February 2012
20 posts
7 tags
Fasching, you are my favorite.
What is Fasching? It is a pre-Lenten celebration that it seems many German cultures and cities enjoy, and its basically the greatest thing on earth. Imagine a German foodie fair, combined with an outrageous costume party and add every type of booze imaginable in a city centre and that’s the basic idea. It is often referred to as Carnaval as well.
In the beginning, all I knew was my aunt had...
8 tags
It takes three to Tango
Leading up to my trip to Munich, I learned that my aunt and uncle had a huge (read: extraordinary) passion for tango dancing. You’d never guess they were 67 & 72- these young-hearted cats outlasted me both evenings as far as burning the midnight oil goes!
It just so happened that there was a big tango party taking place on Saturday night (I would sadly just miss the Carneval roaring 20s...
7 tags
Dear Munich- I fancy you.
Well I had no idea going into my first German adventure, how much I’d enjoy the lovely city of Munich… Europe you pleasantly surprise me once again.
After a quick bite at home and packing up my things, I hit the road a little after 7:00 p.m. hoping to get to Munich in about 3-4 hours. I had been warned (heavily) about the autobahn and to be careful in the passing lane… but...
A very happy European birthday
I’m way overdue for new post, sorry for the delay and even more sorry for the inundation of posts that’s about to take place…
Well, when I first realized I would be across the pond for my birthday, I was a bit sad, no 2nd edition of the house warming and peeling myself off the floor literally (it was sticky and I wanted a nap). But then I remembered, each post-21st birthday gets...
Fun facts before I leave for Munich...
1. The radio stations are top notch for my taste in music, and because of the difference in culture, the older songs they play (i.e. “Call on Me” - flashbacks to freshman year at MSU, someone get me a towel) have a British top chart history versus the U.S. one- me likey, mucho. I also should give additional props to my two coworkers I share an office with, they both have the same music...
9 tags
Dear Gasman...
(Josh, I hope you are particularly tickled by the title of this post…)
Last night, I had the chance to join my colleague and friend Franziska for the Gavin DeGraw concert in downtown Zurich. Prior to my arrival, I had learned of his concert tour here and was really hoping one of my new friends would want to go with me because as just with everything in life, it’s more fun to...
Undiegate- the Final Chapter
I just made that washer my b*tch… okay, okay so I realized I was using the wrong laundry room- key worked like a charm in this one- weird how that works.
And I even made a new friend with a business tenant using the facilities named Sam- who noticed my excessive button pushing and asked if I needed help- yes, please and thanks.
6 tags
The last leg of Milan... RIP homegirl (sorry for...
waking up to the texts of my buddies back home alerting of my soul sister Whitney’s death, was heart-breaking… and not a good way to start the day on Sunday.
I grew up listening to her first albums, dancing around to “I Want to Dance with Somebody” and “How Will I Know?” with Julie in our living room, and blasting The Bodyguard soundtrack with our neighbor...
Undiegate update....
Thank you x1000000 to my friend and coworker Robyn who also experienced this issue while here and knew how to unlock the door.
My undies are back to their rightful owner…
this is happening right now...
clothes are locked (seriously) in the washer- not washed.
Don’t want to make enemies however, so I penned this…
and put it in the washer door…
definitely open to any suggestions.
And yes, I did try my laundry key- that did not help the situation whatsoever.
9 tags
ti amo aperitivo
I’ll explain that shortly.
So we landed in Milan just before 3 p.m. and found the suggested parking garage (which we probably paid way too much for the next day, but oh well) only about 4 blocks from our hotel and went on our merry way to check in. Evidently I had booked more a lover’s suite for us, haha, but it turned out to be quite spacious and lovely and only a short walk or metro...
My affair with George...
just kidding.
But I did have a small affair on Switzerland with Como and Milan, Italy this past weekend.
Sarah and I set off on our northern Italian adventure bright and early on Saturday morning. And I smiled and chatted happily through the white-knuckled Swiss Alps driving. Sarah mentioned being glad to be driving with me because I took the swift turns a bit more gentle than her Belgian friend...
I heart social media
That may be a pretty obvious statement given my profession and the various platforms I share information on, such as the two for this very post, but I really really do.
Even as far back as 6 years ago, when I studied abroad, we all had to get special pre-paid mobile phones for our trip and use them sparingly at that. Facebook was in its toddler phase and hardly a great way to communicate with...
7 tags
What's the word...
… the word up?
Yes, that is one of the choice songs I got to hear this evening at Hafenkneipe, a local watering hole about 5 stops away on the #14. They also played selections from the Red Hot Chill Peppers, John Butler Trio, and a hometown classic Eminem, among other rockin’ beats. The bar was boat themed too. So while not quite a Yacht Rock experience (read: favorite solid gold...
Talking animals are fun regardless of language
While getting my Swiss evening telly on- so glad How I Met Your Mother is so popular and cheesy 90s movies (read: Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion) these talking animal videos keep coming up and I find them hilarious even though I haven’t got a clue what they are saying
Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaTKt2b8gBw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
...
9 tags
Fun Facts: Part 1 (because I'm certain there'll be...
I’ve had a lot of long posts lately so here is a short one, but interesting things I’ve learned about the Swiss and the land of neutrality.
Don’t F with parking meters-and learn how to match parking space numbers to the meters
Don’t do laundry - or anything for that matter, unless you plan it out well, on Sundays
You are only allowed to have guinea pigs in pairs…...
It's so cold in the Z...
Okay so perhaps that doesn’t quite translate… but it is quite (unseasonably) chilly here and all I keep hearing in my head is “It’s so cold in the D”- google it, if you don’t understand and you’re welcome btw.
So I let St. Christopher play his upper hand yesterday, but not today.
After, learning that I had actually paid for the spot in front of where I...
8 tags
Dear St. Christopher... take it easy already.
For those of you that aren’t Catholic, St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers (among other things). And evidently, I have not paid him nearly enough attention recently.
So my colleague graciously lent me her Volt for the weekend, which I was very excited about, as I love that car. And since its brand new here, I thought it would be good to have to drive about town and turn some...
7 tags
Taking it all in...
So after my pity party yesterday… sorry about that btw, I’m now back to my Swiss-adventuring self - and in a sausage-sized way!
First, I started the day (OK the past two) with rice cakes and Nutella - YUM - basically chocolate for breakfast (right Sara?) I then conquered the train system. Both trains came where and when they were supposed to and stopped where they were supposed to...
"Swiss trains are always on time"... except when...
le sigh.
SO prior to my arrival, and even when I got here and rode the public transit system my first day, all I heard was it was totally reliable and trains come when they’re supposed to, etc. It’s the Swiss, they like things done orderly and rules are there for a reason.
So this morning, my first day of work, I was prepared to ride one bus and take my ONE transfer. Studied the...
January 2012
3 posts
No thanks Richard... I've seen Taken.
(No idea what this is, but it was pretty too on my wandering- please excuse the creepy lady in the corner hacking up a lung)
Day two in Zurich, and I’m already feeling more settled in. Finally unpacked and my cell phone is officially in working order again, so I’m ready to take on the world, or at least Switzerland for now.
Everything I read still looks like more like gibberish...
Things I've learned so far...
1.) Phones get jet lag too- or at least mine did. It decided to go to “SOS” mode upon my arrival in Paris and just isn’t feeling up to cooperating yet… if only I could remember morse code, then I’d really be set.
2.) Americans (though I realize I am one) are painfully ignorant sometimes. While wandering wide-eyed in the Paris airport trying to navigate myself to my...
Holy frijoles... I'm in Zurich.
Its had to believe, but three suitcases and one personal item, its you and me - let’s not get sick of each other over the next three months…
After months of waiting and wondering if it might ever come to fruition, I find myself legitimately in Zurich, Switzerland for a three month assignment with Chevrolet Europe. Holy frijoles…
I am going to do my best to chronicle my...