Greetings all!
I am oh so very sorry about the incredible long delay! You see, I have been extremely busy these days... honestly! However, I am starting to really budget my time even better and hope to set aside a few minutes each day to crank out a post and eventually catch up!
With that said, here are somethings to look forward to:
- Actually concluding what happened with the trio visited over Easter,
- Finishing telling you about my experiences in the Former Yugoslavia
- Having a new bunch of visitors *hint: they have never been to Europe EVER and it started with "M" and ends with "om and Dad"*
- I am a winner... apparently!
- The final Countdown... and it is coming awfully fast! (18 days from this post!)
- My reflections on the experience as a whole (including a list of every place I have been to...)
- My "What Am I Gunna Do Over Summer" List... it's incredible and you will be jealous!
- My ACTUAL Plans for next school year...(that is if I know before then...)
So, I haven't forgotten about you! I swear...I have just been a little preoccupied with this thing called school...
Now, if you don't mind, I have to finish writing a paper, head off to two classes, meet with a teacher, get a paper signed, attend another class, and start packing...phew. Talk to you later!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Family Invasion...Round 2...
This time up to the plate are the parents. This will be their first time here in Switzerland, well, Europe for that matter. They will be arriving around 8am Saturday in Zurich, and you know us, things start up right away! There is quite the packed itinerary for the 10 days they will be around, including stops in 5 countries (maybe even 6), climbing a mountain that bares our name, and taking me grocery shopping (oops, did I forget to mention that, mom and dad?).
This will definitely be an interesting time of firsts: First time in the country (and continent), first experiences driving on these roads, first time they will legitimately use their passports...the list goes on!
But, as I sit here swamped in work, trying to get ahead in order to spend as much time as I can showing them the lay of the land, I can't help but realize...I WILL BE HOME IN 32 Days!!! Just wanted to put that in there...
So, check back with updates on how they are taking to the Swiss (and German, and Austrian...) way of life! Until then...
This will definitely be an interesting time of firsts: First time in the country (and continent), first experiences driving on these roads, first time they will legitimately use their passports...the list goes on!
But, as I sit here swamped in work, trying to get ahead in order to spend as much time as I can showing them the lay of the land, I can't help but realize...I WILL BE HOME IN 32 Days!!! Just wanted to put that in there...
So, check back with updates on how they are taking to the Swiss (and German, and Austrian...) way of life! Until then...
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Don't have school on a Wednesday? Because of school? Umm...OK!
To many, Spring Forward is that time when you angrily lose a precious hour of sleep some Sunday around Easter. To a Franklin student, however, this has a whole other, more relieving meaning. In fast, it means a day off of school...let me explain.
Spring Forward was an experiment that the Student Affairs/everyone else on campus threw together. This day long event was a student's chance to get caught up with all those school issues that they have been putting off: researching clubs/organizations/leadership opportunities for the upcoming school year, declaring their major, and research other opportunities for post-graduation (resume writing, job searches, etc.). This was set on a Wednesday, with registration for many first year students in the morning, a barbecue (free!), some other small activities (sport against the faculty, short seminar-esque things, etc.) and then an award ceremony acknowledging various students for different things, including awards from teachers, organizations, and other students. Then, to cap off the evening, there was a "Tex-Mex" dinner (I will explain a bit more later...) and a concert by Swiss recording artist William White.
Ok, so my day went as follows: Even though this was a no-class day, I still had to be at campus earlier than usual (10am instead of noon) in order to meet with my advisor. In that meeting, instead of the registration that happened for most other students, I spent the time trying to convince my verrrrry optimistic and amazing advisor that I in fact would not be returning in the fall. We basically came to the conclusion that I should wait to make any set-in-stone decision until I am hounded by the school, and I hear back from other schools. Then I took this long survey about the first year experience here, in hopes of winning one of three prizes (including shopping certificates..like, or food...which I need), and collected my free "Franklin College" t-shirt...yea, they aren't messing around here! After that, it was lunch time - Swiss version of barbecue. There were salads, 5 different grilled meats, and drinks. Clearly, since it was in fact free, I definitely took advantage of that one...Oh, and there was a Strawberry Shortcake dessert...yum.
Then, there was this awkward break of time that I used to meet with other teachers, visit with Rachel, and see some other people. I would have done homework in the library (ie my Travel 10ish page paper that was due two days from then) however, the libraries were actually closed...this, I still don't understand. But alas, I did waste time till the award ceremony where I actually did receive a framed certificate from Student Programming Board (though this did feel spacial, basically everyone that holds some position on it got one...but oh well, I felt special). Then there was this humorous "Superlatives" ceremony, awarding random students titles such as "Most Likely to Lead a Revolution", "The Brangelina Award: Best Couple", and "Most Enchanting". After all of this excitement, it was time for dinner...the Swiss style Tex-Mex...one flavorless tortilla topped with a scoop of "seasoned" chicken, this bean thing, and mushy peppers, none of which had that spicy, yummy flavor of Tex-Mex, definitely leaving much to be desired. We were convinced that others (basically anyone that had ever tasted Mexican food EVER) would be able to have done better. Then we also got a piece of leftover cake from lunch. Score.
Finishing off the festivities was a concert by William White (google him...it was actually pretty good). I knew this wasn't going to be your standard concert when people started literally pulling chairs up around the stage...no moshing at this one...just sitting, swaying back and forth, and clapping while best seen appropriate. The funniest thing about this however, was his timing. First off, with the anal Swiss local government, we were only about to get him to play from 7-9pm, anything past that would be against sound regulations and we all would have been shot (they are really serious about that here...). So, at 7, we expected him to start, and living in Switzerland, we expected him to be punctual. But alas, people forgot to warn that he is actually from Barbados...he lives on island time (and apparently so does his band/sound guys who were eating cake well past 7...lame.) He finally stared up around 7:30ish, playing very Jack Johnson-esque music (or so I was told...I really had no idea who this was...) 90 minute concert, that would be fine. But then, around 8pm, he announced that he was taking a 10-15 minute break! I kid you not...most of us were just confused, thinking this was a joke, but honestly he took that break. By this time it was getting around 8:15ish, and I was tired, wanting to get home. I left early thanks to Rachel, who was borrowing someone's car.
Spring Forward was a success on many levels. It did give great opportunities for students, but there was one part that I hated. This was a day where you are at campus all day, without classes or a set schedule. Really, it felt like that last day of school where you show up to school but really have nothing to do. Where you like, socialize more than doing work. The problem was, however, that the next morning we did in fact have school. Mean and tricky...
OH! I did want to fill you in on some other small happenings around here:
-Girasole Hall Event to Parco Panoramico (which resulted in a walk to this park by just Michael and I). Very relaxing, great view, and a nice break from work. And best off, it was free!
Spring Forward was an experiment that the Student Affairs/everyone else on campus threw together. This day long event was a student's chance to get caught up with all those school issues that they have been putting off: researching clubs/organizations/leadership opportunities for the upcoming school year, declaring their major, and research other opportunities for post-graduation (resume writing, job searches, etc.). This was set on a Wednesday, with registration for many first year students in the morning, a barbecue (free!), some other small activities (sport against the faculty, short seminar-esque things, etc.) and then an award ceremony acknowledging various students for different things, including awards from teachers, organizations, and other students. Then, to cap off the evening, there was a "Tex-Mex" dinner (I will explain a bit more later...) and a concert by Swiss recording artist William White.
Ok, so my day went as follows: Even though this was a no-class day, I still had to be at campus earlier than usual (10am instead of noon) in order to meet with my advisor. In that meeting, instead of the registration that happened for most other students, I spent the time trying to convince my verrrrry optimistic and amazing advisor that I in fact would not be returning in the fall. We basically came to the conclusion that I should wait to make any set-in-stone decision until I am hounded by the school, and I hear back from other schools. Then I took this long survey about the first year experience here, in hopes of winning one of three prizes (including shopping certificates..like, or food...which I need), and collected my free "Franklin College" t-shirt...yea, they aren't messing around here! After that, it was lunch time - Swiss version of barbecue. There were salads, 5 different grilled meats, and drinks. Clearly, since it was in fact free, I definitely took advantage of that one...Oh, and there was a Strawberry Shortcake dessert...yum.
Then, there was this awkward break of time that I used to meet with other teachers, visit with Rachel, and see some other people. I would have done homework in the library (ie my Travel 10ish page paper that was due two days from then) however, the libraries were actually closed...this, I still don't understand. But alas, I did waste time till the award ceremony where I actually did receive a framed certificate from Student Programming Board (though this did feel spacial, basically everyone that holds some position on it got one...but oh well, I felt special). Then there was this humorous "Superlatives" ceremony, awarding random students titles such as "Most Likely to Lead a Revolution", "The Brangelina Award: Best Couple", and "Most Enchanting". After all of this excitement, it was time for dinner...the Swiss style Tex-Mex...one flavorless tortilla topped with a scoop of "seasoned" chicken, this bean thing, and mushy peppers, none of which had that spicy, yummy flavor of Tex-Mex, definitely leaving much to be desired. We were convinced that others (basically anyone that had ever tasted Mexican food EVER) would be able to have done better. Then we also got a piece of leftover cake from lunch. Score.
Finishing off the festivities was a concert by William White (google him...it was actually pretty good). I knew this wasn't going to be your standard concert when people started literally pulling chairs up around the stage...no moshing at this one...just sitting, swaying back and forth, and clapping while best seen appropriate. The funniest thing about this however, was his timing. First off, with the anal Swiss local government, we were only about to get him to play from 7-9pm, anything past that would be against sound regulations and we all would have been shot (they are really serious about that here...). So, at 7, we expected him to start, and living in Switzerland, we expected him to be punctual. But alas, people forgot to warn that he is actually from Barbados...he lives on island time (and apparently so does his band/sound guys who were eating cake well past 7...lame.) He finally stared up around 7:30ish, playing very Jack Johnson-esque music (or so I was told...I really had no idea who this was...) 90 minute concert, that would be fine. But then, around 8pm, he announced that he was taking a 10-15 minute break! I kid you not...most of us were just confused, thinking this was a joke, but honestly he took that break. By this time it was getting around 8:15ish, and I was tired, wanting to get home. I left early thanks to Rachel, who was borrowing someone's car.
Spring Forward was a success on many levels. It did give great opportunities for students, but there was one part that I hated. This was a day where you are at campus all day, without classes or a set schedule. Really, it felt like that last day of school where you show up to school but really have nothing to do. Where you like, socialize more than doing work. The problem was, however, that the next morning we did in fact have school. Mean and tricky...
OH! I did want to fill you in on some other small happenings around here:
-Girasole Hall Event to Parco Panoramico (which resulted in a walk to this park by just Michael and I). Very relaxing, great view, and a nice break from work. And best off, it was free!
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