I'll be spending somewhere around six months in Europe beginning in January, less the possible three weeks of coming home to trade out the tired old clothes for fresh pieces, unless of course I backpack the area...and oh that's a whole new mess of planning.
In the meantime, I have to figure out weekends. I believe that we are given three-day weekends to allow us adventurous students the chance to figure out what this whole "Europe"thing. So far I have a few ideas:
1. The salt mines of Austria-I have heard rumors that they allow you to take a cart through the mines. It's like an icy, creepy roller coaster of mining. Far more fun than the Spring Break I spent in West Virginia going through coal mines. Not that I have much against coal mines, other than they produce an incredibly polluting energy source, and I'd really rather employ alternative energies. And coal mines are very dangerous, and it's all very complicated but regardless. Salt Mines! in Austria! Perhaps I would get a souvenir salt lick to add to my collection of none. Really, it'll be a shot glass.
2. The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of "Hamlet" starring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. My kidneys will be available on E-bay to help pay for this little extravagance. You can have my pancreas for front row seats. I'll give you my entire cardio-vascular system for a tour and meet-and-greet. My nervous system for dinner afterwards with the star(s). I'm keeping the muscles, skeleton, and skin. And still not going to med school.
3. Traveling King Tutankhamen show opens in London November 15 2007, and closes August 30 2008. The latent Egyptologist in me wants to brush up my Rosetta Stone and Howard Carter, bring my canopic jars and get right back into the history nerd from whence I came. Seriously, this is gonna rock.
4. Poland. I spend enough time faking this heritage (which is apparently declining every time I turn around) that I should probably stop by for some real pirogies. Ireland is on this list too, but I somehow figure I'll get there at some point. A bit presumptuous, yes. But then again, I like being that girl, so we're gonna go with it.
5. I kind of want to climb St. Paul's again. The last time I got to the top and there was lightning from the coming storm. One of the exhilarating moments I should have enjoyed more at the time, and can only hope to mimic with greater awareness of what is going on.
I'm open to suggestions from the multitudes. I have some required touring to do, but just enough free time to fulfill some goals. I don't know that I'll ever have the chance to take a year exploring, but I want to get the most out of this trip.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Art History and Film
I went to see "The Rape of Europa" tonight for my pre-abroad class- all about the looting of art by the Nazis during World War Two, focusing primarily on the lootings of Poland, Russia, France and Italy. It also included a discussion of the "Monument Man"-the division of the Army concerned with the preservation of historical and cultural monuments and other works of art.
It struck me as I was watching the bit about the Monument Men that the story would be fascinating, especially Deane....whats his name. I feel awful for forgetting, but it's a wonderful story. And really, one of the surely now few stories from WWII yet to be told in film form. I mean, let's look at it, shall we? We've had the war in general, the stories of generals, companies, spies, battles, every possible theatre involved, individuals- really everything. I realized I would be really interested in the Monument Men-moving with the front, trying desperately to save the culture of Europe while the military tries to save the people and drive back Fascism and Nazism. Certainly would be more interesting than the last half-hour of that movie.
I realized then that I will likely never see the stories of any of my veteran family members. My grandfather was a clerk in WWII. My great-grandfather was in the French-Canadian Army because the American wouldn't have him. And my father was with, I believe, the Navy Corps of Engineers in Vietnam. I find their stories interesting, and really what veteran doesn't have fascinating, if terrifying, tales of war. But, I don't know that I will ever see their stories made into film form. When you look at it, WWI is barely covered-imagine, the Great War isn't given much attention; let me think: Lawrence of Arabia, Joyeaux Noel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Paths of Glory, Gallipoli. Those I can name off the top of my head; if I did the Second, I'd be here all night, and there are Italian study sheets to make. How on Earth does that happen? Vietnam is practically owned by Oliver Stone. And there are too many wars in history to give all their due. But what is due, when war is the subject? Surely Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Hundred Years, the Mongols...Crimea...as more than a BBC documentary or docudrama.
I've digressed horribly into theoretical film-making and history. I was contemplating on the likelihood of ever seeing a member of the family interviewed for a documentary about the war. On a tangent, Nina and I were visiting with Dr. Papillon this week and brought up the idea of career day. Nina shared her family's vocations of rocket scientist, lawyer, and engineer. While in the younger generations both sides of the family boast some variety of occupation, I seem to recall that on both sides of the family, the great-grans were shop-keepers.
Adam Smith first discussed the idea of a nation of shopkeepers, and Napoleon used the phrase to insult the English. i wonder if I see that as an insult-it's the idea of the triumph of capitalism; and though the other movie of the week, "11th Hour" was very anti-corporation as being responsible for the eventual destruction of the human race, the fact that the families survived and flourished in trade only serves to show the potential of capitalism. And it's the fact of that shop that my Grandfather was a clerk, helping to inventory supplies and not in the midst of battle. the accident of fate and training kept him out of the front lines. With Dad, much the same. And then I think, I'm perfectly happy there's no movie for me to watch yet. Eventually subject matter will run thin, and I'll see the remaining war stories in theatres. "Monument Men" can't be far off. It's too catchy a title to pass up.
I apologize for the rambling nature of this particular post. I'd blame the hour and my tired state, but in truth, it's my stream of conscious barely contained by the confines of language and grammar. Eventually I'll have a better subject, or a more thought-out statement, but I prefer to write as I will for now. It's likely many more posts will follow this format and loop in and around the central theme, ultimately seeking some basic truth for my own edification. And as I am in many ways a traveler who prefers to go alone, I never turn away the chance for company on the path, be it in thought or deed. And now...flashcards for that exam.
It struck me as I was watching the bit about the Monument Men that the story would be fascinating, especially Deane....whats his name. I feel awful for forgetting, but it's a wonderful story. And really, one of the surely now few stories from WWII yet to be told in film form. I mean, let's look at it, shall we? We've had the war in general, the stories of generals, companies, spies, battles, every possible theatre involved, individuals- really everything. I realized I would be really interested in the Monument Men-moving with the front, trying desperately to save the culture of Europe while the military tries to save the people and drive back Fascism and Nazism. Certainly would be more interesting than the last half-hour of that movie.
I realized then that I will likely never see the stories of any of my veteran family members. My grandfather was a clerk in WWII. My great-grandfather was in the French-Canadian Army because the American wouldn't have him. And my father was with, I believe, the Navy Corps of Engineers in Vietnam. I find their stories interesting, and really what veteran doesn't have fascinating, if terrifying, tales of war. But, I don't know that I will ever see their stories made into film form. When you look at it, WWI is barely covered-imagine, the Great War isn't given much attention; let me think: Lawrence of Arabia, Joyeaux Noel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Paths of Glory, Gallipoli. Those I can name off the top of my head; if I did the Second, I'd be here all night, and there are Italian study sheets to make. How on Earth does that happen? Vietnam is practically owned by Oliver Stone. And there are too many wars in history to give all their due. But what is due, when war is the subject? Surely Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Hundred Years, the Mongols...Crimea...as more than a BBC documentary or docudrama.
I've digressed horribly into theoretical film-making and history. I was contemplating on the likelihood of ever seeing a member of the family interviewed for a documentary about the war. On a tangent, Nina and I were visiting with Dr. Papillon this week and brought up the idea of career day. Nina shared her family's vocations of rocket scientist, lawyer, and engineer. While in the younger generations both sides of the family boast some variety of occupation, I seem to recall that on both sides of the family, the great-grans were shop-keepers.
Adam Smith first discussed the idea of a nation of shopkeepers, and Napoleon used the phrase to insult the English. i wonder if I see that as an insult-it's the idea of the triumph of capitalism; and though the other movie of the week, "11th Hour" was very anti-corporation as being responsible for the eventual destruction of the human race, the fact that the families survived and flourished in trade only serves to show the potential of capitalism. And it's the fact of that shop that my Grandfather was a clerk, helping to inventory supplies and not in the midst of battle. the accident of fate and training kept him out of the front lines. With Dad, much the same. And then I think, I'm perfectly happy there's no movie for me to watch yet. Eventually subject matter will run thin, and I'll see the remaining war stories in theatres. "Monument Men" can't be far off. It's too catchy a title to pass up.
I apologize for the rambling nature of this particular post. I'd blame the hour and my tired state, but in truth, it's my stream of conscious barely contained by the confines of language and grammar. Eventually I'll have a better subject, or a more thought-out statement, but I prefer to write as I will for now. It's likely many more posts will follow this format and loop in and around the central theme, ultimately seeking some basic truth for my own edification. And as I am in many ways a traveler who prefers to go alone, I never turn away the chance for company on the path, be it in thought or deed. And now...flashcards for that exam.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Huzzah for more Europa!
I realized, as I sat down to write the latest entry in this blog that I have never actually explained where I am going. And as those plans have changed in the last 24 hours, this seems an ideal opportunity.
I am leaving January 10, 2008 from Dulles International Airport to wing my way to Riva San Vitale, Switzerland to spend four months on Lake Lugano (and a mere jaunt from Lago Como-European seat of George Clooney [if I have a sighting I get out of class for the day]). Riva San Vitale is, at least from the pictures, a lovely small town just a few miles from the northern Italian border, and nestled in the Alps.
While in Switzerland I'll be making class-sanctioned trips to Germany and Italy, and given three day weekends for personal exploration. This includes my spring break in March, and what is already being labeled "The Birthday of Doom". At least by me. For I shall be having my 21st birthday while in Europe, a land where the drinking age comes much earlier. So, no bar crawls at 10 pm the night before for me. Instead I plan on claiming Switzerland for me. And then conquering the rest of Europe. That or three days of partying before spending Easter Sunday in Vatican City. What could be better? I tell you nothing. Unless my plans for Zombie Pope and Zombie Harry Caray actually follow through (I assure you, I am not nearly as mad as that previous sentence makes me sound).
After Switzerland there's this period of about 3.5 weeks where I exist in a void: I have another study abroad program-this one in London that begins late May, and ends late June.
Which means I need suggestions: what shall I do? Shall I bum about Europe a la "Eurotrip" or the forthcoming "Harold and Kumar" sequel? or should I come home? or visit with friends I know distantly?
Ah, the difficulties of a life abroad.
I am leaving January 10, 2008 from Dulles International Airport to wing my way to Riva San Vitale, Switzerland to spend four months on Lake Lugano (and a mere jaunt from Lago Como-European seat of George Clooney [if I have a sighting I get out of class for the day]). Riva San Vitale is, at least from the pictures, a lovely small town just a few miles from the northern Italian border, and nestled in the Alps.
While in Switzerland I'll be making class-sanctioned trips to Germany and Italy, and given three day weekends for personal exploration. This includes my spring break in March, and what is already being labeled "The Birthday of Doom". At least by me. For I shall be having my 21st birthday while in Europe, a land where the drinking age comes much earlier. So, no bar crawls at 10 pm the night before for me. Instead I plan on claiming Switzerland for me. And then conquering the rest of Europe. That or three days of partying before spending Easter Sunday in Vatican City. What could be better? I tell you nothing. Unless my plans for Zombie Pope and Zombie Harry Caray actually follow through (I assure you, I am not nearly as mad as that previous sentence makes me sound).
After Switzerland there's this period of about 3.5 weeks where I exist in a void: I have another study abroad program-this one in London that begins late May, and ends late June.
Which means I need suggestions: what shall I do? Shall I bum about Europe a la "Eurotrip" or the forthcoming "Harold and Kumar" sequel? or should I come home? or visit with friends I know distantly?
Ah, the difficulties of a life abroad.
Monday, September 24, 2007
The Difficulty of Finances
I doubt it will ever be said that I am clever when it comes to money. I'm always the one who prefers to buy new rather than bother looking/repair an older item. I love buying new things, and letting the clutter build and build. Only recently have I even bothered to really consider how may times my credit card is swiped, or how much cash flows out of the coffers. I love buying things for people, and frequently pay for dinners without expecting immediate reimbursement. I always assume the debts will even out over the course of the semester.
Is this sound financial planning? No.
But it becomes an issue now as I plan a semester in Europe, and really want to add another month in London. Add to this my rather pricey habits and interest in live theatre and the recent strengthening of the Euro, and I'm in trouble. I've never been big on the whole working thing, and barely cleared $1200 in income for the summer, most of which ended up in movie theatres and the mall near the camp. As such, my bank account is in a sorry state for a prospective world traveller.
So I do what all good college students do: I ask for a loan. KIDDING! The prospect of a loan terrifies me. I don't have enough monetary savvy to be taking out a loan that I'll be paying off for the next forever. Especially as I'll be entering the world with a Liberal Arts degree, and a desire for grad school. I've been lucky with undergrad: Virginia In-state Tuition (reasonably low), lots of scholarship money from many sources, and parents with the foresight to set up a college savings plan when I was but a 'wee timorous beastie' that covers whatever I lacked in scholarships.
In reality, I've spent hours working on scholarship applications. My home institution offers a study abroad scholarship of $500-$1000. I'm hoping my lofty dreams of four months wandering Switzerland (which includes with any luck Carnivale in Venice, Easter at the Vatican, and a rather exciting spring break, perhaps to Casablanca) and other countries, followed by a month in England will sway their hearts to giving me a substantial check. Other than that I've been using finder websites, such as www.fastweb.com to seek out other sources.
Unfortunately, so many of these are national scholarships, which means a wide pool of applicants, and at times very sketchy application rules. I can only send off what I have and hope for the absolute best.
As if the odds weren't already against me, turns out one national study abroad scholarship which I had spent three weeks working on, trying to get a really solid 500-750 essay on why, where, what I was going to do overseas, has decided in the last week to completely change their competition. Instead of one essay with a tidy chunk of change once a year, it's $100 for 100 words. Same parameters. Now, I've had enough troubles getting 500-750 words and covering everything I could do. and suddenly I have to reduce it to 1/7 of the original length, and keep all the information for a paltry $100.
Oh, yes, do not turn my poor student nose up at the $100. That could get me a designer handbag off the streets, iffy seats to the opera, maybe a Eurorail ticket. And perhaps change for coffee or grappa (which everyone tells me I should be drinking, but seemingly as the only person out of the travelling group who's had Thanksgiving dinner end with battles between grappa and Cointreau-pass, thanks). However, the advent of Craigslist means I could easily acquire that same $100 passing out fliers, running a chocolate fountain, or by more disreputable means (Again-pass). I can already tell that I'll likely be back at Bath and Body Works for the Christmas season, and maybe finding other quick jobs for the holidays. For family grab-bag, all prezzies will be necessarily related to getting over there. And then asking for money.
For you see, I really want to see Hamlet in London. And there will be no greater tragedy for me if I come up a few pounds short.
Is this sound financial planning? No.
But it becomes an issue now as I plan a semester in Europe, and really want to add another month in London. Add to this my rather pricey habits and interest in live theatre and the recent strengthening of the Euro, and I'm in trouble. I've never been big on the whole working thing, and barely cleared $1200 in income for the summer, most of which ended up in movie theatres and the mall near the camp. As such, my bank account is in a sorry state for a prospective world traveller.
So I do what all good college students do: I ask for a loan. KIDDING! The prospect of a loan terrifies me. I don't have enough monetary savvy to be taking out a loan that I'll be paying off for the next forever. Especially as I'll be entering the world with a Liberal Arts degree, and a desire for grad school. I've been lucky with undergrad: Virginia In-state Tuition (reasonably low), lots of scholarship money from many sources, and parents with the foresight to set up a college savings plan when I was but a 'wee timorous beastie' that covers whatever I lacked in scholarships.
In reality, I've spent hours working on scholarship applications. My home institution offers a study abroad scholarship of $500-$1000. I'm hoping my lofty dreams of four months wandering Switzerland (which includes with any luck Carnivale in Venice, Easter at the Vatican, and a rather exciting spring break, perhaps to Casablanca) and other countries, followed by a month in England will sway their hearts to giving me a substantial check. Other than that I've been using finder websites, such as www.fastweb.com to seek out other sources.
Unfortunately, so many of these are national scholarships, which means a wide pool of applicants, and at times very sketchy application rules. I can only send off what I have and hope for the absolute best.
As if the odds weren't already against me, turns out one national study abroad scholarship which I had spent three weeks working on, trying to get a really solid 500-750 essay on why, where, what I was going to do overseas, has decided in the last week to completely change their competition. Instead of one essay with a tidy chunk of change once a year, it's $100 for 100 words. Same parameters. Now, I've had enough troubles getting 500-750 words and covering everything I could do. and suddenly I have to reduce it to 1/7 of the original length, and keep all the information for a paltry $100.
Oh, yes, do not turn my poor student nose up at the $100. That could get me a designer handbag off the streets, iffy seats to the opera, maybe a Eurorail ticket. And perhaps change for coffee or grappa (which everyone tells me I should be drinking, but seemingly as the only person out of the travelling group who's had Thanksgiving dinner end with battles between grappa and Cointreau-pass, thanks). However, the advent of Craigslist means I could easily acquire that same $100 passing out fliers, running a chocolate fountain, or by more disreputable means (Again-pass). I can already tell that I'll likely be back at Bath and Body Works for the Christmas season, and maybe finding other quick jobs for the holidays. For family grab-bag, all prezzies will be necessarily related to getting over there. And then asking for money.
For you see, I really want to see Hamlet in London. And there will be no greater tragedy for me if I come up a few pounds short.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Language Barrier
Admittedly, the first posting of a travel blog could and probably should include some sort of itinerary of the proposed travel: dates, locations, modes of travel, dreams and hopes for the future....all that good stuff. But there are far more important issues at hand-and this week it's the language barrier.
Oh yes, the countries of Europe have mostly unified the monetary system, and some governmental forms. Yet there's still no common language. Now I love listening to languages, I love listening to accents, I find accents very attractive. However, I spent five years in high school learning Spanish. Struggled through five years of language, trying to understand what the devil was going on. I watched movies, took an AP course in Literature and forced myself to not only understand, but to analyze poetry in a foreign language. Five years I half-slaved to have passable skills, skills that I have since let slide from disuse, and the fact that my university is not in the most Hispanic-oriented area of the world. As such, all I can ask is the ability to greet and read a menu, and hopefully renew those skills should I ever need it for an advanced degree.
As it turns out, I will be spending four months in an area of the world that communicates in Italian. How wonderful for me, surely! I spend five years with a romance language, only to end up in an area with another romance language. On paper this should be easy-the skills I learned once upon a time should surely extend to this new language: the structures are the same, and the vocabulary is remarkably similar. Which, as I said, looks really good on paper. The practice is horrible.
Every time I try to count to ten, I begin in Italian, and by 'seven' I'm well ensconced in Spanish. I've realized that I knew far more Spanish that I ever realized, because every time I try to write a sentence in my extremely limited Italian vocabulary and shaky verb conjugations, it comes out as a remarkably complex and detailed Spanish sentence. I'm not sure the grammar is entirely correct, but it sure sounds good.
My roommate, who will be going abroad with me, has been having problems as well. Her linguistic background lies with Latin and a semester of German-which it turns out is entirely useless. The Latin should help in principle, it being the root language for the romances, and a certain percentage of English. It could be that the problems lie with a professor that didn't make a good first impression, and that sets up a barrier. If I don't have faith in a teacher's ability to teach, I'll resist learning, whether or not I can actually absorb the information. That means I feel the need to do extra practice with the other resources provided, and yet my reluctance to do work combined with my existing work load prevents me from that practice.
That inevitable lack of skills that comes from resistant learning and procrastinated practice means that I will have to rely on my natural charm to get around cities-which will end badly I'm sure. Although I've been told I can get out of class work if I can catch a glimpse of George Clooney. So maybe, I don't need to overcome the language barrier as much as the charm barrier.
Oh yes, the countries of Europe have mostly unified the monetary system, and some governmental forms. Yet there's still no common language. Now I love listening to languages, I love listening to accents, I find accents very attractive. However, I spent five years in high school learning Spanish. Struggled through five years of language, trying to understand what the devil was going on. I watched movies, took an AP course in Literature and forced myself to not only understand, but to analyze poetry in a foreign language. Five years I half-slaved to have passable skills, skills that I have since let slide from disuse, and the fact that my university is not in the most Hispanic-oriented area of the world. As such, all I can ask is the ability to greet and read a menu, and hopefully renew those skills should I ever need it for an advanced degree.
As it turns out, I will be spending four months in an area of the world that communicates in Italian. How wonderful for me, surely! I spend five years with a romance language, only to end up in an area with another romance language. On paper this should be easy-the skills I learned once upon a time should surely extend to this new language: the structures are the same, and the vocabulary is remarkably similar. Which, as I said, looks really good on paper. The practice is horrible.
Every time I try to count to ten, I begin in Italian, and by 'seven' I'm well ensconced in Spanish. I've realized that I knew far more Spanish that I ever realized, because every time I try to write a sentence in my extremely limited Italian vocabulary and shaky verb conjugations, it comes out as a remarkably complex and detailed Spanish sentence. I'm not sure the grammar is entirely correct, but it sure sounds good.
My roommate, who will be going abroad with me, has been having problems as well. Her linguistic background lies with Latin and a semester of German-which it turns out is entirely useless. The Latin should help in principle, it being the root language for the romances, and a certain percentage of English. It could be that the problems lie with a professor that didn't make a good first impression, and that sets up a barrier. If I don't have faith in a teacher's ability to teach, I'll resist learning, whether or not I can actually absorb the information. That means I feel the need to do extra practice with the other resources provided, and yet my reluctance to do work combined with my existing work load prevents me from that practice.
That inevitable lack of skills that comes from resistant learning and procrastinated practice means that I will have to rely on my natural charm to get around cities-which will end badly I'm sure. Although I've been told I can get out of class work if I can catch a glimpse of George Clooney. So maybe, I don't need to overcome the language barrier as much as the charm barrier.
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