My official visa just arrived yesterday!!!
It was very unexpected. The visa officials told me that it would take about two weeks, and the website says to allow for four weeks during the summer, so I wasn't expecting mine to come in until at least next Wednesday. But it came yesterday!!! It only took one week, which means that the French Consulate in LA is AWESOME.
Now that I'm allowed to legally live in France for the next year, I have to finish preparing for my move. Lots of lists and advice to come! Less than a month until I leave! It's all starting to feel very real now.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Cool Finds
I bought a few cool things yesterday (and on sale, too!) that I am really exited to take with me to Paris, and I want to share them because they are too cool not to share.
This one is probably the most amusing. I'm not a very raunchy person and I don't swear all that much, but even though I know I won't actually be using most of what's in this book, it would be really useful to know these things! That way I could better understand what people are saying in the real world, not just proper French. Also, it's just funny to read! It does have lots of useful slang in it too that would make me look less lame to the French people who are my age.
I had to pick this up the moment I saw it. Apparently Paris is a great city for walking adventures, and I love walking around and exploring places, so this seemed perfect. I don't think it would be a value buy if someone were to go for a week or so vacation in Paris, because there are 50 total walking routes, but since I'll be staying for nearly a year, this will be the perfect way to explore Paris. I'm really excited to put these to use!
Of course, I had to get a general guidebook as well, so I chose this one. I explored a few different guidebooks when I went to London, but I liked this one the best. It has lots of useful information in it, and on top of that it's very nice to look at. What can I say? It's the art history major in me.
So now I'm set book-wise for my trip. Let's hope that preparing for the other aspects of heading to France go just as smoothly as buying these items!
Sunday, May 19, 2013
When life gives you lemons
...first cry your eyes out.
Then go make lemonade.
I found out some extremely disappointing news the other day: the German host family that I was so excited about is no longer able to host me as an au pair. I can't even begin to describe how upset I am. I had checked my email just before I had to give a presentation for a class, and promptly had to exit and miss that class because I could not stop sobbing.
I have dreamed of living in Europe since I was a little girl. Imagine that you get what you had always dreamed of, and have by this time invested a lot of time, money, and energy into that dream, only to have all of that ripped away from you with one email. So yeah, I was devastated.
I had no idea what to do. I was completely shocked and thrown. I don't think I've ever been that caught off-guard in my life. I was so excited to get to know them, to learn from them and have a great time with them. Then again, this was all happening so easily that I didn't honestly stop to think that something might happen that would throw a wrench in my plans. I feel pretty foolish now. I put all of my trust and an entire critical year of my life into one family that I don't even know. Somehow I felt kind of violated. So I let the floodgates loose, and they ran on and on for a while.
Once I calmed down, I stopped to assess my situation. I had lost valuable time job searching and had ignored or turned down great offers to au pair for other families because I decided to commit to this family. I had spent hours researching Cologne and moving abroad, time I could have spent looking for a family who would actually commit to me for real or doing my thesis work or looking for a job. By the way, I had already notified my work that I was leaving for good in August. So there you go. Adding insult to injury, I now had a one-way plane ticket to Germany that is nonrefundable, and not enough funds by the time of the flight to purchase a return ticket. Then I started sobbing again because seriously, this is not a great situation to be in.
After I spent some time feeling sorry for myself, I realized that I had the power to change things. I may not be able to control what other people do, but I can certainly control what I do and direct my own life. Attitude really is everything, so I decided that the pity party stopped there. It was cathartic and necessary to express my sadness over this awful news, but I had to switch gears. Now I must do everything in my power to make it to Europe for a year: no is not an option. I want this so badly, and I need to make it happen. And it will happen. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and this particular door closing just means that another door, an even better door, was waiting for me all along.
I've reopened my account on GreatAupair and am going to see what else I can find there, but I think I might just go through an agency instead. I'm a little afraid of this same situation happening again, and with an agency that fear is taken away. I may have to pay a bit initially, but I'll be guaranteed placement. I've also decided that if I go through an agency, I'll go to France or Belgium instead of Germany. I already know French, so I'll meet visa requirements for that (I would have had to do a bit of slightly-illegal maneuvering in Germany with the visa language requirement, which I can't do through an agency), and I will also be able to learn German in Belgium if I so chose (which will put me ahead in my graduate studies).
I need to stay positive. I can't give up now. I've wanted this for too long, and I know that if I let one setback get to me I would never forgive myself. I'm still disappointed and upset, but I need to focus those angry and negative emotions into constructive problem solving so I can actually move on with my life and do the great things that I've always wanted to do. So here's to hoping that everything works out this time around!
Has anyone else ever received crushing news, big or small? Did you bounce back?
Then go make lemonade.
I found out some extremely disappointing news the other day: the German host family that I was so excited about is no longer able to host me as an au pair. I can't even begin to describe how upset I am. I had checked my email just before I had to give a presentation for a class, and promptly had to exit and miss that class because I could not stop sobbing.
I have dreamed of living in Europe since I was a little girl. Imagine that you get what you had always dreamed of, and have by this time invested a lot of time, money, and energy into that dream, only to have all of that ripped away from you with one email. So yeah, I was devastated.
I had no idea what to do. I was completely shocked and thrown. I don't think I've ever been that caught off-guard in my life. I was so excited to get to know them, to learn from them and have a great time with them. Then again, this was all happening so easily that I didn't honestly stop to think that something might happen that would throw a wrench in my plans. I feel pretty foolish now. I put all of my trust and an entire critical year of my life into one family that I don't even know. Somehow I felt kind of violated. So I let the floodgates loose, and they ran on and on for a while.
Once I calmed down, I stopped to assess my situation. I had lost valuable time job searching and had ignored or turned down great offers to au pair for other families because I decided to commit to this family. I had spent hours researching Cologne and moving abroad, time I could have spent looking for a family who would actually commit to me for real or doing my thesis work or looking for a job. By the way, I had already notified my work that I was leaving for good in August. So there you go. Adding insult to injury, I now had a one-way plane ticket to Germany that is nonrefundable, and not enough funds by the time of the flight to purchase a return ticket. Then I started sobbing again because seriously, this is not a great situation to be in.
After I spent some time feeling sorry for myself, I realized that I had the power to change things. I may not be able to control what other people do, but I can certainly control what I do and direct my own life. Attitude really is everything, so I decided that the pity party stopped there. It was cathartic and necessary to express my sadness over this awful news, but I had to switch gears. Now I must do everything in my power to make it to Europe for a year: no is not an option. I want this so badly, and I need to make it happen. And it will happen. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and this particular door closing just means that another door, an even better door, was waiting for me all along.
I've reopened my account on GreatAupair and am going to see what else I can find there, but I think I might just go through an agency instead. I'm a little afraid of this same situation happening again, and with an agency that fear is taken away. I may have to pay a bit initially, but I'll be guaranteed placement. I've also decided that if I go through an agency, I'll go to France or Belgium instead of Germany. I already know French, so I'll meet visa requirements for that (I would have had to do a bit of slightly-illegal maneuvering in Germany with the visa language requirement, which I can't do through an agency), and I will also be able to learn German in Belgium if I so chose (which will put me ahead in my graduate studies).
I need to stay positive. I can't give up now. I've wanted this for too long, and I know that if I let one setback get to me I would never forgive myself. I'm still disappointed and upset, but I need to focus those angry and negative emotions into constructive problem solving so I can actually move on with my life and do the great things that I've always wanted to do. So here's to hoping that everything works out this time around!
Has anyone else ever received crushing news, big or small? Did you bounce back?
*also, if anyone reading this wants to be an au pair, just go with an agency if you want guarantees*
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Airplanes: Continued
While flights may be quite wonderful for getting you to faraway places (relatively) quickly, they are obviously quite expensive, as I've already extensively complained about. Another downside, one that only becomes noticeable when you are actually on the plane, is the horrible discomfort that you find yourself in when seated. The longer the flight, the worse it is.
I did not fully realize this until I flew to London. I had flown on a plane before, but I was 15 and I was only flying to Michigan, making the flight about 4 hours long. Walk in the park compared to flying across the Atlantic. Flying to London had me on a nonstop, 13-hour experience. And let me tell you, the seating situation not only gets worse the longer the flight, it gets exponentially worse.
Before I got on the plane, I was very optimistic about the whole thing. 13 hours, please! I could totally entertain myself for that whole time without going insane, and I would probably be sleeping most of the time anyway so it didn't matter! And in-flight movies for the win! I was also strangely excited about airplane food. I suppose that would be because it's a novelty for me, since I don't fly often. You know what, just don't ask.
But then I got on the plane. And I got to my economy seat. And I said "oh." In a very small voice. Yeah, economy seating is just not that great. I say this as a person with a pretty small frame, too. Those seats are cramped! It's not even completely about the seat size; there is just no room to move. You are literally >thisclose< to the person next to you. You are often touching. You have no room to put the things you were going to entertain yourself with on the flight. There is no room to stretch your legs. You can't lean back enough to feel like you aren't sleeping upright. It is just so, so uncomfortable. So basically, all of this meant no sleeping for me. I'm not kidding. I only slept for a grand total of 2 hours on the whole 13 hour flight, which, might I add, was during the time when I would normally be sleeping in California. By the time I got to my hotel in London, I had virtually not slept for nearly 48 hours.
And let's talk about entertainment while we're at it. Not being able to sleep, or move, or do anything else somewhat productive, I found myself with a lot of spare time on my hands. Thankfully I had magazines and my sudoku book to look at, but two hours into that I started to become sleepy and, of course, was not able to actually sleep. So then I looked to the movies. At first I was really excited. So many options, I could just keep on going and it would feel like we landed in no time!
Ha. No. I could barely hear the movie over the engines, and my screen had awful glare so I could barely see what was going on either. It didn't even feel like I was watching the movie because all I could see were flashing figures and all I could hear were faint mumbles that sounded somewhat like English. It was a futile endeavor, to say the least. Still, I tried to stick with a movie or two just to keep me occupied. This failed miserably.
By this time, I was extremely bored and near-deliriously tired. I checked the flight panel on my screen to see how much time we had left.
6 hours. Great.
At this point I thought I would go insane. I actually started to feel a little insane. Thankfully I found out that the people I was sitting next to were actually very nice, a mother and daughter visiting London for the second time. We had nice little chats, and this helped keep me a bit more put together than I would have been. Lesson of the day: always take the opportunity to get to know people sitting next to you on a plane. You will most likely get along, at the very least because you are in the same miserable situation.
I finally made it off the plane and promptly slept for 12 hours once I arrived in my room. I was too exhausted to do anything else.
Considering my past experience with transatlantic flying, I think it's best if I start brainstorming ways to make my upcoming experience better. I'm supposed to be spending a bit of time with the guy I'm seeing before heading to my host family's place, and I want to make sure I'm at least a little bit more upbeat when he picks me up from the airport. And I just don't want to go through that badness again. I'll think on it and report my strategy back.
Strangely enough, even if every flight were like this, all of that badness does not deter me in my quest to travel all over the world. Masochistic? Maybe. But I prefer to think of it as adventurous.
I did not fully realize this until I flew to London. I had flown on a plane before, but I was 15 and I was only flying to Michigan, making the flight about 4 hours long. Walk in the park compared to flying across the Atlantic. Flying to London had me on a nonstop, 13-hour experience. And let me tell you, the seating situation not only gets worse the longer the flight, it gets exponentially worse.
Before I got on the plane, I was very optimistic about the whole thing. 13 hours, please! I could totally entertain myself for that whole time without going insane, and I would probably be sleeping most of the time anyway so it didn't matter! And in-flight movies for the win! I was also strangely excited about airplane food. I suppose that would be because it's a novelty for me, since I don't fly often. You know what, just don't ask.
But then I got on the plane. And I got to my economy seat. And I said "oh." In a very small voice. Yeah, economy seating is just not that great. I say this as a person with a pretty small frame, too. Those seats are cramped! It's not even completely about the seat size; there is just no room to move. You are literally >thisclose< to the person next to you. You are often touching. You have no room to put the things you were going to entertain yourself with on the flight. There is no room to stretch your legs. You can't lean back enough to feel like you aren't sleeping upright. It is just so, so uncomfortable. So basically, all of this meant no sleeping for me. I'm not kidding. I only slept for a grand total of 2 hours on the whole 13 hour flight, which, might I add, was during the time when I would normally be sleeping in California. By the time I got to my hotel in London, I had virtually not slept for nearly 48 hours.
And let's talk about entertainment while we're at it. Not being able to sleep, or move, or do anything else somewhat productive, I found myself with a lot of spare time on my hands. Thankfully I had magazines and my sudoku book to look at, but two hours into that I started to become sleepy and, of course, was not able to actually sleep. So then I looked to the movies. At first I was really excited. So many options, I could just keep on going and it would feel like we landed in no time!
Ha. No. I could barely hear the movie over the engines, and my screen had awful glare so I could barely see what was going on either. It didn't even feel like I was watching the movie because all I could see were flashing figures and all I could hear were faint mumbles that sounded somewhat like English. It was a futile endeavor, to say the least. Still, I tried to stick with a movie or two just to keep me occupied. This failed miserably.
By this time, I was extremely bored and near-deliriously tired. I checked the flight panel on my screen to see how much time we had left.
6 hours. Great.
At this point I thought I would go insane. I actually started to feel a little insane. Thankfully I found out that the people I was sitting next to were actually very nice, a mother and daughter visiting London for the second time. We had nice little chats, and this helped keep me a bit more put together than I would have been. Lesson of the day: always take the opportunity to get to know people sitting next to you on a plane. You will most likely get along, at the very least because you are in the same miserable situation.
I finally made it off the plane and promptly slept for 12 hours once I arrived in my room. I was too exhausted to do anything else.
Considering my past experience with transatlantic flying, I think it's best if I start brainstorming ways to make my upcoming experience better. I'm supposed to be spending a bit of time with the guy I'm seeing before heading to my host family's place, and I want to make sure I'm at least a little bit more upbeat when he picks me up from the airport. And I just don't want to go through that badness again. I'll think on it and report my strategy back.
Strangely enough, even if every flight were like this, all of that badness does not deter me in my quest to travel all over the world. Masochistic? Maybe. But I prefer to think of it as adventurous.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Airplanes: the Good and the Bad
Ah, planes. I'm really thankful for them. They make it so much easier to travel to places that are very far away from wherever you are at the moment. I think back to the days when people had to take trains and ships, and then I think back even farther to the days when people had to take horse-drawn carts and wooden boats, and I realize that I live in a pretty good time period for far-away traveling.
Or do I?
Plane tickets are EXPENSIVE. I feel like I have to give one arm in order to be admitted on a plane, and if we're talking first class then I would probably have to give up my firstborn child. For real. It's a lot of money. At least, it is for me, as a student with loans and a minimum wage part-time job. I'm doing this all on my own, and the financial part is hard. I'm just thankful I can afford a ticket at all.
In order to afford this ticket and still be able to pay for other necessities in life, I had to search around for deals. The first site I went to was Skyscanner. I highly recommend this site. It continually has some of the lowest air fares that I've ever seen. Other sites I went to were Kayak and Hipmunk. All of them gave me good airfare options, but they were still quite expensive. I was searching for the deal. You know, that elusive, once-in-a-lifetime ticket that is unbelievably cheap yet still gets you to your destination on an actual passenger flight? Maybe I was foolish in thinking I would find this deal, but I held out anyway because I was very determined to spend as little as possible on my ticket so I would have as much extra money as possible for getting what I will need when I'm actually in Germany.
And wouldn't you know it, a friend of mine told me about STA travel. It's a business that caters directly to students, teachers, and young adults. I knew that I wouldn't be a student by the time I went to Germany, but I was under 26, which qualified me for their special rates. And boy, did they have special rates! Seriously, the flights here were way cheaper than anything I saw on the other websites.
Then I found it. That once-in-a-lifetime ticket that was unbelievably cheap yet still involved a real passenger airplane. It was a one-way ticket to Düsseldorf that cost me a good $200+ less than any other flight that I'd looked at. So I snatched it up. And now I have a flight booked to Germany for insanely cheap (well, that's pretty relative, but for one-way airfare it's insanely cheap!). Side note: for some reason, it is much cheaper to fly into Düsseldorf or Berlin that it is to fly into any other airport, with Frankfurt coming in close behind. Just a trend I noticed.
The catch is that this flight has a 10 hour layover, which brings my total traveling time to about 24 hours. Yeah, it's not the best situation, but who cares??? I got an amazing deal!!! I am very willing to spend 10 hours at an airport if that means I pay a lot less for my ticket. Besides, I saw tickets that were way more expensive that also had long layovers. And on the bright side, it will be next to impossible for me to miss my connecting flight, with all the spare time I have :)
So it's official. I'm going to Germany. I can't wait!
Or do I?
Plane tickets are EXPENSIVE. I feel like I have to give one arm in order to be admitted on a plane, and if we're talking first class then I would probably have to give up my firstborn child. For real. It's a lot of money. At least, it is for me, as a student with loans and a minimum wage part-time job. I'm doing this all on my own, and the financial part is hard. I'm just thankful I can afford a ticket at all.
In order to afford this ticket and still be able to pay for other necessities in life, I had to search around for deals. The first site I went to was Skyscanner. I highly recommend this site. It continually has some of the lowest air fares that I've ever seen. Other sites I went to were Kayak and Hipmunk. All of them gave me good airfare options, but they were still quite expensive. I was searching for the deal. You know, that elusive, once-in-a-lifetime ticket that is unbelievably cheap yet still gets you to your destination on an actual passenger flight? Maybe I was foolish in thinking I would find this deal, but I held out anyway because I was very determined to spend as little as possible on my ticket so I would have as much extra money as possible for getting what I will need when I'm actually in Germany.
And wouldn't you know it, a friend of mine told me about STA travel. It's a business that caters directly to students, teachers, and young adults. I knew that I wouldn't be a student by the time I went to Germany, but I was under 26, which qualified me for their special rates. And boy, did they have special rates! Seriously, the flights here were way cheaper than anything I saw on the other websites.
Then I found it. That once-in-a-lifetime ticket that was unbelievably cheap yet still involved a real passenger airplane. It was a one-way ticket to Düsseldorf that cost me a good $200+ less than any other flight that I'd looked at. So I snatched it up. And now I have a flight booked to Germany for insanely cheap (well, that's pretty relative, but for one-way airfare it's insanely cheap!). Side note: for some reason, it is much cheaper to fly into Düsseldorf or Berlin that it is to fly into any other airport, with Frankfurt coming in close behind. Just a trend I noticed.
The catch is that this flight has a 10 hour layover, which brings my total traveling time to about 24 hours. Yeah, it's not the best situation, but who cares??? I got an amazing deal!!! I am very willing to spend 10 hours at an airport if that means I pay a lot less for my ticket. Besides, I saw tickets that were way more expensive that also had long layovers. And on the bright side, it will be next to impossible for me to miss my connecting flight, with all the spare time I have :)
So it's official. I'm going to Germany. I can't wait!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Köln
I'm back from the dead! My thesis is fully formed now, but still needs a lot of editing. Thankfully I can take a bit of a breather from it now!
I am so excited to live in Germany, especially the area of Germany that I am going to: Cologne! Or Köln, as it's also called. I have always wanted to go to Cologne. Not only does it look like a beautiful city, but it is full of history, the people are supposedly very open and friendly, and it is home to the UNESCO world heritage site, the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral). There's a lot more to it than just this, though, as I am slowly finding out. Every time I learn something new about this awesome city, it makes me even more excited to live there. Here are some of the long list of things I want to do in Cologne, which I'm sure it will keep growing the more I learn:
1. Karneval
Rio may be well known for its tropical and festive Carnival season, but apparently Cologne has one of the largest Carnival celebrations in the world. The whole city parties all day, every day, for a good week, and EVERYONE dresses up. It's like the German version of Halloween! And I love Halloween. Mostly because you get to dress up, and I love dressing up. I will definitely be having fun this coming Karneval season!
2. Rhine River
Cologne is situated right on the Rhine River. The river actually runs directly through the city. I find this supremely awesome. I LOVE cities on the water, whether they be on a river or on the ocean. And areas just south of Cologne on the Rhine are known for their wine and beautiful scenery. And I love wine. So not only will I be living along a river (seriously am in love with that), but I will be >thisclose< to some amazing wine country. Adding to that, this particular area is the home of the Riesling, and Rieslings are one of my favorite kinds of wine. I am going to be in heaven.
3. Kölsch
Cologne has its own kind of beer called Kölsch. While I'm more of a wine person than a beer person, I do enjoy one every now and then, and I am very interested in trying something so iconic to Cologne!
4. Christmas Markets
These can generally be found in all of Germany, but I'm still really excited to go to one when I'm in Cologne! They look so adorable and fun! I went to one when I was in London, and while it was obviously not a real German Christmas Market, it was still pretty cool, and I can only imagine how great a real one would be.
5. Kölner Dom
So I've known about this site for a while, since I've wanted to visit it for a very long time, but I couldn't not include it! It is amazingly beautiful. And old. And I'm quite simply a huge sucker for old religious buildings, particularly cathedrals. This will definitely be a highlight. I want to climb all the way to the top!
6. Architecture
This is not a specific thing or spot, but just generally the architecture of the city. I found out that Cologne was almost completely leveled during World War II (so sad!), but some old buildings (like the cathedral, thank goodness) survived. As a result, the city is a beautiful mix of historic German architecture and modern architecture. I find the juxtaposition between old and new particularly fascinating in architecture, so I'm excited to explore all of the beautiful buildings that I come across!
7. Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum
Well, that was a mouthful! I am slowly getting used to German, but it's a process. Basically this translates to the...wait for it...Imhoff Chocolate Musuem!!! I'm not even kidding, there is a chocolate museum!!! This city was made for me, I swear. I love chocolate. Soooo much. This is a must-see. I will probably visit at least once a week and get fat.
8. Römisch-Germanisches Museum
Cologne was originally a Roman settlement a very, very long time ago (yet another super awesome thing about Cologne). This museum has a large collection of Roman artifacts found in and around Cologne. It is definitely something I must see at least once!
9. Kolumba Museum
This museum apparently has a really cool mix of ancient religious and modern secular art, which sounds extremely interesting. Plus, it has views of the cathedral. Definitely visiting.
10. Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum
This museum is all about touching everything, which is an amazing concept. It focuses on cultural diversity as well, which is yet another thing to love about Cologne. So excited to visit. Plus, right next door is an old Romanesque church that now houses a small museum of Medieval Christian art. Totally up my alley!
11. Wallraf-Richartz Museum
This is one of the biggest museums in Cologne, with an extensive collection from the 13th century to the present day, which means I am pretty much obligated to explore the whole place. I am an art history major, after all!
12. Cologne Zoological Garden
This is one of the oldest zoos in Germany. Normally I'm not a huge fan of zoos because of animal confinement and treatment, but I think its nice that this zoo puts animals in their natural habitat.
13. Claudius Therme
Natural mineral thermal bath spa. 'Nuff said.
14. Klosterkirche Groß Sankt Martin
Aka Great Saint Martin Church. Another cathedral, yay! This one was mostly destroyed in World War II, but it has since been restored. So yeah, definitely going.
15. Padlocks of Love
Probably not the official name, but that's ok! I've been noticing that many areas around the world have a setup like this now. I know there is one in Paris and one in the Yellow Mountains in China. This one is located next to the Hohenzollern Bridge on the Rhine. Basically, you get a padlock and engrave it with your name and your lover's name, and then you lock it to this fence that has a bazillion such padlocks on it and throw the key in the river. And then your love will last forever! Aww. It's pretty cute. I have to check it out just to say I went. And hey, if things continue to go well with the guy I'm seeing, maybe we'll do one of our own :)
Well, that's all I have for now. Gosh I'm so excited just looking at this list. I don't know how I'll manage to leave Cologne with all of the cool things to do. I was planning on at least traveling to Paris and other areas of Germany, but there is so much to do in Cologne alone! Ha, that rhymed.
My goal is to do all of these things (at least!), and report back once I've experienced them. With pictures, too!
4. Christmas Markets
These can generally be found in all of Germany, but I'm still really excited to go to one when I'm in Cologne! They look so adorable and fun! I went to one when I was in London, and while it was obviously not a real German Christmas Market, it was still pretty cool, and I can only imagine how great a real one would be.
5. Kölner Dom
So I've known about this site for a while, since I've wanted to visit it for a very long time, but I couldn't not include it! It is amazingly beautiful. And old. And I'm quite simply a huge sucker for old religious buildings, particularly cathedrals. This will definitely be a highlight. I want to climb all the way to the top!
6. Architecture
This is not a specific thing or spot, but just generally the architecture of the city. I found out that Cologne was almost completely leveled during World War II (so sad!), but some old buildings (like the cathedral, thank goodness) survived. As a result, the city is a beautiful mix of historic German architecture and modern architecture. I find the juxtaposition between old and new particularly fascinating in architecture, so I'm excited to explore all of the beautiful buildings that I come across!
7. Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum
Well, that was a mouthful! I am slowly getting used to German, but it's a process. Basically this translates to the...wait for it...Imhoff Chocolate Musuem!!! I'm not even kidding, there is a chocolate museum!!! This city was made for me, I swear. I love chocolate. Soooo much. This is a must-see. I will probably visit at least once a week and get fat.
8. Römisch-Germanisches Museum
Cologne was originally a Roman settlement a very, very long time ago (yet another super awesome thing about Cologne). This museum has a large collection of Roman artifacts found in and around Cologne. It is definitely something I must see at least once!
9. Kolumba Museum
This museum apparently has a really cool mix of ancient religious and modern secular art, which sounds extremely interesting. Plus, it has views of the cathedral. Definitely visiting.
10. Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum
This museum is all about touching everything, which is an amazing concept. It focuses on cultural diversity as well, which is yet another thing to love about Cologne. So excited to visit. Plus, right next door is an old Romanesque church that now houses a small museum of Medieval Christian art. Totally up my alley!
11. Wallraf-Richartz Museum
This is one of the biggest museums in Cologne, with an extensive collection from the 13th century to the present day, which means I am pretty much obligated to explore the whole place. I am an art history major, after all!
12. Cologne Zoological Garden
This is one of the oldest zoos in Germany. Normally I'm not a huge fan of zoos because of animal confinement and treatment, but I think its nice that this zoo puts animals in their natural habitat.
13. Claudius Therme
Natural mineral thermal bath spa. 'Nuff said.
14. Klosterkirche Groß Sankt Martin
Aka Great Saint Martin Church. Another cathedral, yay! This one was mostly destroyed in World War II, but it has since been restored. So yeah, definitely going.
15. Padlocks of Love
Probably not the official name, but that's ok! I've been noticing that many areas around the world have a setup like this now. I know there is one in Paris and one in the Yellow Mountains in China. This one is located next to the Hohenzollern Bridge on the Rhine. Basically, you get a padlock and engrave it with your name and your lover's name, and then you lock it to this fence that has a bazillion such padlocks on it and throw the key in the river. And then your love will last forever! Aww. It's pretty cute. I have to check it out just to say I went. And hey, if things continue to go well with the guy I'm seeing, maybe we'll do one of our own :)
Well, that's all I have for now. Gosh I'm so excited just looking at this list. I don't know how I'll manage to leave Cologne with all of the cool things to do. I was planning on at least traveling to Paris and other areas of Germany, but there is so much to do in Cologne alone! Ha, that rhymed.
My goal is to do all of these things (at least!), and report back once I've experienced them. With pictures, too!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
On Bravery and Traveling
This is the single most common comment that I received when I told people that I was traveling to London on my own, and that I am getting again when I tell people that I am moving to Germany for a year to be an au pair:
"You are so brave!"
I was always confused when I heard this, no matter how often I was told this. Who, me? Brave? Pshhh.
I've never considered myself to be a particularly brave person. I am scared of spiders and most other bugs. I am not too fond of the dark. I am startled by sudden, loud noises. I cannot watch any horror or scary movie, no matter how "light" it might be, without completely freaking out. I had a panic attack in a haunted house and had to be escorted out by the workers. I started sobbing before I even walked into Knott's Scary Farm, just from anticipating the horror before me. I probably shouldn't even be admitting any of this because now anyone reading this will think I am a total wimp.
So of course, hearing myself being described as "brave" just didn't make any sense in my mind. Not only did it not make sense because I don't consider myself particularly brave, but it didn't make sense because nothing about traveling on my own genuinely scared me. I was simply not at all scared to go. Excited, yes. Over the moon, yes. But scared? Worried? Anxious? Not at all. Of course, there are things you have to consider and be careful about when you are a woman traveling alone, but I wasn't actively afraid for my well-being. How could I be brave in traveling alone, in going on a genuine adventure, if I was not at all scared to do so?
But then I thought about it for a very long time, and I recently came to a realization. I had been viewing "brave" and "scared" from only one lens.
There are many different kinds of brave. I may not be brave when it comes to the little things, like spiders crawling by my feet, or being alone in the dark, or a moment of horror in a movie. But I realized that I am a lot stronger, and a lot braver, than I give myself credit for though. See, when it comes to embracing life's adventures, and standing up for the ideas and people I love, and being comfortable with who I am, I am strong. I am brave.
And then I realized that those who told me I was brave most likely did not feel this way about themselves. They are scared to do what I had done, what I am doing, and because of this they find me brave. And I find that to be tragically sad. People should not be afraid to go after what they have always wanted in life. They should not be afraid to be themselves, and to live authentically. And yet so, so many people in this world are. Now, that is truly scary.
I hope that more people discover that they really are brave, and that they too can do what they never thought they could do before. I know I am still in the process of discovering this myself. And if we all discover, together, that we are capable of far more than we thought possible, then perhaps that realized potential will make this world a little bit better.
"You are so brave!"
I was always confused when I heard this, no matter how often I was told this. Who, me? Brave? Pshhh.
I've never considered myself to be a particularly brave person. I am scared of spiders and most other bugs. I am not too fond of the dark. I am startled by sudden, loud noises. I cannot watch any horror or scary movie, no matter how "light" it might be, without completely freaking out. I had a panic attack in a haunted house and had to be escorted out by the workers. I started sobbing before I even walked into Knott's Scary Farm, just from anticipating the horror before me. I probably shouldn't even be admitting any of this because now anyone reading this will think I am a total wimp.
So of course, hearing myself being described as "brave" just didn't make any sense in my mind. Not only did it not make sense because I don't consider myself particularly brave, but it didn't make sense because nothing about traveling on my own genuinely scared me. I was simply not at all scared to go. Excited, yes. Over the moon, yes. But scared? Worried? Anxious? Not at all. Of course, there are things you have to consider and be careful about when you are a woman traveling alone, but I wasn't actively afraid for my well-being. How could I be brave in traveling alone, in going on a genuine adventure, if I was not at all scared to do so?
But then I thought about it for a very long time, and I recently came to a realization. I had been viewing "brave" and "scared" from only one lens.
There are many different kinds of brave. I may not be brave when it comes to the little things, like spiders crawling by my feet, or being alone in the dark, or a moment of horror in a movie. But I realized that I am a lot stronger, and a lot braver, than I give myself credit for though. See, when it comes to embracing life's adventures, and standing up for the ideas and people I love, and being comfortable with who I am, I am strong. I am brave.
And then I realized that those who told me I was brave most likely did not feel this way about themselves. They are scared to do what I had done, what I am doing, and because of this they find me brave. And I find that to be tragically sad. People should not be afraid to go after what they have always wanted in life. They should not be afraid to be themselves, and to live authentically. And yet so, so many people in this world are. Now, that is truly scary.
I hope that more people discover that they really are brave, and that they too can do what they never thought they could do before. I know I am still in the process of discovering this myself. And if we all discover, together, that we are capable of far more than we thought possible, then perhaps that realized potential will make this world a little bit better.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
London Calling
Ah, London. I had the very good fortune of going to London this past winter to do research for my thesis. It is what ultimately sparked my deep desire to travel, though I've always known that I would love it once I started. Yes, this was my first trip abroad!
Well, that's not entirely truthful. I've been to Mexico. But still.
London really is something else. I can't believe that I almost didn't go! It's all thanks to my thesis advisor, really. I had a meeting with her and we were discussing my application for undergraduate funding at my school, and she said that I should try and get money for travel so I could see the works of art I was writing about. She suggested London (surprisingly, since my thesis is on female Venetian portraiture). I hemmed and hawed. Wouldn't that be expensive?? They would never give me the money. There is no way they would take me, an undergrad, seriously enough to give me travel funds.
Basically, I just gave tons of excuses. But she ultimately persuaded me to at least try. What's the harm, right? Right. And guess what?
They gave me travel funds.
And then I worked my butt off to fund the rest of the trip. But it was sooooo worth it. I can't believe that I almost didn't apply for the travel funding, and I cannot emphasize how much this trip changed my life, in more ways than one. I finally discovered the joys of traveling to a foreign country. I got to see my good friend from England, who I hadn't seen in 6 months, and establish an even deeper connection with her. I gained a new perspective on life. I experienced traveling by myself, and how freeing and wonderful it is. I gained more confidence in myself and my abilities.
I even found romance, in a way that you would only expect to see in movies. It was ridiculous and amazing at the same time, and I'm happy to stay that it's still going. You always find the greatest things when you least expect them and are not at all looking for them.
And now I shall post pictures, because who doesn't love looking at pictures of amazing places??
Well, that's not entirely truthful. I've been to Mexico. But still.
London really is something else. I can't believe that I almost didn't go! It's all thanks to my thesis advisor, really. I had a meeting with her and we were discussing my application for undergraduate funding at my school, and she said that I should try and get money for travel so I could see the works of art I was writing about. She suggested London (surprisingly, since my thesis is on female Venetian portraiture). I hemmed and hawed. Wouldn't that be expensive?? They would never give me the money. There is no way they would take me, an undergrad, seriously enough to give me travel funds.
Basically, I just gave tons of excuses. But she ultimately persuaded me to at least try. What's the harm, right? Right. And guess what?
They gave me travel funds.
And then I worked my butt off to fund the rest of the trip. But it was sooooo worth it. I can't believe that I almost didn't apply for the travel funding, and I cannot emphasize how much this trip changed my life, in more ways than one. I finally discovered the joys of traveling to a foreign country. I got to see my good friend from England, who I hadn't seen in 6 months, and establish an even deeper connection with her. I gained a new perspective on life. I experienced traveling by myself, and how freeing and wonderful it is. I gained more confidence in myself and my abilities.
I even found romance, in a way that you would only expect to see in movies. It was ridiculous and amazing at the same time, and I'm happy to stay that it's still going. You always find the greatest things when you least expect them and are not at all looking for them.
And now I shall post pictures, because who doesn't love looking at pictures of amazing places??
View from my hotel after waking up from a jetlag-induced coma. My first official morning in London!
The iconic red telephone booths.
The National Gallery, which houses a lovely collection of Venetian Renaissance paintings that I was studying.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields, shortly before meeting an amazing person.
Big Ben!
Me in front of Buckingham Palace!
View of the Thames.
The London Eye on New Years' Eve. New Years is extremely fun in London, my friend and I didn't end up watching the fireworks show but we DID end up dancing the night away!
St. Pancras. Goodbye London :(
Monday, April 15, 2013
Oh the places you'll go...
I am embarking on an amazing adventure this summer, and I am so incredibly excited that it is starting to affect my school work. Who can focus on thesis writing when they are going to live in another country after they graduate??? Not me. Nope.
So, backing it up, a few months ago I was thinking about graduation and what I should do with myself once I finished my bachelor's degree. I knew that I wanted to take a year off before heading to grad school. As much as I love school, I am WAY burnt out right now and I need a break. But what to do with that whole year before going back to higher education?
I thought about working full-time and saving money. It's the responsible choice I suppose. I already have a part-time job which could potentially turn into a full-time position after graduation. But then I thought about it more and realized that whatever job I got would most definitely not be in the field I want, and on top of that I would most likely not make that much and still have to live at home. Now, I love my family, don't get me wrong, but I've been living with them for 22 years. As an independent soul, this has killed me over the years. On top of that, I do not have the same values as my family, which makes home life very complicated and stressful. I don't think I could handle much more of this, especially as an adult with a job.
So I started exploring other options. Ever since I traveled to London (which deserves a whole bunch of other posts on its own!), I've had the worst case of travel bug. I knew I had to get back to Europe as soon as possible. I looked into working abroad programs through my university, but ultimately I would have had to pay first to join the programs, and then pay more for airfare, lodging, living costs, all that fun stuff, on top of having a meager payday. This is just not financially feasible for me right now. But that didn't deter me! I knew there had to be some other way to travel that would actually work for me.
Then I remembered hearing about au pair work. I hadn't seriously considered it before, since I wanted to do "real" work and use my education. But then I realized the value of living with a native family in another country, and I thought that if I could find the right family, the experience would be very much worth it. Plus, it seemed like the easiest way as a young, broke woman to get a full cultural experience in another country. I researched the different options for finding au pair work, picked the option that fit me best, and then actually found an amazing family who I'm really excited to work with.
So in short...I'm moving to Germany!!! I can't believe this is happening, and I am beyond stoked about this entire situation. I'll post more details about how I found my job and what led me to choose Germany later on, but first I wanted to share the good news :)
Now I have to at least pretend that I'm working on my thesis so I can actually graduate and get to Germany. Til next time!
So, backing it up, a few months ago I was thinking about graduation and what I should do with myself once I finished my bachelor's degree. I knew that I wanted to take a year off before heading to grad school. As much as I love school, I am WAY burnt out right now and I need a break. But what to do with that whole year before going back to higher education?
I thought about working full-time and saving money. It's the responsible choice I suppose. I already have a part-time job which could potentially turn into a full-time position after graduation. But then I thought about it more and realized that whatever job I got would most definitely not be in the field I want, and on top of that I would most likely not make that much and still have to live at home. Now, I love my family, don't get me wrong, but I've been living with them for 22 years. As an independent soul, this has killed me over the years. On top of that, I do not have the same values as my family, which makes home life very complicated and stressful. I don't think I could handle much more of this, especially as an adult with a job.
So I started exploring other options. Ever since I traveled to London (which deserves a whole bunch of other posts on its own!), I've had the worst case of travel bug. I knew I had to get back to Europe as soon as possible. I looked into working abroad programs through my university, but ultimately I would have had to pay first to join the programs, and then pay more for airfare, lodging, living costs, all that fun stuff, on top of having a meager payday. This is just not financially feasible for me right now. But that didn't deter me! I knew there had to be some other way to travel that would actually work for me.
Then I remembered hearing about au pair work. I hadn't seriously considered it before, since I wanted to do "real" work and use my education. But then I realized the value of living with a native family in another country, and I thought that if I could find the right family, the experience would be very much worth it. Plus, it seemed like the easiest way as a young, broke woman to get a full cultural experience in another country. I researched the different options for finding au pair work, picked the option that fit me best, and then actually found an amazing family who I'm really excited to work with.
So in short...I'm moving to Germany!!! I can't believe this is happening, and I am beyond stoked about this entire situation. I'll post more details about how I found my job and what led me to choose Germany later on, but first I wanted to share the good news :)
Now I have to at least pretend that I'm working on my thesis so I can actually graduate and get to Germany. Til next time!
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