enough readers to validate spam posts on the netherjen blog…? hmmm. Probably just a computer that got a hold of my blog address. **sigh** I mean… it’s not like I ever get comments from REAL people… I wonder if anyone still reads this blog??
The hunt for an awesome apartment in Charlottenburg Berlin is still on people! I’ve found some very nice looking places and have high hopes!! I would love to live in a ‘WG’ with 2 or 3 other students. Either way, I believe it will definitely be worth seeing in person! ;o)
Ooouuu OOouu!! Look at these pics of the Charlottenburg Palace!!
yyyeaaahhh... probably could walk there everyday from my house in Berlin :p
Expect pictures of tonight’s German-beer fueled adventures soon. I’m starting off with a couple Eichbaums (so far my favorite German beer brand). Oh,… and… did I mention my ticket to the party includes an ‘all-you-can-drink’ pass?? *GASP*
So… as they say in good ol’ Germany…
Ich wünsche euch allen einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!
Have you ever heard the idea that the ‘average’ American eats a surprisingly high amount of meals outside of the home? We'll Ive read and heard that around 50% of American meals are eaten outside of the home. Of course this depends on level of income, household type, and a variety of other factors. Yet on average, the amount of money spent on prepared foods and meals in restaurants is very high in America.
I subconsciously realized that after moving to Holland. All of my European friends could cook, yet sadly, I could not. Finally I’m getting into the swing of things, and although I’ve always been INTERESTED in cooking, now I’m finally doing it!! I asked Matze what percentage of meals in Germany are eaten outside of the home and he guessed around 10. Woa. Maybe thats why we have an extremely long list of fast food restaurant chains in America. And in Germany they only have McDonalds and Burger king. Oh yeah, maybe thats also why 2 out of ever 3 Americans are overweight or obese. *barf*
So I made this really delicious meal today and wanted to share it with you. Fortunately there is a nice video- so you can all watch how easy it is to make this dish. >Click here for the video. It has a wonderful flavor- very exotic tasting. And I must repeat- SUPER easy to make!
On another note, YouTube is wonderful! If you have a desire to make a certain kind of dish- you can just type it in the search bar, and someone probably has made a video on how to cook it. Here is a lady who does videos for Mediterranean foods (Matze says she sounds JUST like me). On YouTube there are endless videos on how to do all kinds of things (like makeup, travel advice, technical advice.. etc.).
Lately, I’ve been throwing around the idea to start MY OWN YouTube channel. There are a lot of people who have YouTube channels and make money from them! I definitely know at least ONE regular blog reader who may benefit from this information!!! Problem for me is that I’m not sure what kind of theme my Vlog/ YouTube channel should have : / Traveling? Studying abroad? Living in Berlin? Hhhmm….
Due to technical difficulties, the previously mentioned 'video' will not be uploaded in the near future.
Unfortunately the video is now deleted! So, please enjoy the few pictures I am uploading to this blog update.
Christmas in Germany was definitely enjoyable. :) Thankgoodness to Matze's mother who definitely made an effort to include me in English conversations.
However, I have to say it was nice to be able to speak a bit with Matze's grandmother in German. She is a very nice lady with a VERY strong German 'dialekt'. WOW! Really hard to understand her, as it is for the rest of the family.
During my Christmas vacation I have been eating EXTREMELY delicious and authentic German food. YYUUMM YUUUMM!!!! I love home German cooking!!!
On another note... I'M MOVING TO BERLIN!!!! I'm so excited! I've already started looking at apartments and I can't wait. I'm also very glad that I am limiting my time there to 4 months instead of 6. This is because of various reasons.
I plan on picking out a very nice apartment in the same area of Berlin I will be working in. This area is called "Charlottenburg". You see, its like New York, there are different areas to each major European city. Charlottenburg is swanky with a lot of expensive homes and high end shopping. All the more reason to come and visit me :)
I find out tomorrow if I get the job in Berlin!! I talked to Herr Scheunemann today. I have to say he sounds like a pretty stressed out guy. Yet on the other hand, it is clear he is successful. He has a lot on his shoulders.
I am also working on a video. Unfortunately Matze and I are taking a break to watch the New Harry Potter online. MUAHAH! Tomorrow I will upload the video.
It's true! My blog readers really love me!! :) So as you can see from the results of my survey, Europe WON!!! Whhheeww! You want to come visit me!!!
Unfortunately I have to disagree with you :p
The next continent I want to visit is ASIA! Followed by South America!
So, now I have to tell a quick story :)
In Groningen Netherlands, there are a bunch of international students, I'm sure you know this. On introduction day, the steps of the old school mansion,... I mean house, are filled with eager students from all over the world. Everyone is excited and ready to party,... I mean study!!
The students also belong to a group called the ESN, Erasmus Student Network. Nick and Auke are part of the management of the ESN, as well as University-lyfers. Basically being college students is their life career. I dont even wanna guess how old these guys are. HEHE. They took care of me when I came to Groningen, and many students before me, and they are still welcoming new students today!
But I just have to say, what a cool life!! They welcome international students into their city. They party with them. They learn about culture. They are always traveling to different countries..... And that is their life! That is what they do. They are constantly experiencing new things, trying new things, doing new things. And they go all over the world, and they have a great time, and they are always smiling!! Its always cool to look at the latest pictures of their travels with new friends :)
Ok I'm done.
Tomorrow morning I'm taking a train to Berlin. Its a 5 hour ride. I have to navigate the train stations and tram stations and sidewalks all the way to the front door of Scheunemann PR Berlin. I'm a bit nervous, but I have plenty of time so I know I'll make it there just fine. Unfortunately we are expecting a storm tonight. I hope there are no delays or too much ice on the ground.
Thanks to my family and Matze for convincing me to go :) Even if I dont take the job, it will be an adventure. I mean, when some company wants to pay like 300 bucks just to have me for an interview, can I complain!?!
Yes thats right PEOPLE! You wanna talk to me!??! PAY $300!!
Tomorrow I will bring my camera, and my game face. (Sorry I had to say it).
I will take some pics of Berlin and post you all a nice slideshow. Hopefully I see some cool stuff there. I'm hoping for a weinachtsmarkt where I can pick up a few small gifts. Usually they have some nice ones in the train stations.
Please send me some nice mental vibes for tomorrow!!! WWWHHEEWWW!!! Here I go!!
P.S. Here is a link to the PR company's website:CLICK ME!
Today I had German class!! WOW! So much better than the other A2 class. Interesting group of people, great teacher! It feels good to be out in the city again. I met a nice lady from the US in my class, as well as a guy from Macedonia, and another girl from Malaysia!! We only spoke in German :p Some guy in the class asked me why I was speaking German on the break?? LOL!! I said, uhm DUH! We're in a German class!!
On Friday, I have the opportunity to travel (12 hours round trip) to Berlin for an interview. I haven't decided whether I'll do that or not. Unfortunately the company is rather small. So far, I've only received information regarding administrative duties.
With the larger companies I've been contacting, I will be working with talented professionals on global projects. No answering phones, making copies, translating documents, or delivering packages... the duties I've discussed with the Berlin internship company.
P & G (direct competitor of Clorox) is offering a marketing internship in a city not far from here. I would be developing a framework for a partnership with a laundry care manufacturer. LOL! I would also analyze the efficiency of past marketing events! Plus a bunch of other cool projects! Guess what, P&G will be getting an awesome cover letter from MMEEEE! Perhaps they would benefit from my Clorox Marketing plan! WOOOAAAA:p
Above pic is the view from Matze's window. Rather beautiful :)
Im back in Eberbach! Matze had to come here to get 2 wisdom teeth out today --- and I even got to watch it! AWESOME!!! It was cool. The dentist said he was impressed because I handled it so well. Actually he also confessed he secretly wanted me to faint so he could save the day by reviving me back to life.. hehe
So Matze’s parents have ALREADY been spoiling me by offering delicious German foods, home baked German Christmas cookies, expensive wines... yyeaahh … lovin it!
Tomorrow we get to take THE CAR!!! WWWOOWW!! And go shopping in the city :o) Then we might FINALLY go see Harry Potter at the show. I’ve never planned on seeing ONE movie in the theater so many times in my whole life!!!
Last night I had SO MUCH FUN in Mannheim. I got to see some old friends and even made some new ones :o) We went to the Mannheimer Weinachtsmarkt for some gluhwein and met Olivia from New Zealand and my old friends Jess from Texas and Amy from Australia. They are both AMAZING women and we get along very well. After the gluhwein we went to a pub across the way (HAHA), ironic thing was the bar was having ‘American night’. There were some American soldiers there who seemed pretty eager (and rather annoying) to talk to some English speaking women.
Here is a pic from left: Amy, Olivia, Frank, Jess, Katje
The Mannheimer hockey team was also there, and they had a player from Canada, Frank! What a very nice guy!! Frank bought all of us girls a few rounds!! Oh by the way- my friend Katje from Finland met us there for drinks. She’s a little young but very well traveled after having lived in Hungary, Croatia, Finland, and now Germany. Her English is fluent. By the end of the night all of us girls were having a GGREEAATT time and enjoying the free drinks. As we stepped outside we heard a few cat calls in English, some guys must have heard us speaking. Come to find out these two guys were from Detroit!!! I was very (more like overly) enthused with this—but come on people! What a small world! They were boxers traveling around and doing some international fights.
All in all- I had a wonderful night and glad I reconnected with my friends. Next week I start an intensive German language course and may be taking a trip to Berlin for an interview with a PR company. Sadly it’s a 5-6 hour train ride, ONE WAY! Additionally, it costs 90 Euros for a one way ticket, but thankfully they will be taking care of that :p
Yeah so upon the reinvention of my blog I've decided to once again attempt to increase the frequency of my posts. Not only is my blog a pretty frickin cool chronicle of my life (which I've noticed lately after reading over awesome old posts) but it also helps develop my communication and writing skills (good to do considering my new marketing career track) and its pretty cool to write about in a cover letter (which I haven't done YET, but possibly could). ***DEEEP EXXHHALLEEE****
So! On another note! I NEED HELP! I've been working on this crazily involved and long marketing plan for Clorox which is supposed to be a staple of my marketing portfolio. WOW. I recently realized that I have no access to places like Target and Walmart which sell products like Green Works, Method, 409 and other household cleaning products. Pitty, because I would love to know current prices of such products to include in the analysis and ultimately recommendation and objective parts of my marketing plan.
WHOS GOING SHOPPING?! Ok, Ok, I WAS going to name names, but in order to make my blog appear to be a little bit more cool,.. I wont (naming names makes it look like I only have like, 6 readers, not that I do, well.. maybe some number around that, but its probably like way more so...).
Think about it, whoever helps me out probably will even get to talk to me on the phone! WHO WANTS TO BE THE LUCKY vEEner!!!
WOW Do I need to give you all an update! So far behind here..
Most of you probably don’t know, but last weekend I was in Copenhagen Denmark!! The REASON you don’t know is because it was a complete and total SURPRISE!! Yes that is right, my most amazing and wonderful boyfriend planned us a surprise trip to Copenhagen for the weekend!
At first he played it off as a visit to a city in Germany called Mainz to meet up one of his friends… he said we would stay for, “at the MOST three days”.. so I should “pack heavy just in case”… then he repeatedly mentioned how COLD it was going to be… OK not going to lie, I became a little suspicious.. but still was unaware of what awaited.
As we road on the cozy and comfortable Deutsche Bahn ICE train to ‘Mainz’ … first we changed trains at the Mainz main station because he lived a bit outside of the city. Then we found ourselves in Frankfurt AT THE AIRPORT where he was supposedly going to pick us up. Hhhmmm…..
Before I knew it Matze brought us up to the self-check in machine, pulled out the tickets and our passports and then I realized! :p COPENHAGEN HERE WE COME!!! After our short one hour flight, we landed at the airport and took a short train ride to the city. Within walking distance to the train station was our hotel. LET ME TELL YOU IT IS COOLLLDDD in Copenhagen! Well the temp was about 32 but it was pretty windy as well!
Our hotel was gorgeous! But of course nice and small, on the fourth floor with no elevator, real door keys, and lots of little hallways (seems like this is pretty common in Europe anyway). We were lucky to have our own bathroom. But you have to look at the pictures! In our tiny bathroom we had a toilet and shower, but the funny thing was where they were located. If you sat on the toilet, your head was in the shower… basically the shower drain was 12 inches from the base of the toilet. And there was only a small curtain…. Okay how to explain…. Uhm, if you want, you can take a crap and a shower at the same time! Actually this could be a good invention for men all over the world!!! LOL!
Anyway enough about crapping… we bought a ‘Copenhagen card’ with access to most museums, public transportation, discounts on food, and entrance to other events and venues. It was great The city offers many museums and activities. We went to the National Museum to learn about the history of Denmark and also got to visit a local Danish design museum. Really cool was the modern art museum.. you will see some pictures. We even got to see an interpretive dance! My first one! Then we painted our own original piece of artwork (see pics).
Denmark puts on a Christmas market… little different than the German ones, but same idea. You get to eat delicious food, do some shopping, look at ice sculptures, and stroll around in the snow with someone special ;)
Did you know the word Smörgåsbord is a Danish word? Its actually one of their most famous types of food! The word comes from the meaning ‘open-faced sandwich table’. Basically its like a bunch of different vegetables, meats and cheeses on different breads. So I suppose it goes in line with the English meaning of the word, being a synonym for ‘array’. COOL!
The Danish language is quite beautiful. Matze thought it was funny because he could understand A LITTLE bit.. but not as much as he can understand in Dutch! Dutch, Swedish, German, Danish, and Norwegian are all Germanic languages… Oh yeah, and so is English. Matze was excited because he finally felt like he knew what German sounded like to foreigners. Have you ever wondered what English sounded like to someone who had never heard it before? I HAVE!
We did a little bit of shopping, oh I got some new boots because mine were soaking wet. Unfortunately they don’t seem to clear the streets in Copenhagen, so you are constantly stomping around in slush through the city streets, or slipping around on ice in the less busy areas of the city.
I’m glad in Copenhagen there were more museums to visit. In Zurich, it was all about the shopping!
In Copenhagen we got to visit a palace- it was beautiful… I LOVED IT! I really felt like I was a queen in a past life and I was back in my home :p We even saw the crown jewels.. OOOO MMMMM GGGGG!! We saw the King and Queens thrones, beautiful rooms full of precious and valuable things like china, figurines, religious artifacts, diamonds, trinkets made of gold *sigh*…
At least Matze had given me a beautiful ring on our first night there… Took my mind off of breaking into the fortress and stealing all the jewels.
For some reason in Copenhagen there were a lot of families with young babies. In addition, there seemed to be a lot of Muslims at the airport… Dunno what the deal with that was. All in all Copenhagen was very diverse, and obviously many travelers were there, so I cant really tell you how ‘real’ Danish people are.
But there was a nice vibe from the city, dunno if that was because I had already heard it was supposedly one of the, ‘happiest countries on earth’ … Well, Im not sure if I could live there (Denmark) and deal with the cold, snow, and extremely small number of inhabitants (only 5.5 million).
Anyway- Those are my thoughts on Denmark… Enjoy the pics and share any thoughts!
BTW- this is a slideshow so if you press the stop button you can look at the pics at your own pace. Otherwise they go a bit fast :p
A few days ago Matze and I took a train to Freiburg Germany. It was a nice, short, comfortable train ride and when we arrived, Matze’s brother was there to pick us up. Shortly after a nice stroll to his apartment we walked into the city. The inner core of the old city was built in the 12th century and you could definitely tell. It was marvelous to peer up and look at the tall towers which used to guard the city people around that time. There were many beautiful old buildings and in my opinion, the church of Freiburg was the most beautiful one I have ever seen. We were lucky to be there on a Saturday, because surrounding the church was a nice little German weinachtsmarkt. Weinachtsmarkts are popular all over Germany. The word means Christmas market in English, but UNFORTUNATELY in America we don’t have them. At the Christmas markets they serve hot ‘gluhwein’, candied nuts, currywurst and MANY other delicious snacks and foods.
After the market, we took a hike up Freiburg’s centrally located hill. The city actually wraps around the hill like a ribbon. Once we were at the very top, there was a spiral staircase to climb for an EVEN better view. At the top of the staircase there is only enough room for one person to stand. Your view is completely unobstructed and you get a perfect view of the old city below. You can see the city core and where the larger part of town was built around it. In the distance you can see the mountains as well as France. Before I got down I enjoyed a small moment of sticking my arms out and screaming “I am the QUEEN OF THE WOOOORLLLDDDD”. It felt great.
After our nice day in Freiburg we had some tasty German beer and watched some football, ah ehm, I mean soccer. Later we headed into the city where we witnessed a German demonstration against … well I guess you might say the ‘corporate machine’ … or something of the like. The whole protest was surrounded by many police officers who formed a circle around it. Thank goodness it consisted mainly of drunken dancing university students, and I fit right in. No one got too crazy or caused any problems. After a bit of clubbing and talking at a local new age dance club, we headed back home. It was funny to see the protest had moved to right in front of Matze’s brother’s front door.
The next morning we got up early and back on the train to Switzerland. After a couple of minor train transfer troubles, we arrived in Zuirch! The city was breathtaking. We visited some very old churches (not as pretty as Freiburg’s) and enjoyed a self-guided walking tour. One of the best parts was a visit to the Lindenhof Park. Lindenhof was an intimate park located on a small hill with a view over the city of Zurich. By the time we got there night was just falling over the city. We watched in awe and gazed at the town below. We saw long smoke stacks from tiny homes drifting into the fresh cold air, people strolling around the canal and harbor, Christmas lights and decorations dotting the town, and beautifully lit churches and official city buildings. It was a very surreal moment.
The next day we did some shopping! Everything in Zurich is rather expensive. Fortunately we didn’t go too crazy. Some things we were able to enjoy included some delicious Swiss fondue for dinner and yummy assorted chocolates on our shopping trip. Matze got some slippers and I got a new pair of gloves. The coffee in Zurich is ACTUALLY espresso…., which I have indeed developed a taste for. OOoohh I’m so EUROPEAN!
Today I’m in the library doing research on internships and working on my marketing plan paper for Baker College. Later on we are meeting a large group of English speaking people at the ‘wasserturm’ (water tower). The Mannheim weinachtsmarkt is opening today and we all want to enjoy some gluhwein! On Friday we might go to the one in Heidelberg. Saturday we leave for Mainz Germany for a short trip to see a friend.
Oh yeah- about the interview. I didn’t get it. Unfortunately the hiring manager wanted someone with advanced knowledge of upper-level HR management, including theories and best practices. Although I didn’t fit THAT bill, I must have made an impression because he got me an interview with one of his colleagues; still waiting to hear back from that person. I also met a girl who is a marketing intern AT SAP! She gave me contact information and will hopefully continue to help me out.
Please enjoy the pictures. Sorry I've been having problems with labeling then. I will try again soon.Click here to see pics.
So, back in Germany! Its been a great week so far although I have to say my interview went rather poorly. SAP is looking for an EXPERT in the HR field and Im not sure I'm exactly that girl. Although I graduated with a MINOR in HR with my BACHELOR degree from BAKER COLLEGE 3 YEARS ago with NO WORKING EXPERIENCE in the field.. who knows what will happen!
Tomorrow we're heading out on a 9:30 train to Freiburg! We'll spend the day there with Matze's brother. See some museums, shopping, eating... then perhaps a small party. The next day we head to Switzerland! I'm so exited. This is my first time actually researching and creating a schedule for our trip. I have our whole 1.5 days planned out!
Mom get ready for some delicious Swiss chocolate! I know how you love your chocolate :)
OK time for bed! What a busy day and more to follow!
Nasville state fair opened up today and were in for some fried candy bars, cows, and hillbillies. Fun stuff! We're watchin the demolition derby! Be home soon after a quick stop in Chicago. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
We didn't want to leave LOL! The nice hot weather, the white sandy beaches.. Ahh... What a tragedy! On the other hand, we're excited to see. Atlanta! Yesterday I sent out 5 requests and we got 3 acceptances! WOW, I am totally a couch surfing pro man.
We will be in ATL for a couple days... We decided we are going to the aquarium for sure.. Its one of the largest aquariums in the world and should be pretty awesome! Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
I'm on a boat...I'm on a boat... I'm on a boat Mother F*#er!!!
Yesterday was truly lovely but at the same time.... HHOOTTTT!!!! We were completely drenched in sweat after riding bikes thru the city.
The night before we had to sleep in the car which was horrible because of the temperature. On the other hand it was a little easier after the amount of beer we had consumed during and after the drag queen show :D
Back to yesterday- we booked an awesome adventure on the water package. Last evening we had a sunset sailboat ride which was breathtaking. We JUST left the dock this morning on our way to the coral reef. First we'll do some snorkeling then parasailing followed by jetskiing water trampolining and kayaking. All u can drink beer and wine... All u can eat food.. WOW.
We're sooooo excited!!!!
Today we leave when we get back to shore on our way to Tampa... Hope mom got a hold of the fam so we have somewhere to stay!! Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Today was nice and relaxing... We went to watch a dog race for the first time! We invited Shana but she said she prefers not to support the inhumane sport. What I dont get is why everyone thinks racing horses is just fine, but mention a dog race and people go berserk. What about those people who have dogs and leave them inside all day- they never walk them and take them out only to pee and crap! No exercise, no contact with other people or dogs? Are they living good lives? What about people who dress their dogs in costumes, put them in purses, strollers, booties. I could go on and on...
I need to do more research before I can make the conclusion that it is in fact so completely inhumane. But from what I could see at the races, the dogs quite enjoyed it.
After that we went to the beach, and played around in the waves... The water is beautiful and the car and people watching here in Miami are great. Yesterday we smoked more hookah and Shana told us some facts about Miami. In 2009 it was ranked as the richest city in the U.S. In addition, it also ranks in the top 5 for the amount of families living below the U.S. poverty line. Come on people, dont act surprised.
Tonight we're going to see a jazz sax quartet show :D How exciting! Matze and I actually like Miami so much, we're thinking about checking out some apartments for rent! Just to see what kind of deals are out there of course :)
Just for thought: Where do the people who live in Miami go on vacation? AND, how many days a year will my family be coming down to visit ME for vacation if I live here!?!? :):):)
Right now Matze is making spaghetti for dinner... and I'm watching the sunset over Miami city :D
How lucky are we?! Well O.K., yes I am currently homeless. However, believe me, you definitely wish you were me right now! Be jealous people!
We're staying with a nice young lady from a well-to-do Jewish family. She has an AMAZING apartment in a high rise with mouth-dropping views over Miami city and South beach.
Upon our arrival, a concierge valeted our car and offered to help with our bags. We have our own private bedroom with flat screen, granite shower, and private balcony. A specially prepared meal was waiting when we arrived. In the building are 3 pools, a sauna, spa center, whirlpool, fitness center, entertainment room, shall I go on?
The whole apartment was specially designed by our hostess and her mother. Its impeccably maintained and tastefully designed. The views from the wrap around balcony are amazing.
Shana will take us around Miami and South beach to all the hot spots this week. Did I mention she is an art consultant? What a better place to know an art consultant than in Miami?!?
As far as Miami City goes, well.... So far we think its GREAT!!
P.S. -Today we each bought boogie boards and did a bit of surfing in the waves :p
Yes, we are on the way to the most amazingly wonderous place on the entire planet!!
After a good nights rest at our new (and possibly best ever) host christian's house, we are off to a magical place. I was on the computer last evening trying to decide whether magical kingdom or universal's islands of adventure would be more fun. Guess my inner child won cuz were goin ta Disney!
Super excited for a nice non-stressful and relaxing day. Yes I know that may sound crazy to some who see the place as a giant park of stress. But I'm actually looking forward to that happy place of my young childhood. I do have a few, found memories of the place afterall. Ready to share it with my fine German fellow. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Savannah, sittin on a bench, sweatin', stuffed, swell.
Nice city and I must say these old oak trees with the spanish moss are amazing to gaze at. So picturesque.
We're excited to be in Florida later today. Can't wait to sit in the soft white sand and look into the crystal clear water. Well at least I hope its clear and has no dark black globs... :/
Guess we'll find out soon!!! Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
David is hosting us in Charleston. He is a professional couch surfing host. We are his 133rd and 134th surfers. Right now David is also hosting Dani who is a girl from Australia. She is studying journalism in New Jersey and just taking a vaca from school right now. Last night we all went to watch 80s hair band live karaoke. So basically people get to sing rock songs with a real live band!
Matze and I are now heading out to downtown Charleston and will also visit a plantation. In Charleston they have the most photographed plantation and I can't wait to see it! Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Monday, August 23, 2010
Watching dolphins play in the waves of the ocean water as the sunrise reflects pinks and reds on its surface. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Yes thats right, I am currently watching Fargo (for the first time)... pretty funny movie. AND smoking Hooka again, kind of ironic. Nice mint&chocolate flavor this time. Much more smooth at William's house than in the Hooka joint in D.C.
We made it to Virginia Beach today, unfortunately we didnt get a chance to swim because there was a thunderstorm! Tomorrow morning we have to be up at like, 4 am because William leaves early for work (Navy guy). We'll probably hang out in the city a bit and then head on our way to Charleston which is about an 8 hour drive.
William just cooked us a delicious meal of swordfish and garlic aioli. I must say I can definitely get used to this couch-surfing stuff. Possible future career? ;)
Heading to Virginia Beach which is about a 4 hour ride from D.C. Sad thing is thunderstorms are in the forecast :( how disappointing! Good thing is we already have a host when we get there!!
Thinking about checking out the aquarium, or doing some shopping. Should be a good day either way. Can't say I've ever been this excited to get outta a host's place before! I hate to say it but our last host had such a strong indian accent, it was exhausting having to concentrate so hard on what he was saying just to understand him. It was worse than living in Europe!
Tom tried really hard to make us feel at home and even took us out in the outer area of DC so we could get a glimpse of another part of the city. VERY NICE!! So I have to give him the thumbs up for being such a nice guy! Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Heading out in Georgetown D.C. For some drinks and hooka with our friends from india after a busy day at the national air and space museum and botanical garden
OK so I know it works now! I can send a txt from my phone which will be posted to my blog! Were in DC now exploring the awesome city which is now matze's fav!
Well blog lovers, it HAS been quite a while since my last blog entry. Things have changed, but yours truly has not. Still searching the globe for excitement, I have recently embarked on a new adventure.
I can't believe it has already been 11 days since we left! How awesome is this- only our third night staying at a hotel!!! We have 'surfed' all the way to D.C.!! Even more amazing, we've been surviving off of last minute requests. Yes that's right.. we send a request 0-2 days before we arrive to the city, and usually get an acceptance. We've stayed with some great hosts but I think I'll start from the beginning to get everyone caught up.
Our first stop was Toronto and it was a great city. Very big, very clean, tall buildings, busy workers-the city was amazing. We stayed with a family and it was our first time surfing, and their first time hosting! How ironic!
The family consisted of 2 daughters in high school and Paul and Denise (mom and dad). They had just gotten back from extensive travels in Asia 5 days prior. Paul and Denise told us about their trips to Buddhist temples in Thailand, and sushi eating in Tokyo (apparently an extremely expensive city compared to the Asian countryside). Paul is a social worker, and Denise is director of MBA/international studies at the University of Toronto. W. O. W.
We had our own room in the basement- which is normally used as a meditation/dojo room. We also had our own private bath and shower. The family made us a lovely dinner and we even had a lesson on the art of proper cognac tasting! HOW COOL!!! They were so gracious, kind, well-traveled and intelligent. We will never forget them! Thanks to Paul and Denise, we are making an extra stop in Savannah Georgia to taste some delicious fried chicken and enjoy the beautiful city.
Thats it for now- but I promise to get you all caught up soon... Now with mobile blogging I can write while we're on the road!!
Come back to read about our host Nicolas and his friend the French hypnotist in New York;
So today I took a nice walk along the Necker (pronounced Necka) river here in Eberbach. I took some lovely pictures of the river and some houses and buildings in the neighborhood. It was nice to get some fresh air and exercise! I’ve been a bit cooped up. On the other hand, on Saturday we went out to the city and I actually got my chance to see ‘Fastnacht’ or ‘Fasching’. It’s basically a German tradition that they celebrate every year from sometime in January until Ash Wednesday in February. It began as a religious celebration having to do with good Friday or Ash Wednesday or something like that.. Anyways it’s really cool and people dress up in funny costumes and dance funny dances and of course, drink beer. There are performances and dancers and it seems to get pretty crazy! Its like a really cultural German thing and I’m glad I got a chance to see it.
Other than that I’ve been laying low in Eberbach.. but tomorrow I’ll be headed to some small local towns to meet Matthias’ grandparents on both sides. Not sure how much fun it will really be b/c his grandparents don’t speak any English. Actually it seems that I’m put in that situation quite often. Sometimes I think it’s rude—at others I understand. During dinner here most of the conversations are in German.. and I quietly eat my food and/or stare into space and drift off mentally. When I’m with his friends it can be even worse because we’re hanging out and I feel so BORED! I can’t participate, I can’t understand.. Even when I strike up a conversation in English, if a silent moment comes about, the conversation quickly converts back to German and it’s hard to shift it again. I’m becoming relieved that I did not choose to stay in Germany and study German for 6 months. How I may have lasted.. I have no clue! In the same line of thought, I’m really looking forward to being back in America! I will be able to read everything, understand everything and everyone, and talk to anyone I want! WOOO!!!
On another note.. I’ve noticed one really big difference between where I lived in the Netherlands and where I’m at now, in Southern Germany. In the Netherlands, pretty much no one, ever, closes their window shades, or blinds. You can watch people sitting on their couch in the evening.. or eating super.. or playing with the kids etc. But in Germany, every house has external shutters which are closed in the evening. Its like, a prison! Kinda weird really… I think I like the American way best! ;) If you feel like closing the shades you can, or feel free to leave them open! If you shut them, no one can see in- but you can still get a little bit of light!
The other day we went into the city to the local farmers market to get some meats and veggies and what not. I was talking with D’s Mom and she said that when she first moved here, there were 5 butcher shops, now there are 2 after one recently closed. Instead of going to these small family owned businesses, people are now going to the ‘Big supermarket’. It’s such a pity really. Very sad to hear—I mean it seems like such a European thing how they have all of these delicious shops which sell homemade sandwiches and breads and yummy cakes.. and butcher shops with special made sausages and what not… but that culture is dying and its becoming more and more closer to American culture. Where instead of driving your car to the local shopping street, getting out and walking from shop to shop… people drive their cars to the supermarkets and shopping malls.
Just some small things I’ve recently noticed and thought I would share. I mean there are so many small cultural things that are different that you just need to come and experience for yourself.
Got a request to share the NetherJen France link again—perhaps some problems reviewing?
So I’m back in Germany! Last minute decision to come hang out here for a couple weeks. Then I’ll be headed to England to roam around Oxford, Newcastle, and London. I’ll arrive back home on the 24th of this month. Just enough time to straighten things out before I jump on a plane headed from Amsterdam to… JFK on the 1st of March! *whew*… then a plane from JFK to Detroit. Yes, that’s right my esteemed blog readers- Mama, I’m comin’ home! It’s going to be a big shock. But I have some tentative plans which I hope will keep me momentarily sane… until of course I can readjust and stabilize myself.
My plans are to get a fly studio in Royal Oak. I’ve found an optimal bachelorette pad on Craig’s list which looks pretty sweet. This of course, is if my plans to con Natalie and Jenny into renting a nice 3 bedroom home don’t pan out :p But I’m still working at that! School you ask…?? I’m thinking perhaps part-time classes online may be most advantageous… not sure if I’m interested in continuing as a full-time student. Anyways, I can’t take classes this semester.. and next semester will be summer :/ Either way, I think I’ll be *hopefully* transferring to another school. I’m really unimpressed with everything that happened at EMU. And if I ever want to take classes there, I’ll have to move to… Ypsilanti??? HAH! As well, they don’t offer my degree online.
So when I return my two top priorities will be to perfect my insanely impressive resume in order to find a seriously pimp job—and to find an eclectic apartment in Royal Oak to match my newly found cosmopolitan life-style. WOOO! *
*Plans are subject to change at a moment’s notice!
Anyway… the above conversation is in regards to my near future, which I assure you consumes a large part of my daily thoughts. At the current moment I am residing in Eberbach Germany- A town minutes from Heidelberg and Mannheim in “the best” state in Germany, Baden-Württemberg. I’m staying with Matthias (my boyfriend) and his family. His Mother and Father are amazing people and are bent on ensuring that I am comfortable and content at every moment. I have my own room and wake up at my leisure to fresh coffee and an assortment of German bread with jams, honey, and fresh fruit. His family considers me a special guest and has decided to make traditional German dishes every day so I have a chance to taste authentic German food. Let me tell you people, this is the life! I give you permission to be jealous! By the way, in Germany people eat hot lunches, and cold dinners! So I eat a hot meal with the family at 1pm! Hehe, strange, yet cool!
While I’m here I’ll make special day trip visits to some German cities- perhaps Freiburg, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and some others. I leave for England on the 14th. I’ll be in Newcastle for one week, then head to Oxford. In Oxford we will make a trip to visit London! Not to mention we will make a quick stop in Dublin, Ireland. By the time I come home I’ll have visited 10 countries! WOW!
In closing, I’m trying to enjoy myself as I prepare for another big change. Even though I’m really looking forward to seeing my friends and family soon- leaving my life here behind, for good, is going to be tough. But I’ve been trying to tell myself that everything will work out if I can just trust and believe that it will. Instead of fighting against this change and thereby making it more difficult, I’m going to embrace it and look forward to the adventures that lie ahead! YEAH BABE!
Back from Stockholm.. Settling back in, AGAIN! All this traveling, wwwhheww! In 2 weeks I will visit Germany once again, then make my way to Dublin for a short visit, and head over to Newcastle England!! YEAYEAH!
Stockholm was… cold! I think a bit colder than Detroit actually.. but it wasn’t too bad. Matthias and I had a wonderful time! We kept ourselves busy with plenty of museums, local customs, and of course eating… my favorite activity was the Nobel museum! It gave me a wonderful feeling and motivated me to do something profound with my life! Let’s see if that pans out :p It was nice to learn so many interesting things about what some of the world’s most intelligent, motivated and unique people have accomplished.
We also went to the national museum of Stockholm to learn about the history and culture of the city and its people. We saw how people lived in the olden days in really small rooms and with simple possessions. Wow, kind of like how I live now!! We even went to a music museum and played some crazy instruments. I played heart and soul for Matthias on the keyboard and he freakin jammed out on the guitar :/… couldn’t really keep up with him! We went to the local food market where you can buy fresh meat and veggies and local cuisine. Mmm.. those Swedish meatballs were GOOD!!!
I even had a moose burger! In Europe moose and elk are the same thing.. So Matthias didn’t understand when I was trying to tell him that the Swedish word älg and German word Elch are, in English -moose. And the English word elk- is a completely different animal. Are you still with me.. ? Either way, the moose was a bit strange tasting,, very gamy and I couldn’t help but think about the mama and baby moose we saw in Maine.. I might have been eating their long lost cousin!!
At night we went to the ‘Absolut Icebar’. A bar completely made of ice except for the liquor in ur glass—Yes, even the glasses were made of ice!! The entrance fee and drinks were very expensive, perhaps that is why the bar was virtually empty by the time we left! But it was still worth it and very fun! Our drinks were glowing bright green because of a black light and we took some awesome photos :p
We also went to a local jazz bar and watched a performance by the ‘Uncool Hillbillies’ … Cool name, huh? They were like a tribute to a 60’s pop/rock group. They were greasers. The lead singer was ALWAYS in character.. he had these eyes like,, with that look.. hard to explain but as Matthias exclaimed, and I quote, “If I were a girl, I would go after him.” HAHHA, .. made me laugh so hard!
Ok so… Guess what I was just doing,…?? Looking at flights home!! Yes I know, shocking, but true. I’m not sure if I can manage staying here while not taking any classes… I may die of boredom. Believe it or not, flights home in about 2.5 weeks are manageable pocket wise. Perhaps my work here is done.. must be a reason this whole crazy school catastrophe occurred.. Was it is in the starts??
The anonymous blog commenter is back for more ladies and gentleman!! *Que creepy music* -- DUhn duhn duuuuhhhnnnn -- I love it when I get anonymous blog comments!! WOOHOO!!
I have to get up at ... like 5am tomorrow morning to catch a train to Bremen, and then plane to Stockholm!! Its 12am right now... And its freezing there!! 14 degrees Fahrenheit!
On another note... Did u see that lovely email from Michelle Henry at EMU? SHes so pleasant and helpful! NNOOOTT!! Jeeze lady... anyway.. Its true folks.. Let me try to explain..
I guess I was the first Masters student to come to Groningen.. go figure.. They screwed up and made a mistake.. Apparently I can only take one semester here!! And the rest of my classes wont count towards my degree!! I even filled out a form before I came here.. for which classes I wanted to take during SEMSTER 1 AND SEMSTER 2, and even had it signed by EMU... GREAT! What do i do now!? I have options.. I know.. let me briefly describe a few:
A) Attempt to quickly transfer myself directly to the RUG (uni) and become an international student in hopes that I can register for class in time (Feb 8th) Then I will be receiving my degree directly from the RUG.
B) Pay outrageous EMU fees to continue taking classes at the RUG that wont count towards my degree...
C) Keep myself busy with some self study and traveling for a couple months while intensively looking for an internship to start ASAP (the suggestion is to start looking 6 months in advance!)
D) Return home and register for NEXT semesters courses at EMU.. which probably start in a few months *sigh*
E) Save myself the trouble and END IT ALL NOW!!!!!!!! (joke!)
Any input, ideas, comments, suggestions, direction, sympathetic words, uplifting sayings, motivational poems.. etc etc etc are appreciated!!
P.S. If there were an award for... 'THE MOST AMAZINGLY AWESOME DAD THAT EVER EXISTED AND EVER WILL EXIST IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE' ... AND.. if I had the power to give it to whoever I wanted... Then I would give it to my dad :D
WAIT A SECOND!!! I CAN!!!
Congratulations..
Jack G!nosa .. You are...
THE MOST AMAZINGLY AWESOME DAD THAT EVER EXISTED AND EVER WILL EXIST IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!!
> > To: jmeilgaar@emich.edu, mhenry1@emich.edu > > Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 1:29:11 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern > > Subject: RE: Registering for classes > > > > Hi Justin and Michelle, > > I hope you both enjoyed your holidays and feel well rested and ready to get back to work! I had a great time and did some extensive travels through Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and even Slovakia! I'm still really enjoying myself, but the truth is its time to get back to my studies!
It has been quite a while now and I still haven't heard the status of my Business Development Management course. Will it transfer over? Can you please tell me as soon as possible?
In addition, it’s time to register for next semester. As you know, the learning agreement that I previously had approved no longer applies to my studies. Therefore, I have included a link to the classes which are open to me, as an exchange student. You should be familiar with this link as I have sent it over previously. At the bottom of the page are the classes for semester II. I dont mind which classes I take, I just want them to be approved. Can you kindly approve three classes or 25 credits which will transfer to EMU? I need to register quite soon so I appreciate your fast response.
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 13:48:37 -0500 > From: mhenry1@emich.edu > To: netherjen > CC: jmeilgaar@emich.edu > Subject: Re: Registering for classes > > Hi Jennifer, > > I apologize that I neglected to inform you that yes, the Business Development Management course will serve as a suitable substitute for our MGMT 600 which is an "innovation" course on your MBA program of study.
However, I thought we had discussed before that you have already taken enough courses to meet the 25 ECTS (12 credit hours) limit for transfer back to EMU? Please scroll down to see Justin's confirmation below. If you did indeed take the three courses indicated, then any courses that you take in the next semester would be completely up to you and will not count towards your MBA requirements.
Please let me know if we've misunderstood. Thanks,
Michelle
K. Michelle Henry > Interim Director of Academic Services > College of Business Graduate Programs > Eastern Michigan University > Room 404, Gary M. Owen Building > Ypsilanti, MI 48197 > 734.487.4444 (voice) > 734.483.1316 (fax) > mhenry1@emich.edu _____________________________________________________________________ RE: Registering for classes From: netherjen Sent: Tue 1/05/10 2:27 PM To: mhenry1@emich.edu Cc: jmeilgaar@emich.edu Hm,
Well I thought that the program that I signed up for was called ' A Year in Groningen' and included 2 semesters. If not then I guess I better buy a plane ticket back home!! :*0
Thank you for your fast response Michelle!
Jennifer _______________________________________________-
> From: netherjen > To: mhenry1@emich.edu > Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 12:15:02 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern > Subject: RE: Registering for classes > > Hi Michelle,
> Have you heard anything about my second semester? I'm sure that my program includes another one.. I need to register for my classes pretty soon and I was wondering if you could take some time to approve my classes from the short list I sent. Perhaps Justin can confirm that my program does include this second semester.
Thanks again for your time!
Talk soon,
Re: Registering for classes From: Michelle Henry (mhenry1@emich.edu) Sent: Mon 1/11/10 12:22 PM) Cc: Justin Meilgaard (jmeilgaar@emich.edu)
Jennifer,
I'm not sure where the confusion lies, but we have confirmed twice that you do not have any more requirements that you can take their to apply towards your EMU MBA. Any more courses that you take are on your own and will not apply towards your MBA, so you do not need to check in with me. You have already met your 12.5 credit hour (25 ECTS) transfer limit.
Michelle K. Michelle Henry Interim Director of Academic Services College of Business Graduate Programs Eastern Michigan University Room 404, Gary M. Owen Building Ypsilanti, MI 48197 734.487.4444 (voice) 734.483.1316 (fax) mhenry1@emich.edu
WWWOooooooo!! I feel like a NEW WOMAN! Done with my case study with PAT!! As soon as I gave him the OK to send it to teach Friday night.., I started screaming and jumping up and down!! We had a mini skype celebration with beer and martinis :D
SSOOOO!! The entire last week, I think I left my house, ONCE. I sat in my bed workin on the case study and distracting myself with facebook… my neck is killing me!! Today I’m finally cleaning up my MESSY room.. its disgusting really… Doing laundry, dishes, tidying up and yes, unpacking from my trip to Germany (hehe)…. BUT! On Thursday I leave for STOCKHOLM! SSSSOOOO… I will need to pack myself RIGHT BACK UP shortly.
Matthias and I will be staying on a HOTEL SHIP!! I think its on the water…?? There are lots of boats on canals in Holland that they fix to the earth somehow, so they are stable and don’t really move much. And people live on them. So maybe its guna be like that?? I dunno but I’m really excited for the trip! In fact, Sweden is the world’s 6th cleanest city! BIG CITY BRIGHT LIGHTS! WHHEEWW! I’m guna eat some Swedish meatballs and shop at Ikea!!!!
Check it~ I sent an email to my contact at EMU.. asking them to approve my classes for next semester.. this lady sent me an email back saying that I had already taken all the classes I can here at the RUG (University of Groningen)… She said if I take anymore classes here… they won’t count towards my degree!!!! WWWWTTTFFF!? SSSOooo.. I sent her an email back saying that perhaps I should buy my plane ticket back home!! But I also said that I thought I signed up for ‘A year in Groningen”… and that I was supposed to stay here for 2 semesters… She pretty much sucks because she hasn’t answered my email *sigh*… Come home, NOW!? I can’t imagine it.. I mean, I am so totally not mentally prepared to come back to the D. So guys… I mean.. I’ll let you know what happens as soon as I hear something :p
Its been really snowy here,. . much more than normal.. the locals are all really surprised by it. Mostly grey and cloudy.. I’m sure it looks a lot like home right now. Thursday was sunny but I was stuck in my room working on my paper. Believe it or not, I haven’t been to the city.. in… I dunno like 3 weeks!! I forgot what Dutch sounds like, and forgot that there are BIKES everywhere! So it will be nice to see my city again :*)
This week I will be studying for the final that I failed (HEHE)… oh.. didn’t I tell you yet? Yeah, I failed one of my finals.. **sigh**… WELL!! I had 2 FINALS IN ONE DAY!! Back to back! So,… I neglected to study for one of them in fear that I may fail both. Apparently I was one of the lucky few who didn’t fail the other. But good thing is that it shouldn’t be too hard.. cuz its mildly interesting stuff to me. Its about innovation and business development! So I don’t think I’ll mind too much -reading these articles.
I will also be checking out some internships.. I’m not going to be picky about the location.. If I can get one in the States than that’s cool.. I just want the BEST internship at a large company.. so wherever it may be is cool with me. Hmm.. what else what else… I’m uploading some pictures right now! So, by the time u are reading this.. they will be up.. wait! Here they are ;)—ENJOY
(Please tell me if u have problems viewing the pix.. I wanna how it works out with Photobucket)
BTW- I LOVE ANONYMOUS BLOG COMMENTS!! “Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up! “ -Thanks Unknown Blog Lover! !
Has it really been that long!? I must be busy! Actually yes…. After doing my Eurotrip to Berlin (Germany), Prague (Czech Republic), Vienna (Austria) and Bratislava (Slovakia) I came home for about 1.5 days and then headed off to celebrate SILVERSTER IN DEUTSCHLAND! Aka new years in Germany :p More on that later. But a bit about Vienna and Bratislava. Vienna was very gorgeous. Most of the old city got bombed from what I saw. Unfortunately our favorite tour company Sandemans doesn’t do tours in the city. So with our handy-dandy ‘euro-travel’ books we made ourselves our own self-guided tour of the city. We saw the palace which was HUGE, and some old churches; and ate some delicious Schnitzel and sachertorte. YUM YUM! I drank some Austrian beer and got a feeling for Gov. Schwarzenegger’s home country! Hehe
Bratislava was interesting.. a bit smaller of a town, and on the outskirts not lookin to pretty. It’s not as big of a tourist destination, but our flight home was out of that city. So we decided to spend a few hours there. So I had a Slovakian beer and tasted some of the local dishes. YUMMM. We saw another castle there.. and walked around the city. We met some locals who could also speak German and had QUITE A SIMPLE and unfortunately SAD conversation.. hehe.. sad because it was difficult to communicate due to our extremely limited German vocabulary. BUT it was still fun to attempt to speak with someone who also only knew a bit of German. We TRIED to sleep in the airport to save money (uuggghh) .. it sucked! By the time I got home I was really low on sleep!
Ok so about my trip to Southern Germany- wait just so you know.. the reason I haven’t posted is b/c I had a really busy schedule and not much free time to write in my blog. I got back last night and needed some readjustment time :p
Ok so- I went with D and had a really great time! I saw the REAL Germany- I stayed in a small German town, and experienced real German life! I ate delicious home cooked food and saw the castle in Heidelberg! I went to a couple crazy German clubs and met some awesome local students!! It was great and I had a wonderful time! I met his parents again, they are very sweet people. His mother was so sweet and really tried to make me feel at home. Even though they don’t speak English that well, they still tried to make conversation and his mother kept her German to English dictionary by her side.
Although there were plenty of times when I didn’t understand conversation, it was still very enjoyable. New Years Eve was really fun. We were in a town in Southern Germany near Mannheim. It was me, Matthias, and about 8 or so of his closest high school buddies. We had dinner together first and did some pre-gaming. Then we went to a big club where everyone had their fair share of drinks :p We danced and talked and by the end of the night I realized that at one point, I didn’t even notice that I was the only one who couldn’t understand German.. I mean.. everyone was speaking to me in English, even when we were in groups, they spoke English if I was present.
After that night we relaxed at Matthias’ house and he took very good care of me. Ensuring that at all times I was comfortable and had everything I desired. His parents took us to the Heidelberg castle and we all did the ENGLISH TOUR. His poor dad didn’t understand very much. But I appreciate the fact they did it just for me! I learned some amazing history (like all of the other city and castle tours I’ve done).. but actually it makes me realize how little I know about European or even world history. Us poor Americans, our education system is deplorable! So now I’m home again.. doing some work on my case study which is due in a few days. After that I have a break and will be making a trip to Stockholm. I also have a final exam due and have to register for classes. So as always I’m pretty busy : ) Working hard but OF COURSE playing harder.
I miss my family, especially my nephews as I can see how quickly they’re growing, and sadly I’m so far away and can’t be there to watch them grow up : ( I’m still considering an internship here and will be doing some research to make a decision by this month.
I plan to post some pictures of my trip within the next couple of days! I will upload them to a site which has pretty good quality.. it takes a bit longer but is very worth it.
