And the Learning Continues …
Yes, yes, another week of class has gone by. Today, we celebrated the end of week two’s classes, big sigh of relief. Two more weeks to go!
All posts tagged: random
They Call It Angel Mountain
To Switzerland we wanted to go. Because you can’t just be in the neighborhood and not stop by there. And a little bit of hiking – that’s what we wanted to do. So we hopped into the car and went on a pretty little road trip. Pretty … because you can’t go to Switzerland without having to admit that it’s amazingly pretty. Little … because Switzerland is so small that everything is just a little distance away. And road trip … because after getting to Lake Lucerne, my car-mates decided that wasn’t spectacular enough, and so we got back on the road and moved on to Engelberg, the place they call Angel Mountain. And we found ourselves a mountain to do some hiking and a whole lot of hanging out there, too, enjoying the scenery. See?
A Lesson in Castle-Ology
Of course, being in school, we really have to make sure we learn as much as we can. That also includes a lesson in the science of castle-ology. The Sausenburg makes one great object lesson. Except: it was destroyed hundreds of years ago, and that was pretty much the end of it. But we went there anyways. We climbed all the way up the keep – pretty much the only part of the castle that remains. And then we did learn something. About grand views. About the Black Forest, Switzerland, and France – all of which was spread out right before our eyes. And in the end, we decided that the Sausenburg was worth a little lesson in castle-ology anyway.
That First Week of School …
… is over! And of course, we had to celebrate it. With a little bit of friendship (or rather classmate-ship), and ice-cream, of course. That’s how school turns out to be quite cool, actually. And a whole lot of fun, too!
Back to School …
… it is. And that means me be busy, busy, busy for the next couple of weeks! But at least we ended up in this romantic lil’ ol’ town, with lots of Black Forest all around, and then there’s Switzerland and France waiting right in the neighborhood, wanting to be explored just as well. So, you see, there’s really lots to study around here – about life in the Black Forest, about European soccer, about French cuisine, and the Swiss way of mountain climbing. And now you know why school keeps me so busy! Off to study …
Change of Scene
I’ve been on the road again. Halfway across the country. To a tiny town in the far south-west corner of Germany my journey’s taken me. It’s basically the end of it. The end of the world, I mean. Or at least of Germany. Because France and Switzerland are both less than 20 min. away. In other words, going anywhere in these two countries is going to be closer than anything in Germany, really. So, welcome to the end of the world. And of course, welcome to Germany, Switzerland, and France … P.S. Oh, and before I forget, I meant to ask this question: Why do oysters never give to charity? Answer: Because they’re shellfish, duh! P.P.S. If you think that’s just a silly joke, you can blame my friend for it. He just got it from his facebook, and I can’t take any responsibility for it, really.
Greetings from a Poppy Field
So, my mom (who loves photography by the way) had this grandiose idea the other day: let’s go find some poppies and try some pictures. And that’s what we did. We took our bikes, and off we went, on a 3-minute ride to find us some poppies for a nice little photo shoot. And this is what we got …
Adjustments
Being back requires some adjustments. Adjustment #1 | Weather Let’s take the weather, for example. When I left China, it was sizzling hot. I hadn’t worn socks in months, nor was any kind of sweater required since the beginning of May. Here, the weather’s been rather chilly lately, and a sweater is an absolute must. Still, what’s the first thing I get after returning home? A big fat cold! So NOT cool! Adjustment #2 | Money Have you ever gone to a foreign place where they use a different currency, and you constantly have to look at your money to make sure you pick the right amount? Well, I’m back home, but the money has become so unfamiliar that I’m having to do just that: flip over and double check every coin before I hand it to the cashier to make sure that I’m giving her what I think I’m giving her. Talking about some major readjustments here! Adjustment #3 | Language Usually, I try my best to stick with the language that I need …
Home Sweet Home
I used to call it home. And now I’m back again. At least for this week, that is. And I had some nice surprises. Like my sister coming to the airport to pick me up when I thought her hundreds of miles away. Does it feel strange to be back after such a long time? Sure it does. And then, it actually doesn’t. Everything is still so familiar, it’s as if I just left yesterday. And yet, it’s all so strange as well. Anyhow, I’ll promise you something: I’ll try to make the most of my time back home. I’ll try to enjoy all the foods I haven’t had in such a long time, and I can’t wait to meet and greet so many of my friends that I haven’t seen in just as long a time!
Up in the Air …
… that’s what was happening today: I was up in the air. For most of my 30-hour-day anyways. Up in the air, anywhere between Asia and Europe. But “up in the air” is how I’ve been feeling a little, too! Returning to your home-turf when you’ve been out for so long can be quite unsettling. What will home be like? Will it still feel like home? We’ll find out very soon, but at least while I was up in the air today, I had a pleasant time. Did you know that KLM has now officially made it to the top of the list of my favorite airlines? Now, you can disagree with me on that, but I have to say, I loved being spoilt with chocolate bars and stuffs whenever I felt like it. Not every airline offers such services. So, maybe, being up in the air today wasn’t all that bad after all!