Academic Travel and some other juicy tidbits

Geneva, Paris, Brussels and Strasbourg.   A long adventure of techno bus riding (thanks to Marco), and really boring meetings at various IGOs.  THe only interesting academic visit we had was at the US consulate where the Russian representation at Franklin got into a fight with the US diplomat who was indoctrinating us with US policy (don't worry, none of us bought it).  Afterwards I got into a verbal battle with him about US environmental policy, and he subsequently told me not to let the Europeans make me believe that US environmental policy is awful.  (If you don't see anything wrong with this statement, stop reading.  We are no longer friends.)  He then gave me his card and told me to contact him if I had further questions.  I do, I just don't know how to word them nicely and in an unthreatening manner.  This took place in Brussels.  My favorite city was maybe Paris.  In a telephone conversation with my mother, she told me that a lot of people who go to Paris love the city but don't like the way that they are treated.  This is true, if you are American, you are treated rudely, but this holds for most european cities.  Parisians just have ruder body language and cooler accents.  However, since everyone thought I was French, things went pretty smoothly.  I was only treated badly once, by a French waiter who was angry that Lulia (from Syria) was not reacting towards his advances, and so he took it out on us.  It's okay though, he was a low class waiter in a wannnabe italian pizza joint.  I decided not to take it personally.  The best thing about Paris is probably the default line that all Parisian men revert to when they don't understand what you're saying: "You are so beautiful."  I think the entire population (regardless of whether or not they speak english) knows how to say this.  

Not much else to say about Academic Travel, except that the Belgian waffles were wonderful and that Strasbourg was quaint.  

Halloween happened yesterday, and is apparently a big deal at Franklin.  I went to the party dressed as Holly Golightly.  I looked quite classy :).  Milo even kissed my hand when he saw me, which I thought was pretty funny.  Mani and Cora went as Starsky and Hutch.  

Oh, and I had a bad day today because I realized that I missed Tyler's wedding:(

Tomorrow I'm going to Milan for stake conference.  That should be interesting.  I never liked stake conference at home, and now I'm expected to sit through it in Italian.  Joy.  But it will be nice to go to Milan again I guess (I can be reaqquainted[did I spell that right?  My mac says no] with the animals I hate nearly as much as squirrels.......pigeons).  

Ciao tutti!

Milano

Well, I have something important to tell you all.  I received a proposal of marriage yesterday, in front of the Duomo in Milan.  

And....

I said "No."

It was one of the men trying to sell random bracelets to people for a ridiculous sum, and I had just told him off rather rudely for being so in my face, and as I walked away, he muttered, rather half-heartedly (seeing as how I had just given him a verbal strip down) "Need a husband?"  It was comical, after I checked to see if my passport was still in my purse (no, I didn't actually do this) and after I had consumed some of the best strawberry gelato that Milano had to offer to me.  But, seriously, I was not happy.  The true reason?  Well, the night before Rachel had the most brilliant idea.  Why not wear her designer Italian heels to the fashion capital of Italy?  

Bad idea. 

Never, EVER again.

Anyways, all in all, I enjoyed Milano (the shopping especially) but was actually overjoyed to return my tired self back to beautiful Lugano.  On the train I kept thinking to myself, "I can't wait to get home."  Not that I don't regard Portland as home anymore, I just prefer Lugano by now in most aspects (the only thing that I truly miss are family and friends).  

Another interesting thing from my day trip yesterday:

They did not ask for passports or my documentazione EVER while crossing the border.  They stopped the train for a bit and quickly walked through the aisles, but that was all.  Nada, zip, zero. I was kind of bummed because I wanted to ask for a stamp, but it seemed as if they were looking for a certain type of person to ask for documentation from.  I guess the combination of my cleavage, young face, and air of "give me a hassle and I'll shoot your face" truly discouraged them.  (I don't like long trips to anywhere, even if it is only an hour and 10 or 20 minutes.  Don't waste my time skeezy italian men!  

Well, sadly though, Milan is not the most impressive city.  It was nice, but not breathtaking.  Lugano does a better job of that I think.  I had heard though that Franklin kids don't like Milan as much.  Now I guess I can see why

Due to multiple requests, I am officially updating this blog I guess.  Except that there is not much to tell.  I have a lot of homework, which I do most of the time.  Other times, Cora, Jackson and I have chocolate/cheese/family guy parties some nights in Jackson's room or our room.  I've been running semi-regularly, and my ability to run uphill amazes me.  Terrie would be happy to know that my recovery time is actually really good, it's just the summer fat that I accumulated that is really weighing me down (pun haha).  I have met a lot of people from all around the world, though I have to say that the girls from UAE crack me up.  They hired carpenters and contractors to redo their school owned apartments.  

My english has gotten worse I think.  Depending on who I'm talking to.  I pick up their way of saying things (sometimes a little quasi accent escapes) or my sentence structures don't make sense.  

As I have said before, I love my life here.  I'm interested to see how things are in December (when I come home).  I pigged out with Cora, Andriana and Jackson on all the food that my mother sent me (most of it I left for skinny Jackson) and now, I think that I hate HATE processed sugar and corn syrups.  It just takes so fake and makes me feel ill.  I'm extremely happy that the Swiss have laws against such things.

Well, I guess that's all for now.

Ciao tutti!

Class schedule and decided major

Well, for some of you this may be a shock, for others....

I have decided to do a double major in International Relations and Environmental Studies.  

And, here is my class schedule:

Intro Italian, Pt. 1     MWF   10:40-11:30

Global History 1       MWF  13:55-14:45

FYS (Glaciers No More?) MWF 15:00-15:50

College Algebra      TTh   11:30-12:45

Academic Travel Meeting  T   16:00-17:15

Intro to Computing TTh 17:30-18:45

I am getting most of my Core Requirements out of the way first, but all in all, it's a good schedule (I can sleep in :-)  )

A very long day

I would like to start out stating how tired I am.   It did NOT help that I had to lug around Nathan's jacket ALL day.  It seems like all that Sorengo and Lugano encompass are walking up and down the hill, which is why the only overweight people I have seen here are old and live down in the city, or are rich and have a car because things like gas prices do not worry them whatsoever.  It is still way gorgeous here, although undeniably one of the muggiest/hottest combo places I've ever been too.  Michigan has nothing on it, seeing as how they believe in air conditioning.  I was in President Nielsen's office today and it was so cold my teeth chattered.  Same in the auditorium, so Nathan loaned me his jacket and then I had to carry it because we split up.  Blech.  I hate carrying sweaters.  Anyways, walking tours of downtown lugano, run-ins with younger swiss italian men, and lots of hiking.  Love everybody!  I'll write again when life is more interesting;)

My rock star life

First off, I would like to thank my parents, who are currently funding my new lifestyle.  Basically, Switzerland is amazing.  Sure, the Swiss italian guys are kind of creepy, but who can't love a place where you turn a corner and find people doing the tango?  Or, when you enter the McDonald's on the lake front you gape at the crystal chandelier, marble flooring, extensive menu, and PS3 in the corner?  That is, the corner opposite the big screen tv, seeing as how we would not want to interrupt the people lounging on the comfortable chairs and couches watching the olympics.  Anyways, I've been here one day, and I am reminded about why I chose europe in the first place, it fits as well as my favorite pair of BCBGirls heels.  I love everybody, I plan to go to Italy the MOMENT I get my passport back from the Swiss government, and you shall hear from me again soon.

Welcome to Queens

Well, welcome to Queens!  Or Jamaica!  Okay, so Dad and I are not so enthusiastic about the hotel that he picked out in what can really only be called a not so nice neighborhood.  I can see why Dad picked it, there was, after all, no other hotels this cheap so close to the airport.  However, due to conditions and ominous signs posted in the lobby, I am now completely freaked about leaving my stuff in the room for fear that it will be stolen by some marauding ne'er-do-well.  My dad and I might not be fantastic dressers, but it is rather obvious when looking at us that we have money and are probably carrying some expensive gadgets.  

In all fairness, the hotel quality itself is not all so bad, but when our crazy driver of the hotel shuttle drove us through what can only be described as a movie set for Step Up 2: The Streets, Dad and I exchanged some looks (me trying to catch his eye with a "whoa, why is that guy standing in the middle of  the street waving around a 7-Eleven slurpee?!"  And Dad looking at me like "Um, so maybe I was wrong about the neighborhood."  

Never fear though!  We are perfectly safe!  We even got to have a visitor today.  I nicknamed him little Frank.  He crawled into our room while our door was open.  He was black, short, kind of shiny.  Did I mention that he was a little cockroach?