So it's late Wednesday night, the night before I set off on one of the biggest odysseys of my life. I'm wide awake due to the excitement. My bags are packed, too packed, and I have all of my affairs in order, mostly.
In a way I'm a bit unaffected by all of this. I've been waiting for this adventure to start for such a long time, it's hard to believe that it's finally here. All of my friends were abroad last spring, and I just hung out in Chicago and read about what they were doing, thinking, this fall I'm going to have my own stories like this. It's hard to believe that it's fall now, and that it's time for me to start having my adventures.
So, here I go.
Next time you hear from me I'll be on the other end of the Atlantic. Probably dead tired, but hopefully really jazzed about my surroundings and the cool adventure I've just begun.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Eurail
My Eurail pass came by FedEx yesterday. It's everything I dreamed it would be. I get to ride just about any train I want in Europe for a whole month. Which of course means I'm going to go EVERYWHERE! Or not, because I won't want to spend that much time on a train.
One Week 'Til Paris
New video blog. It's been awhile, I'm trying to figure out which cameras still work ;-)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Visa, Don't Leave Home Without One
Or, don't stay in France more than 90 days without one.
Seeing as my study abroad experience is going to total about twice that amount of time, I had to apply for a visa. The application is slightly more involved than you'd think, however. Not only did I have to get another set of those lovely one-inch photos from Walgreen's, I also had to get a notarized statement saying I wasn't broke, among other things. Further, as a student, I had to register for the online network "Campus France." The only real help in this is that they keep track of me, and I get to pay an extra $60. You can't apply for a French Student Visa without proof of being a "Campus France" member either. It was just another delightful way they managed to take money from me.
The French really don't like to make it simple either. I couldn't just mail my application to the consulate. I had to take it in, in person. Luckily the nearest consulate is in Chicago, and since I go to school there I know lots of lovely people that I could go visit. So last Thursday I did a joint trip down to the city, to get my visa and visit a few of my friends who I won't be seeing for a long while.
After dropping $27 to get to O'Hare I sat on a sweaty blue line train ($2), direction downtown. I arrived on State Street an hour and a half early for my visa appointment, so I shopped around at some of my favorite stores that we don't have in Wisconsin. I didn't really need anything, but I couldn't resist a pair of jeans for $12.50. Oh, and two pairs of leggings ($4.50 each). Afterwards I dropped $5 on a quick lunch of chips and salsa at Chipotle, before hunting down the French Consulate.
The French Consulate is actually located in 205 N Michigan. It's a fancy high-rise that looks out on Milenium Park to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east. Upon arriving I had to sign-in at visitor's desk to get credentials to ride the elevator the the consultae. After arriving on the 37th or so floor of the consulate I entered a modern looking sitting area. The seats were clear plastic and there was a brightly colored, geometric shapes rug on the floor. There was also no one to be seen. Another visitor told me that it was lunchtime at the consulate, and that the staff would return at 2:00, about 15 minutes from my arrival.
I had a seat and pulled out the book I was reading (We Might As Well Win, by Johan Bruyneel... loved it). I listened in on the conversations of the other arrivals. Mostly uptight American's who were also heading into the visa office. At about 5 minutes until 2 the first couple got up to go line up outside the Visa Office. From eavesdropping I learned that they thought they would be the first ones to go through the application process if they lined up early. They obviously don't know the French. I figured that the first person wouldn't get back from lunch until 2:15 or so, and that the Office wouldn't be going until at least 2:20.
I was right. I just sat and hung out in the sitting area while about a dozen people lined up in the hall. When the Office was finally opened they made us sit in another lobby while they readied their materials. One man walked up to the window (a bit like a ticket window at a theater) and tried to give them his stuff. The woman waved him away, "We call you up when we're ready." And then the other women looked out at us, and walked away for a good while.
At about 2:30 the room was getting restless. Our appointment time was 2:00, they wanted to get on with it and then get out. I was slightly entertained with their impatience and I sat trying to figure out why each person was going to France. Then the first name was called, Mine! In my head I was deeply pleased. I was the one that cared the least about getting out of there (mostly because I wasn't meeting my friends till after 5:00). I went through the application process ($74) and then was told I could come back at 4:15 for my passport. The woman nearest me turned green. "4:15?" she whispered really loud. I grinned internally. This was great.
I wandered around Milenium Park for awhile, bought a coffee ($4), and then window shopped. I got back to the consulate at 4:10 to find the room full of all of the people I had seen earlier, and others. I figured some had stayed the whole two hours. The last part was painless. The called us up one at a time, handed us our passports, and then we were free to go.
Afterwards I jumped on the 6 ($2) and headed to Hyde Park. I found Mayon in the Quad, and later we met up with Anton for dinner at Salonica (french toast, eggs, hash browns, coffee--$10). After we walked around the campus, dipping our feet in the Law School Fountain, stepping into the air conditioning of Crerar, and catching a first glimpse of the new library addition. We left Anton on the corner of 56th and Woodlawn and walked back to Mayon's place. Mayon and I hung around for awhile before I passed out from fatigue.
The next morning I departed Mayon's early so she could head to work. I bought a coffee and pain au chocolat ($5) and boarded the metra towards downtown ($2.35). Downtown I walked through the loop in the drizzle of the morning, admiring the clouds around the top of the tallest buildings in the midwest, and dropping $5 on a huge Jamba Juice. I made the bus back home right as it started to board ($28) and headed back to Wisconsin.
It was a long 24 hours. I accomplished a lot, and got a strange first glimpse at the differences between American and French Culture. I dropped $61.35 on transportation, $29 on food, $21.50 on clothes I don't need, and $134 on a visa to France. It doesn't matter though, because the adventure I'm about to have will be--priceless.
Seeing as my study abroad experience is going to total about twice that amount of time, I had to apply for a visa. The application is slightly more involved than you'd think, however. Not only did I have to get another set of those lovely one-inch photos from Walgreen's, I also had to get a notarized statement saying I wasn't broke, among other things. Further, as a student, I had to register for the online network "Campus France." The only real help in this is that they keep track of me, and I get to pay an extra $60. You can't apply for a French Student Visa without proof of being a "Campus France" member either. It was just another delightful way they managed to take money from me.
The French really don't like to make it simple either. I couldn't just mail my application to the consulate. I had to take it in, in person. Luckily the nearest consulate is in Chicago, and since I go to school there I know lots of lovely people that I could go visit. So last Thursday I did a joint trip down to the city, to get my visa and visit a few of my friends who I won't be seeing for a long while.
After dropping $27 to get to O'Hare I sat on a sweaty blue line train ($2), direction downtown. I arrived on State Street an hour and a half early for my visa appointment, so I shopped around at some of my favorite stores that we don't have in Wisconsin. I didn't really need anything, but I couldn't resist a pair of jeans for $12.50. Oh, and two pairs of leggings ($4.50 each). Afterwards I dropped $5 on a quick lunch of chips and salsa at Chipotle, before hunting down the French Consulate.
The French Consulate is actually located in 205 N Michigan. It's a fancy high-rise that looks out on Milenium Park to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east. Upon arriving I had to sign-in at visitor's desk to get credentials to ride the elevator the the consultae. After arriving on the 37th or so floor of the consulate I entered a modern looking sitting area. The seats were clear plastic and there was a brightly colored, geometric shapes rug on the floor. There was also no one to be seen. Another visitor told me that it was lunchtime at the consulate, and that the staff would return at 2:00, about 15 minutes from my arrival.
I had a seat and pulled out the book I was reading (We Might As Well Win, by Johan Bruyneel... loved it). I listened in on the conversations of the other arrivals. Mostly uptight American's who were also heading into the visa office. At about 5 minutes until 2 the first couple got up to go line up outside the Visa Office. From eavesdropping I learned that they thought they would be the first ones to go through the application process if they lined up early. They obviously don't know the French. I figured that the first person wouldn't get back from lunch until 2:15 or so, and that the Office wouldn't be going until at least 2:20.
I was right. I just sat and hung out in the sitting area while about a dozen people lined up in the hall. When the Office was finally opened they made us sit in another lobby while they readied their materials. One man walked up to the window (a bit like a ticket window at a theater) and tried to give them his stuff. The woman waved him away, "We call you up when we're ready." And then the other women looked out at us, and walked away for a good while.
At about 2:30 the room was getting restless. Our appointment time was 2:00, they wanted to get on with it and then get out. I was slightly entertained with their impatience and I sat trying to figure out why each person was going to France. Then the first name was called, Mine! In my head I was deeply pleased. I was the one that cared the least about getting out of there (mostly because I wasn't meeting my friends till after 5:00). I went through the application process ($74) and then was told I could come back at 4:15 for my passport. The woman nearest me turned green. "4:15?" she whispered really loud. I grinned internally. This was great.
I wandered around Milenium Park for awhile, bought a coffee ($4), and then window shopped. I got back to the consulate at 4:10 to find the room full of all of the people I had seen earlier, and others. I figured some had stayed the whole two hours. The last part was painless. The called us up one at a time, handed us our passports, and then we were free to go.
Afterwards I jumped on the 6 ($2) and headed to Hyde Park. I found Mayon in the Quad, and later we met up with Anton for dinner at Salonica (french toast, eggs, hash browns, coffee--$10). After we walked around the campus, dipping our feet in the Law School Fountain, stepping into the air conditioning of Crerar, and catching a first glimpse of the new library addition. We left Anton on the corner of 56th and Woodlawn and walked back to Mayon's place. Mayon and I hung around for awhile before I passed out from fatigue.
The next morning I departed Mayon's early so she could head to work. I bought a coffee and pain au chocolat ($5) and boarded the metra towards downtown ($2.35). Downtown I walked through the loop in the drizzle of the morning, admiring the clouds around the top of the tallest buildings in the midwest, and dropping $5 on a huge Jamba Juice. I made the bus back home right as it started to board ($28) and headed back to Wisconsin.
It was a long 24 hours. I accomplished a lot, and got a strange first glimpse at the differences between American and French Culture. I dropped $61.35 on transportation, $29 on food, $21.50 on clothes I don't need, and $134 on a visa to France. It doesn't matter though, because the adventure I'm about to have will be--priceless.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Return of Lance
So here goes a ranty post about cycling, feel free to ignore.
In the last 24 hours I've read several reports saying that Lance Armstrong was going to make a comeback to cycling next season. At first I brushed it aside as, yeah right, these people wish... but with a confirmation from the man himself, I was more in an oh shit mood.
I love Lance Armstrong. He's the reason that I started watching cycling in the first place. I just don't want him to come back. It's been more than three years since he's raced, and things are very very different. The peloton is full of a bunch of young guys, with a different attacking style. None of his, use the team to blast the race apart and then ride it out to the end. Teams aren't getting a chance to do anything as guys are going off on solo flyers, forcing big favorites to grab a wheel and hold on for dear life. While I think Lance of all people is capable of putting a strong team together, will his strategy work anymore.
And what about the fact that there is a whole new generation of talent out there now. These young guys are 23, 24, 25 years old. Lance will be 37 soon. Is he really going to be able to keep up? And think of all of the potential he is blocking out if he signs with Astana. Oops, sorry Alberto Contador, you may have just won three grand tours in two years, but Lance is going to be the captain now? Is that really fair to Contador? What about Levi Leipheimer? Or Andreas Kloden who got thrown under the bus after the Vino drama of 07 and never got back out?
Mostly though, I want to remember Lance as a champion. The guy who won 7 in a row. I don't want to see him make a comeback and then fail disastrously. The last impression of him will be the lasting impression. Comebacks don't always work, and in a sport that's evolved this quickly from a lot of hard times, I just don't see how Lance can do it without disappointing a lot of fans, sorry.
In the last 24 hours I've read several reports saying that Lance Armstrong was going to make a comeback to cycling next season. At first I brushed it aside as, yeah right, these people wish... but with a confirmation from the man himself, I was more in an oh shit mood.
I love Lance Armstrong. He's the reason that I started watching cycling in the first place. I just don't want him to come back. It's been more than three years since he's raced, and things are very very different. The peloton is full of a bunch of young guys, with a different attacking style. None of his, use the team to blast the race apart and then ride it out to the end. Teams aren't getting a chance to do anything as guys are going off on solo flyers, forcing big favorites to grab a wheel and hold on for dear life. While I think Lance of all people is capable of putting a strong team together, will his strategy work anymore.
And what about the fact that there is a whole new generation of talent out there now. These young guys are 23, 24, 25 years old. Lance will be 37 soon. Is he really going to be able to keep up? And think of all of the potential he is blocking out if he signs with Astana. Oops, sorry Alberto Contador, you may have just won three grand tours in two years, but Lance is going to be the captain now? Is that really fair to Contador? What about Levi Leipheimer? Or Andreas Kloden who got thrown under the bus after the Vino drama of 07 and never got back out?
Mostly though, I want to remember Lance as a champion. The guy who won 7 in a row. I don't want to see him make a comeback and then fail disastrously. The last impression of him will be the lasting impression. Comebacks don't always work, and in a sport that's evolved this quickly from a lot of hard times, I just don't see how Lance can do it without disappointing a lot of fans, sorry.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
MENUDO!
Last night I dragged my Mom and sister to a $10 concert hosted by our local Top 40 Radio Station. Of course the performers I wanted to see... Menudo.
Before you start laughing at how ridiculous that sounds, let me explain. I have a serious respect for pop groups. Like I love them. And you know what, they are so a thing of the past. When I was 12 I would shit my pants for the Backstreet Boys or NSYNC. Not only because they have catchy music, but because they had real CHOREOGRAPHY that went along with their songs. And ok, they were hot too. So for me, seeing an actual pop group these days is so refreshing.
The band got up on the stage and they sang AND danced live. And they also played to the crowd, a mob of 14 year olds girls that screamed a lot, and were I head shorter than I was. Doesn't matter. I had so much fun. I sang along to the music, I danced... and I managed to get my hand out and touch every single one. You know what, my favorite one even grabbed my hand and spun me in a circle. Like from the stage. It was like every fantasy I had when I was 10 years old had come true. And I loved it. Enjoy some pictures.
MENUDO (Chris, Monti, Emmanuel, Jose, Carlos... love them).
They really do dance too.
Monti, my fave.
Ok, so they might be teenagers, but still.
All that matters is that I had a really good time, right?
Before you start laughing at how ridiculous that sounds, let me explain. I have a serious respect for pop groups. Like I love them. And you know what, they are so a thing of the past. When I was 12 I would shit my pants for the Backstreet Boys or NSYNC. Not only because they have catchy music, but because they had real CHOREOGRAPHY that went along with their songs. And ok, they were hot too. So for me, seeing an actual pop group these days is so refreshing.
The band got up on the stage and they sang AND danced live. And they also played to the crowd, a mob of 14 year olds girls that screamed a lot, and were I head shorter than I was. Doesn't matter. I had so much fun. I sang along to the music, I danced... and I managed to get my hand out and touch every single one. You know what, my favorite one even grabbed my hand and spun me in a circle. Like from the stage. It was like every fantasy I had when I was 10 years old had come true. And I loved it. Enjoy some pictures.
MENUDO (Chris, Monti, Emmanuel, Jose, Carlos... love them).
They really do dance too.
Monti, my fave.
Ok, so they might be teenagers, but still.
All that matters is that I had a really good time, right?
10 Reasons Why I Hate Running On The Streets Of Chicago
Or, I got a new camera and I wanted to test it out... Here are ten pictures of the trail that I have been running on for the last 7 summers. I think you can figure out why I do really like running along the busy streets of Chicago.
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