Evan vs. Germany

The week thus far

2008-01-29T11:37:00.000-08:00

ooooooooook.
So this last week has been a pretty ok time, nothing amazingly awesome, no major trips. Just hanging out with some good friends and making some new ones!

I finally got to meet the Winterakademie students, Good bunch of people so far... but well... Sommerakademie was a bunch of rowdy drunks in comparison...Lets see if we can change that.
Last tuesday was the Cocktail tour through some of Mannheim's Cocktail bars (including a decent Shisha lounge). Conversation with a new Winterakademie student over this:

Newbie: "Well, I'm going home now, it's 11"
Myself: "And?"
N: I have class at 8:30 in the morning!
M: And?
N: I have to get up early
M: So why are you going home now, its only 11, and you've not had anything to drink!
N: Bye!

they have so much to learn...
Switzerland next weekend... pictures to follow.

Im baaaaaack!

2008-01-22T04:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, SO.
I'm back here in Germany. Flight was ok - It's always amusing when Germans think no one around them can speak german - Food was ok - No Airplane salad should have cream dressing - and Jetlag is almost completely gone - Thank god.

As for what I've done?
Not too much, Saturday I was jetlagged and not in the mood for much. Unfortunatly I was out of food and diddnt realize this until later that night... when I was hungry.
Sufficed to say, my dinner consisted of an ineresting mix of beans, Lipton noodle soup, and rice.
Doubly unfortunate, the people downstairs had a party. But due to being really messed up and tired, nothing happened, and I merely tried to sleep.

Dillan's new roomate tossed out her coffee press while she was gone (what a jerk!). So I donated over mine (as I dont use it due to miikka and sari having a real coffee machine), and myself and Bela had coffee, and met her new roomates.

on that note.
Godtube.com
Scary, yet, funny, yet wtf.

ROUND 2: FIGHT!

2008-01-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so semester one+this blog=nothing

lets hope its better next time. Things should be less of a headache, im more settled down, and I'll post a sunday night recap of the week as part of my weekly ritual (its not like i dont have the free time).

So...Beginning with Jan 20th... my first post... then once a week from then on out.

Theres my new years resolution... Whats yours?

PS...
who reads this?

Hokay

2007-11-12T16:22:00.001-08:00

So I'm terrible with this.. but well I'm lazy.
So what Have I done over the last 2 months?
Oktoberfest, Rome, and Sardinia; theres also a weekend trip to Konstanz thrown in there as well.

In all honesty I don't really know what to say about them.
Oktoberfest is a crazy crazyfest... fun... but really intense. A warning to all who may want to go... get there by 9am at the latest; and I mean at the tents by then.
It gets crazy after that. Also, bring money, lots of it. its an expensive festival.
Rome? One weekend of non-stop sightseeing. Recommandations are getting a hostel right downtown as Close to Old Rome as possible. Everything is within walking distance, and the subways will take you to the other parts rather quickly.
Sardinia: Go in summer, and rent a vehicle. The transit is rather confusing, but the island has some beautiful sights. Don't go expecting to see or do much in the cities however. You go to see the ocean and the old stuff (Bronze age ruins, Old cities etc...). Its all spread throughout the Island, but you can easily see it all in a week or two.

Day of Days

2007-09-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the big VISUM pubcrawl... 15 euros, 5 shots, 5 beers, a tshirt, and a Doener... Its going to be interesting.

Unnnfortunatly im sick, I woke up wit chest pains and sore eyes, and have had bouts of dizziness throughout the day. I've been taking it easy, and am going to go to class then come home and sleep to see how I feel; sufficed to say I dont want to miss tonight.

I really don't know what to say about things here, all in all not to much different, and I haven't done any major travelling lately (still trying to get settled). Eventually will go to Munich for oktoberfest (convienently on my Birthday) and there was talk of going to Italy for a weekend in september, but not 100% sure on how that will pan out. Updates when stuff happens!

Some Bands ive gotten hooked on lately (unrelated, yet good)

The Postal Service
Stars
Broken Social Scene
Wir Sind Helden
Revolverheld
The Twang

My letter to Imprint

2007-09-04T10:48:00.001-07:00

Below is a letter I sent to Imprint in regards to the wonderufl service we students recieve.

To the editor,

I am currently a UW student studying on exchange at the Universitat Mannheim, Germany. I've been struggling with the concept of how to get my OSAP (every student's favorite task) and ran into a problem; SAFA has no email address. I only have a cell phone and calling Canada runs me about 2.50 EUROS/min; I obviously have a dilemma. So I send a Polite email to the registrars office in the hopes I could get pointed to a person (Perhaps a friend in SAFA, perhaps they could simply phone and ask, or heck... even walk over and ask.) Alas, my hopes of friendly, kind, and helpful service were in vain (silly student, this is Waterloo... here there are rooms where they take your student number and plug it into equations... because you're nothing more than a number to play games with, and yea know... suck money out of... but I digress). My email immediately states I am in germany, I need my OSAP, and it would be helpful if anyone could point me in the right direction. My reply is:
"Hello; This is not my area of knowledge... please see information below to find your contact and other information regarding OSAP and Student Award concerns." Then there is a giant mess of Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V mayhem, containing... the contact info from the SAFA webpage. What does this person think I am? A Brock Student? Egads people this is waterloo... we know how to use a google-powered search tool, and navigate webpages (Mother Google ensures it).

Thanks a lot. No sorry, nothing. Just "You sound like a moron...I'm the waterloo admin....fuck your couch." I'm in Germany here people, mail is a little long, fax is just non-existent for anyone under 35, and phone is insanely expensive (not to mention the 6 hour time difference). Sufficed to say, this is ridiculous, when will the customer service we pay for (because lets face it... we're the customers and we pay) begin? You'd think I'd get a little more help due to the circumstances; sadly no.
So when you're standing in the long line with a heavy backpack on, and a bajillion lost/confused frosh infront of you, take solace in the fact that you dont have an ocean (as well as France) in your way.

FINALLY

2007-08-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I finally have a chance to make a blog entry.

Life here is pretty...different, so I've prepared a list of 10 things everyone should know about Mannheim (seeing as I do not know whether they are German specific)

1. Turks think mullets are cool.
Mullets and fanny packs set apart Mannheim turks from other gino's from the Mediterranean.
2. Zahlen Bitte.
this is how you ask for the bill, if you do not do this, you will sit at a cafe table for hours.
3. Eine Pils Bitte.
how to order a beer
4. My home is a ghetto...
just a warning to anyone living along hafenstrasse... the jungbausch is a sketchy neighbourhood...
5. Doeners
they will save your life many a drunk night. Basically the most glorious drunk food ever created
6. Keep off the grass
If it looks like its too nice to sit on, it probably is, beware the grass police.
7. Markttag
Probably misspelled, but its the market day, and it is a great chance to score good food.
8. Turks playing bad music from cellphones think their cool
They like to turn their mp3 phones into "ghetto blasters" (cause they blast it, and usually live in the ghetto) usually 12 year old girls, and usually bad music.
9. nutella
I never used to like it, but find i am surviving off of it...cant be healthy
10. Milk is like cream here
the lowest fat content ive seen is 1.5% and normal milk is 3.5% (no inbetween) and it only goes up from there....

more later!

In Germany!

2007-07-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

I am here in Germany, In Mannheim, after 4 blurry unsober days in the UK.
Buuuuuuut, I have to pay for internet at the hotel, and dont get my residence until tomorrow, so I will have to wait until then to do a full update.
Until then, have a picture of england!

It begins

2007-07-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

So im packing, and getting ready to go. flights today, so ill update and do this proper!

Ill hopefully post at least 1 post a week to keep an update on my travels and adventures.

stay tuned.