tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18673878533294623522024-03-05T02:44:39.247-05:00Mishaps and Observations of an American in Berlin"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."
-Mark TwainJasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-22689829603702677832011-01-31T22:52:00.002-05:002011-01-31T23:00:59.284-05:00SNOW.I've been back for six months now, and it still shocks me to remember how long it's been and how long I've been away... I'm starting to forget things. I haven't forgotten the German winter, though, and I truly don't miss it. These are the three adjectives that describe a German winter.<br />1) COLD.<br />2) Icy.<br />3) Dark.<br />Okay, so it's still cold and icy and dark, but it's not COLD (except sometimes) and we have well over two feet of snow on the ground, and it's not getting dark until 5:30 (whoa!). Plus we're expecting an almost-blizzard for the next 48 hours involving ice pellets, heavy snow and 18-24 inches of accumulation. For the season, we've already had 4 snow days and 2 two-hour delays, and it's not even February. My guess is that we'll have another two snow days this week alone. This is getting ridiculous. But hey, I'm not complaining... last year I had to bike to school. Actually last year I had to get up at 6:15 and walk down to sweep chimneys. I suppose this is somewhat of an improvement... although I really am not a fan of my schedule at the moment (AP Biology, AP US History, Honors Precalculus, and a class at Smith) just homework-wise. Although we did just have a massive unit test in Bio so I'm starting fresh in all my classes. That will be nice, I think. And the next two days of snow and (hopefully) no school will help me recuperate from today's hard schedule of... 45 minute classes. (The final on Thursday was pushed to this morning due to the delay... so we had a 2-hour test and jumped right into our semester 2 classes of 45 minutes each. Lame.)<br /><br />Enjoy the snow! (And ice pellets...?)Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-18769345578043845402010-07-07T11:03:00.001-04:002010-07-07T11:08:35.812-04:00Going home.In less than 24 hours, I'll be on a train out of here. I found my passport (in a small pocket of my backpack- I thought it was so smart to put it there until I forgot) and my train ticket (in my old journal- I was still using it often when I put the ticket and papers in it, and then switched journals and forgot about it). So, all panic aside, I still have to manage to fit everything... my overstuffed duffel bag weighs in at 19,5 kilos, so I'm good on that (max weight is 23) and my backpack can go up to 20 but I've only got 10 because I'm really bad at squishing things. I have a small cardboard box filled with random stuff- notebooks, american money, pictures, cds... and I have to find a place for it all or send YET ANOTHER package home. I'm really hoping I don't have to do that. I have faith in my packing skills. I think. I hope. <br /><br />Other than packing, it's really weird to be going back... to be leaving... VERY weird. I can't really even describe how I feel. I'm leaving the people who I've lived with for a year, and going back to people I've lived with for 16 years but haven't seen in such a long time. Who knows when I'll see my German family again, who knows when I'll get a chance to come back here. It makes me feel empty inside when I think about it, so instead I focus on packing and everything is well.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-61123946533470432162010-06-22T11:12:00.002-04:002010-06-22T11:19:35.256-04:00Winding down...In sixteen days I'll be on a plane. Out of Deutschland. For who knows how long.<br /><br />I'm not particularly sad. I'm also not particularly happy. I'm so excited to see my friends and family again, but to know that this year is coming to an end and I will never be able to live the same way again is very strange. I'm already packing all my stuff because my host brother comes home from his AFS year in Tennessee in a few days, and I'm in his room. I'm planning to have all my stuff packed by Friday so I can move into my older host sister's room- she actually comes back home on the day I leave, so the timing works out perfectly. But thinking about goodbyes is so hard, because I don't know what to do- these people have taken me into their house for ten months, and now I'm packing my bags and leave, and it could be many years before I return. Even if I do, it'll all be different. I'll be older, they'll be older, and we'll have lived apart for a long time. I won't be a part of the household anymore. And that is just odd to consider. <br /><br />Other things:<br />-today is the first day since End-of-Stay Camp (June 9-13) that I haven't needed a sweatshirt to go outside. Hello? It's summer! Where's the summer weather?<br />-next Monday my class is heading off to Holland for a 4-night Klassenfahrt, or class trip. We'll be spending a day in Amsterdam, and I'm quite excited. <br />-I got next year's class schedule- future exchange students, if you're doing your year as a junior, watch out. Your senior year is going to be KILLER. (Okay, well, it is in my case.)<br /><br />Okay, gotta go pack now... Daniela bought me two bier steins, which was very nice of course, but how on earth am I supposed to pack them? Sheesh...Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-34869288040235735492010-06-01T13:56:00.003-04:002010-06-01T14:06:53.069-04:00Juni und Jammern"And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days; Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune, And over it softly her warm ear lays." -James Russell Lowell<br /><br />Well, apparently Mr. Lowell didn't spend much time in Berlin in June... it's the first day of June and barely scraping over 50°, and it's poured every day for a week. I keep forgetting it's already spring because it's so darn chilly, and then I remember that SUMMER is in TWENTY DAYS. Now that's exciting.<br /><br />We also got our travel information from AFS Germany... flying out of Frankfurt-am-Main at 12:20 on the 9th of July! I think the three Berlin Americans and I are taking the train on the 8th so we don't have to get up at 2 a.m. the next day. I'm pretty darn pumped, myself. I'll miss Germany, but I'm quite excited to get on with the next chapter of my life (aka summertime.) <br /><br />Also, as for the title, "Juni" is German for June and "jammern" means to complain or lament. Which I've been doing a lot of lately- about 99% being aimed at the weather. I think we're supposed to see a few minutes of sun this weekend, though. So I'm hopeful that I can stop jammering soon.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-42350924981173385422010-05-29T12:37:00.002-04:002010-05-29T12:37:29.608-04:00a good quote"To succeed in life, you need 3 things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funnybone." -Reba McEntireJasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-53895441993678464002010-05-25T13:51:00.002-04:002010-05-25T13:53:45.265-04:00SATI am taking the German SAT subject test in 10 days. My head is currently whirling with coordinating conjunctions, subjunctive moods, and auxiliary verbs... not to mention I'm trying to shove as much vocabulary in as I possibly can. So I apologize for my slight lack of communication... between June 5th and June 9th I'll get on that! And then I'll be gone again for our AFS END OF STAY camp. That means we're almost at the end. I believe the current count is 44 days. Holy guacamole!!Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-19120415940670042542010-05-11T15:48:00.002-04:002010-05-11T16:05:43.475-04:00And we're off!Tomorrow, at 10:10 am (promptly- we are in Germany, you know), I am leaving on a flight to France! Well, actually a flight to Frankfurt am Main, and then a flight to Toulouse, Frankreich. It's only a one-hour layover, though. And then I'll be spending four days in the lovely south of France! I am quite excited, and all my stuff is packed (I'm guessing I overpacked like usual) and I'm prepared to leave the house at 7 am (yippee...) to take various buses and UBahns to the airport. <br /><br />I'm looking forward to:<br />-seeing a new country<br />-meeting new people<br />-eating French pastries and various other delicacies<br />-relaxing<br />-sleeping<br />-relaxing<br /><br />I'm not so much looking forward to:<br />-cheese<br /><br />(My uncle thinks I'm crazy that I'm going to France and I don't like cheese.) <br />There will be much Frenchness to come, I'm sure! Tschuss! Bonjour! Arrivaderci! Ciao! Goodbye!Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-65512526822239080462010-05-02T07:17:00.005-04:002010-05-11T15:47:38.213-04:00Kiss Kiss<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1otDQr62iF739B4TaqHBgvvIHhzaT8fvOS59ecYKeUHO1w1KX_K9_vLe76f2VpHVnbohYmKtjbeyE-n4x-aTyTowbHsxwZeZEfDMyJ8XqIiT3hDU9V2bITaVV_1zMT_HK_W4sccRHTw/s1600/Hersheys-Kiss-for-You-Tin-Sign-C11751154.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1otDQr62iF739B4TaqHBgvvIHhzaT8fvOS59ecYKeUHO1w1KX_K9_vLe76f2VpHVnbohYmKtjbeyE-n4x-aTyTowbHsxwZeZEfDMyJ8XqIiT3hDU9V2bITaVV_1zMT_HK_W4sccRHTw/s200/Hersheys-Kiss-for-You-Tin-Sign-C11751154.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466630364747269106" /></a><br /><br />Our favorite American smooch...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHYrKyAERHDs872dbqWh9NDBROwYfUdS-3czNrot5Erf5-XxuzASBYGEChRbUxGq7hAKQ3ZK2Sr2cGDp9_RtQyxZyR2Y1UODNddRCH6kR9sQp_dLH1kvtV-GRxp_wHh7LlXbyOD-Z6yg/s1600/1437-org.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 145px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHYrKyAERHDs872dbqWh9NDBROwYfUdS-3czNrot5Erf5-XxuzASBYGEChRbUxGq7hAKQ3ZK2Sr2cGDp9_RtQyxZyR2Y1UODNddRCH6kR9sQp_dLH1kvtV-GRxp_wHh7LlXbyOD-Z6yg/s200/1437-org.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466630513428416978" /></a><br /><br />and its German equivalent.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-3829101095066643622010-04-26T12:04:00.002-04:002010-04-26T12:08:59.461-04:00GesundheitIt's a German word ("Healthiness"). You'd think the Germans would use it. I'm pretty sure I've heard about a total of ten Gesundheits the entire time I've been here. In America, if you sneeze in class, you'll often get about 10 "bless yous", including from the teacher. In Germany, I think sneezes are treated more like coughs- just kind of ignored. Although apparently (I have not experienced this for myself but have heard it from other exchange students) if you sneeze three times in a row you get to make a wish. Now I'm shuffling my feet on the carpet trying to get enough dust to rise that I'll sneeze three times.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-72084673722728840302010-04-24T16:15:00.002-04:002010-04-24T16:31:55.185-04:00EGHDDR-Ville. Ost Deutschland. East Germany. Or, as our group of CBYXers have coined it, the East German Hood, or EGH. While I technically live in the former West Germany, I am probably only a few feet from the border. It's pretty hard to tell in the middle of Berlin at this point where the border was unless you look down and see a piece of Wall- a lot of East Berlin has been rebuilt and westernized. However, in what the Americans call the ghetto of Germany, there are groups of young guys who hang around in groups smoking Paul Malls and wearing what they think is gangsta gear. A typical outfit consists of the following: a white fake trucker hat, a plain white jacket, holey white jeans, shiny adidas sneakers, and a fanny pack. The Fanny Pack is essential. The Fanny Pack is where the kids of the EGH store their cigarette-rolling materials. They've got the filters, which they'll hold between their lips while they peel off a paper and pick a bit of tobacco out between their index finger and thumb. Then they'll spread it out all nice and evenly and lick the paper like an envelope to roll it all up into what they consider the coolest G thang ever. And the Americans sit by and watch, trying not to burst into (completely socially inappropriate) hysterical laughter. The G-wannabes swagger out of the S-Bahn, light their cigs with hot pink lighters (stored in the back pocket of their Fanny Packs) and toss their heads at each other in what they think is a gangster nod. And I nod back. Because they make my day every time I see them.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-29812973858239177422010-04-24T14:40:00.003-04:002010-04-24T16:15:31.975-04:00Oranienburger StraßeWe've heard stories about this street. This street is the place to go if you're looking for SDA- Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol. It's where the bars and clubs are, it's where the shisha (hookah) dens are, and it's where the hookers are. This is what we've been told by our liasons and friends. And yet I have eaten in various restaurants all down the street, walked along it in daytime and at night, and it's never seemed any different than any other German street. Yesterday, a couple Americans and I were walking out of the U-Bahn in search for a little post-dinner kick. Immediately after we emerged from the smoky underground, Claire whacks me repeatedly on the arm, whispering excitedly, "prostitute! Prostitute!" I turn my head to see a woman wearing a white hoodie over a corset, jean shorts that consisted of less fabric than my underwear, and bright pink go-go boots. We had barely expressed our excitement and amazement at seeing one prostitute when I punch Claire- "there's another one!!" And so there was. In fact, in the entire short length of the street, we saw <span style="font-style:italic;">six</span> different prostitutes, all of which completely fit the foggy picture of hookers we'd had in our inexperienced American minds. It was ridiculous. We lived off the craziness for the whole night, and after observing several sketch bars from the outside, we went looking in the more open and public vicinity of Friedrichstraße. We ended up getting a few cocktails at an Indian restaurant- I ordered a Latin Lover, which was quite delicious. My companions, who are probably much better at holding alcohol than I am (I don't consider myself experienced enough to say that I can hold anything at all), asked the women at the table next to ours what they were drinking. "Zombies", they laughed, clinking glasses. So they ordered two Zombies, and instead of being served what the women had, they got odd orange concoctions. Apparently they still tasted good, but the women laughed hysterically and pointed at us with their lollipops. (I wonder how many cocktails it takes to make a few middle-aged women suck on lollipops and play practical jokes on a group of teenagers). Oh, the adventures of one Friday night in Germany...Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-38471034660182478432010-04-21T17:05:00.003-04:002010-04-21T17:19:45.079-04:00WeatherHello. How are you? Beautiful weather today, isn't it?<br /><br />The weather's got to be pretty darn impressive in order to warrant a blog post. This morning I got up and the sky looked dangerously grey, but I hoped I could make it to school before it rained and then maybe it'd clear up before I had to bike back home. <br /><br />8:15- math class has begun. I look outside. It's twice as dark and pouring. <br />8:30- the sun pokes through the clouds.<br />9:00- it's pouring again.<br />11:20- sunny and gorgeous! Maybe it'll dry off my bike seat.<br />1:00- pouring. funky-colored sky. <br />1:20- the sun is back out! Hooray! My bike isn't dry, but with a little sleeve action it was reduced to a bit of dampness.<br />1:25- ow. It starts hailing on me as I bike home. The temperature seems to have dropped about five degrees (Celcius) since I started biking. My hands are frozen to the handlebars and being pelted by little hailstones.<br />1:50- full-out sunny. No worries. All this storming must be over.<br />2:00- walking back from the mailbox from sending a couple letters. It starts hailing again, harder than before. Ow. I run fast.<br />2:30- sunny. A 30-second rainbow shows up.<br />4:00- skies are dark, it's pouring.<br />5:00- host parents come home, it's sunny. They decide to go grocery shopping.<br />5:15- never mind. It started pour-hailing again. <br />7:00- we made dinner with what we had, and ate a lovely meal. Outside it is gorgeous and sunny out.<br /><br />Phew. Germany sure likes to exhaust its full range of weather options.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-73300706274432524962010-04-20T13:38:00.002-04:002010-04-20T13:45:49.048-04:00It smells like the first spring rain. Outside my window I can see small pink blossoms falling from the tree like a spring snowstorm. And it's warm enough to wear a t-shirt outside. I love spring. It's the time of birth and regrowth. My fellow Amis and I are trying feebly to "regrow" our previous in-shape pre-Germany bodies... I did go running yesterday! Except then Daniela hinted that it probably wasn't the best idea as the air is full of volcanic ash spat over from Iceland- I was wondering why my lungs were hurting. Gee, I guess I'll just have to stay inside and study for the SATs instead. I actually took a practice test today, even though I'm technically supposed to be studying for the German SATs... but who cares about technicalities anyway. My excitement levels are growing for various trips and plans in the future... these are going to be a fabulous few months!!Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-37934285581644883722010-04-03T08:01:00.003-04:002010-04-05T08:43:30.985-04:00Happy April!Wahoo! The month of Easter, spring, and pranksters. I successfully convinced my mother that I'd spontaneously decided to pierce my nose. From what I hear she had a minor freakout until Olivia reminded her it was the first of April. Whew. It's been quite lovely weather here for the last few days, although I've heard New England has got crazy flooding going on. On Saturday we hung out a lot outside, planting pumpkin seeds, fixing the little bridge on the path to the front door, cleaning up the yard, etc. Clara and I biked down to the ice cream shop and picked up some delicacies to go, which were wrapped up neatly and put in the back basket of Clara's bike on the way home. It was quite delicious. Easter was quite fun as well- rather similar to American celebrations. Egg-dyeing, egg-finding, big breakfast, etc. We also went to a big bonfire downtown that was supposed to burn the evil ghosts- not sure what this has to do with Easter as a holiday, but it's an annual tradition. Then at about 7 p.m. we headed to Potsdamer Platz via train to see Dirty Dancing live on stage! It was pretty fabulous. The singing was Broadway-good: not Broadway-amazing, but Broadway-acceptable. The dancing, though, was a whole different story. THAT was Broaway-amazing. Times ten. Happy Easter!!Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-45034189110182525852010-03-27T17:50:00.003-04:002010-03-27T17:55:51.630-04:00The FlatterersToday I was reading through messages from "interested" colleges on a college website... you know, the kind where you put in your GPA, SAT scores, and maybe an intended major or two and colleges from all over the country start selling themselves at your feet. After the PSAT as a sophomore, I admit I was rather flattered- but at this point it's just dull- I hit the delete button for about 90 percent of the messages. However, today I hit the "yes, fine, send me your massive amounts of emails" button even though I have no intention of looking further into the school. My reason? This college had a major in Turf and Turfgrass Management. So if chimney sweeping doesn't work out, I know what my follow-up career choice will be.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-58351612531109329582010-03-27T07:12:00.004-04:002010-03-27T07:20:47.575-04:00Pancakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ogorodnikov.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/pancakes2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 230px;" src="http://ogorodnikov.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/pancakes2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I consider pancakes to be a Sunday-morning staple at home. Or at least every other Sunday. For those of you who feel the same, or have any sort of pancake fetish, here is your German pancake education. <br /><br />IN BERLIN: <br />A Pfannkuchen (literal translation "pancake") resembles a jelly donut. Quite delicious, in my personal opinion. You can find them in just about every bakery. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.biomalz-back.de/produkte/einzelne_produktseiten/rezeptur_feine_backwaren/berliner400.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.biomalz-back.de/produkte/einzelne_produktseiten/rezeptur_feine_backwaren/berliner400.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />An Eierkuchen, however, more closely resembles a crepe. My aunt makes them at home but calls them German pancakes. They're not a very large part of German meals, but they do show up occasionally. They're usually eaten with jam or nutella and powdered sugar. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.rezept-zone.de/site_media/uploads/pfannkuchen.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://www.rezept-zone.de/site_media/uploads/pfannkuchen.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY:<br />If you want to find a Pfannkuchen, you're going to have to ask for a Berliner. If you ask for a Pfannkuchen, you're going to end up holding an Eierkuchen. Confusing much? If you ask for a Berliner in Berlin, people will just think you're from outside of the city. If you want an American pancake, you're going to have to make 'em yourself- nobody's got a clue what they are.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-78848251491647294182010-03-27T06:56:00.002-04:002010-03-27T07:11:22.595-04:00Socks: They ain't just for your feet.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.phone-socks.com/Image/Line-P-socks009.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 188px;" src="http://www.phone-socks.com/Image/Line-P-socks009.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />People in Germany have socks for every little piece of technology they've got. Cell phones, cameras, iPods. Some people have them for their books. I get German Stares when I pull out my cell phone and it's sockless.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-20314797438218244162010-03-26T11:13:00.002-04:002010-03-26T11:20:23.147-04:00GradesToday my classmates recieved their MSA grades. I'm sure I've already touched on the grading system but now I've got a better understanding and have formulated this handy-dandy table for y'all. (Note that some of these reactions are based off of MSA responses, which are more dramatic than others as this test is so important.) <br /><br />1: WOW! AWESOME! I'M AMAZING! High fives all around.<br />2: *Sob* <span style="font-style:italic;">But I should have gotten a one!</span> <br />3: Are you SURE this is what I deserve? Okay, fine, I'll accept it. But don't expect me to smile.<br />4: My mum's going to kill me.<br />5: I bombed big-time. I'll just fake the parental signature on this one.<br />6: I fail at life. <br /> <br />It's funny, I almost think people react better when they get a 3 than a 2 because when people get 2s they get really defensive and try to talk the teacher into giving them a 1. With a three, they just deal.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-73614531485994445172010-03-25T11:51:00.003-04:002010-03-25T11:58:06.824-04:00The German StareI am going to introduce y'all to a new concept. The German Stare is often interpreted as a reaction to you being a foreigner. At least I thought so- I couldn't speak German, I might have worn clothing that shouted "American" though I didn't know it, and I didn't behave like a true German. However, I can at this point pass for a German in brief conversations, and I dress subtly enough that no one suspects I'm a foreigner until I open my mouth too far. The German Stare is simply a part of German culture. It's not as if we don't stare in America- I've certainly done my fair share of staring- but we tend to look away quickly and pretend we were doing something else if the person we're staring at looks our way. We hide the fact that we're watching, we look out of the corners of our eyes, watch people from behind our magazines or in window reflections. In Germany, if you are at all interesting, people will stare. They will stare directly, look you up and down, and even make eye contact with you if you look at them. Sometimes they'll twist an opinion into their facial expression- of humor, contempt, or distaste. They don't hide it. In some ways it's good- you don't have to wonder if the person likes you or not, as you do in America when people hide behind a fake polite mask. If someone thinks you're dumb or dressed funny, you'll know.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-41580429824346722792010-03-25T11:39:00.002-04:002010-03-25T11:50:55.486-04:00It was just one of those days...You know the kind. The days where everything just falls into place and feels so <span style="font-style:italic;">right</span>. I slept in until 9 and then did a bit more college research. I went to Bikram Yoga dressed in my red Converse and my favorite blue dress that Dad bought me in New Hampshire, and that's it. (Okay I had socks and underwear on too.) It was so deliciously warm and sunny out. It's supposed to drop about 15 degrees and pour this weekend, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the sun while it's here. I'm feelin' good.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-36038021574795436072010-03-24T17:38:00.003-04:002010-03-25T11:39:33.056-04:00Plans.I just purchased a plane ticket to Toulouse, France! On May 12 I'll be boarding a plane at 10:00 am, heading to go stay with the family my aunt was an au pair for once upon a time. At this point in time I'm going alone, but I'm hoping to find a travel partner soon (if anyone reading this wants to join me, feel free to call or email!). I'm extremely excited. I promise there will be lots of pictures taken.<br /><br />About a week ago I recieved the following email: "Hi Jasmine, I’m writing to you to officially welcome you into the Junior Counselor program at Wildwood this summer. I feel you are a great candidate for this program and I’m looking forward to working with you!" I officially have my first legit job. From July 25 to August 21, my really good friend I will be working as Junior Counselors at Wildwood! Junior counselors aren't legit counselors (hence we don't have to sleep in the campers' cabins) and we get our own big cabin and all the counselor priveleges AND we get to put it on our college application. Plus I just love camp.<br /><br />Speaking of colleges... I admit I've been doing a LOT of research lately. I've been making a lot of lists and taking notes on all the colleges that look remotely interesting. Mostly I've got a lot of northeast/ New England colleges, a few Universities of California, and one in Minnesota. My list is getting slowly shorter, and I'm becoming more and more interested in a select few. Of course, I'm also getting remarkably overwhelmed by the enormous tuition fees and tiny acceptance percentages. My mom did tell me about a Northamptonite who recieved $50,000 a year for her tuition at the college she was accepted at, so I'm just keeping positive and hoping for a massive scholarship. Either that or obtain California residence and only pay $7000 tuition or so. <br /><br />I've got a lot of fuzzy future plans... I'll write more about them as time passes. For now, I'm going to go to a student q&a session for Boston University online... and enjoy the fact that I have no school tomorrow! One of the few positive features of being in the 10th grade is that the 10th graders have to write a Mittler Schulabschluss, which is a big test including German, English, and Math written sections and a presentation. And I will be sleeping in. Sometimes I really enjoy being an exchange student.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-855683251598368242010-03-24T08:57:00.004-04:002010-03-24T17:38:55.362-04:00Langweilig- boring.Today it was well into the 60°s, and sunny! I bombed a math test (I sort of forgot to study, and I've always been terrible with probability anyway) and aced a physiks test (I think), which evens out to an average academic day. Yesterday evening and again tonight my orchestra is playing along with the school choir in one song during a sort of concert-presentation about Alexander von Humbolt. I haven't actually seen much of it, but it's about this adventurer Humbolt, with a random selection of songs to sort of act as a soundtrack. It's a cool idea, it just isn't quite well-formulated enough to be great. <br /><br />So what have I been up to lately... oh, I started watching Glee online- I now understand the new American phenomenon! It's extremely entertaining. Plus it always makes me wish I had the lungs to belt out showtunes without sounding like a strangled duck- ah well. Maybe in my next life. Speaking of American phenomena, I've heard there's quite the health care craze going on! Personally, I think it's an improvement simply because we're going somewhere. If Obama revokes the new bill, we'll just be moving back into the same rut where we've been stuck for several years now. Obama's shown he's got the strength and enough followers to pull across his ideas for improvement, and now there's only one direction to go: forward.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-45454601572461174992010-03-02T01:36:00.002-05:002010-03-02T01:37:01.017-05:00KangayumI went to an Australian restaurant yesterday with my liason. I ate a wrap with delicious mango sauce and kangaroo. Not kidding. It was really good.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-63368872633151188942010-02-16T10:12:00.003-05:002010-02-16T10:18:45.485-05:00Chocolate and BehaviorI am longing for American chocolate products. Yeah, I know Germany's s'posed to have all this amazing chocolate, but there's something about the stuff made in the USA that really hits my taste buds. Maybe it's homey. Maybe it's just plain good.<br />The three top things I miss in this category:<br />1)S'Mores (this always comes around mid-winter when I'm on s'more withdrawal)<br />2)Chocolate chip cookies. Fresh out of the oven... oh so good...<br />3)Brownie mix brownies. Because I have yet to have tasted brownies that taste better than the ones that we make out of the Ghiradelli cardboard box. <br /><br />Here's an interesting observation for you folks- Germans will ignore you. At first it seriously bugged me, but at this point I'm just used to it. In my house, if Clara calls Sebastian in the other room, he simply won't answer. She'll ask a question and he'll simply stay quiet. And it's not as though he's having a conversation with someone else and trying to teach a lesson by not responding- it seems like he just doesn't feel like answering. Daniela does it too, as does Simon. It's strange.Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1867387853329462352.post-90975353432190081152010-02-13T15:46:00.010-05:002010-02-14T06:02:58.288-05:00Die Zukunft, pt. 1The future. It's a foggy topic, with wrinkled, fuzzy-edged images in grey tones. I have ideas about what I want to do, who I want to be. I have ideas. Thoughts. Dreams. But I know that nothing's set in stone. When I was in middle school, I planned on traveling in my summers, paying thousands of dollars to go surf in Fiji and paint a school building or two. I matured, went to high school, decided I wanted to go for a semester abroad. I was itching to get out of the country, experience something totally and completely new. As I researched more and more, I found that a semester never seemed to be enough for students. I nearly settled for a year in Ecuador or Finland, which would have meant I would have worked my entire spring semester, without rowing or extracurriculars. I would have worked the whole summer, sent out letters to businesses begging for assistance, to have my experience. But instead I looked to a country I'd never really even considered, rowed on my crew team, and spent my summer rowing and going to camp. I never imagined myself to be living in Berlin when I was an 8th grader. <br /><br />On our last skype date, my dad asked me if I'd been thinking about colleges. I'm always thinking about colleges- they poke me from the back of my head, asking me if I should be doing something more productive with my time- studying German grammar instead of watching Grey's Anatomy; working on college essays instead of sleeping in. And the fact that my dad actually asked the question, that I am actually the age that I actually need to start thinking about college, sort of slapped me in the face. My friends are turning seventeen and getting their driver's lisences. They're visiting campuses and trying not to let their AP grades slide. They're taking the SATs and improving their athletic skills in hopes of scholarships. I'm working on my ideas. I don't know what I want to major in in college. Once upon a time I was certain I'd be a world-class novelist and major in English or something of the sort. Then I realized I liked foreign languages so much more, and thought I'd be a language instructor, or work in international relations. And now, as I'm learning more about foreign relations than ever before, I don't know. There are so many things I could do with a major in international relations, but I don't know if I want to go into that field at all. Lately I've been thinking a lot about a path in medicine. Maybe it's bloomed from my recent infatuation with Grey's Anatomy, which at first I was rather embarrassed about, but I realized that people are influenced by the media. That's what the media's there to do. To open minds, show opportunities and different ways of looking at life (oh, and to make money). I've been doing a little research, and stumbled across this guy and his vlog. He's a third-year med student at Columbia University, and I loved this video about his first day in the operating room. It made me dream about being that person someday- snapping on gloves for the first time... but it's still only an idea. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYtVdm1Vks&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYtVdm1Vks&feature=player_embedded</a>Jasmine Landryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16713449982157611968noreply@blogger.com0