i was a kaleidoscope

photo/video [multimedia throw up (aka 'lets make this look like myspace')] blog

Les Enfants Terribles:

Nadia and Sasha (also a mac grad)

Outside Les Enfants (a band plays every Thursday for one month, each month a new band)

Jo getting a massage outside Les Enfants

Gilberto, Rita (a mac student who came to check out the Geneva internship scene) and me (Gilberto made us take this again b/c I wasn't looking at the camera, but I think its suiting that I wasn't)

Nadia and Vanessa (another mac grad) dancing

Sidney (works in ACT office in our corridor - not a mac grad)

Mike (EAA webmaster before me) & Heather

VIDEO

Heather's Good Bye / See You Later Dinner:

Gilberto and Heather at the Circus

Gilberto and the alien dog

pretty much, its cos we're cooler than you.

I think I'm saying "I feel short"

EAA represent!

Jo and Heather at the Circus

At dinner ( we went to a Turkish restaurant near the circus - great food)

Random blog info while I wait for the super slow foyer internet to upload my stuff....

• This is the third blog I've kept (seriously kept). I had my last blog for almost four years, and one before that for about 6 months (i can't, for the life of me, remember where I used to have it).
• "Bravo Charlie" (the title of my blog) is the title of a song. However, I recently learned, that this may not be the correct title of said song - it may actually be "Like Father, Like Daughter"
• All my blog entry titles are either lyrics, song titles, or album titles.
  
• I try to change the blog song once a week.
• I switched from my original blog host to blogger because I thought it would make me cool like Corey Kennedy. But apparently, to be scene like her, you have to weigh ten pounds, go to all the cool LA parties, and have like 15000 myspace friends. So lets just say, I chose it because I like the minimalist layout.
  

give'r

lets break it down.

Last Week

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Mike took me out to this spot near the lake where we shared cheesy focacia bread and a beer. It was refreshing (the beer) and quite nice. We sat right in front of the jet d'eau and had an excellent view of the mountains that lay on my side of the lake (and that I don't get to see a lot). It was quite beautiful when the sun started to set and the sky turned pink creating the most spectacular silhouette of the mountains. A gorgeous night, excellent way to end the work day.

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Gilberto and I attempted to go to the grocery store in France, but instead ended up walking around a very dead Ferney on Sunday and wound up eating lunch, in France, at a pretty expensive cafe. The day was beautiful though, and later that night Gilberto, Mike, Natalie and I went for gelato and a walk around the lake. I had two scoops (one scoop goat cheese, one scoop pineapple basil - dude it was freaking amazing). We wound up at a park, lying on a blanket - chatting and such. Again, quite nice. Natalie and Gilberto proved their strength by climbing these ridiculous jungle gym tire net hula hoop monkey things. Can't explain it - won't try.


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This Week

Went to a pot luck at Nadia's and Aarons - a house warming, if you will (as Nadia moved in a few weeks ago). There was plenty of good food, music, and company. And of course, there was even better music when Gilberto and I launched into Dance Mix 95 pseudo karaoke. That didn't last long....luckily.

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Today was Mike/Natalie/Heather's going away garden party at the EAA. Again, good food, music, and company. Afterwards a group went down to Les Enfants Terribles, which - unlike last time - had the band performing in the street as well as a masseuse set up. Les Enfants, as always, was awesome. Its just so amazing, to see these people performing in this make shift bar/cafe/shop/salon/etc etc etc. It really is a treat for the senses. Its just a treat in general. Video and photos coming soon.



As mentioned the other interns are leaving, and I feel myself on the verge of a mental breakdown. Mike has been a complete help, showing me the ropes while being so incredibly patient, encouraging and humble. I realize more and more that I have such big shoes to fill, and while I *know* I can do it, I still worry about the quality of my performance. Granted, I'm sure I will be able to get help along the way...but in a few days (after Tuesday as it is) I'll be the sole webmaster, and suddenly, quite a few large projects will be in my hands. I look forward to the challenges, I look forward to stepping up and taking it all head on - but I'm also scared. Probably because I know that failure is never an option, and partly because I know I've effectively (mentally) situated myself as a lurker trailing along behind Mike's big ol' programer-extraordinaire shadow. But I'm here for a reason, so shut the hell up and getter done. In the words of Peaches: just give'r.

gatheration

list of artists i want to kidnap for my island of kidnapped (indie?) rock stars:

1. Emily Haines (Metric / solo / Broken Social Scene)

Double B and I have been conspiring this one for about a year, I think to date we decided that we needed such things as a large butterfly net, two large bottles of JD, fake press on nails, a bear trap, backstage passes, half a jar full of green jelly beans, and or a friend of a friend of Emily's.

Her position on the island: President, India representative on model UN, official basket weaver (I assume she would be good with her hands because of the piano playing)

Possible escape tactic: thrashing around like she does onstage leading us to assume she is having a seizure.

2. Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes / other projects)

A plan conspired with Shylah. We mostly just want him to sit in the corner and sing us songs, but he can also sing us songs on an island.

Position: Fire-watcher, Guitar tuner, American representative on Model UN

Possible Escape tactic: suicide, alcohol poisoning or constant whining to point of annoyance,

3. Leslie Feist (Broken Social Scene / solo)

She can hang out with Emily and they can reminisce about their days in Toronto when the scene wasn't really going anywhere. She'd probably be kidnapped wearing a ridiculous outfit like a sequence jumper (ala 1,2,3,4) and after kidnapping her I think I would steal her gold casio watch.

Position: Vice-president, Canadian representative on model UN, choreographer for nightly entertainment

Possible Escape Tactic: Forming an alliance with Emily survivor styles and having Emily turn on her and tell her at the closing ceremonies that if she was dying of thirst in the desert she wouldn't give her water to drink - of course this would all be pre-planned as an escape tactic.

4. Meredith Godreau (Gregory and the Hawk)

I imagine she would make wine for the other captives. She would cover their songs acoustically and be terribly adorable in doing so. Pretty much everyone else on the island would be jealous that she can actually sing - not saying the others can't - but her voice, in the traditional/folky sense, would have them groveling at her feet.

Position: Wine maker / drinking buddy. French representative on Model UN

Possible Escape Tactic: not sure, though probably something to do with her hair getting frizzy and unmanageable.

5. Thom Yorke (Radiohead / Solo)

Certainly the hardest to capture, but his presence would give us the right to name the island "the island of kidnapped rock stars". He probably wouldn't make too much sense to the others, especially if he talks in constant metaphors like he does in his songs. But the others would be so enraptured with his po-mo artistry that he would fast be the most popular person on the island - which is suiting. Him and emily would probably fall in love while playing piano together.

Position: Treasurer and Guidance Counselor/AA sponsor, UK representative on Model UN

Possible Escape Tactic: I imagine he would pull a houdini,

6. Johnny Whitney (The Blood Brothers / Neon Blonde)

He may annoy the other members of the island, specifically because his vocals often sound like a drowning rat (I love him for it though). He would probably try to start a band with the rest of them, I imagine they might decline and attempt to stay solo - mostly because in his proposal, he declares he would be lead vocals.

Position: T shirt maker and body paint artist, first manager of the island's H&M, [he wouldn't be on the UN because he's too hardcore for that...or at least, as hardcore as you can get when your post punk band is signed to sony]

Possible Escape Tactic: None, he would love it so much, he would stay and invite all his scene friends and they would open five more H&Ms, a Forever 21, a salon that specializes in choppy scene hair cuts, a used vinyl/cd store, and a Hot Topic...they would also set up a wireless internet point so they could all check their myspace accounts on their sexy macbooks.

7. Kathleen Hannah (Le Tigre / Bikini Kill)

I am not sure how difficult it would be to capture Kathleen Hannah, though I assume that it may be a two-for-the-price-of-one deal, as we might get JD Sampson or Kathleen's Beastie Boy husband while initiating the kidnapping.

Position: Coordinator of the Post Modern Island Riot Grrl Movement, Creator of the Island Art Gallery, Co-Producer of the Annual Feminist Film Showing, Professor of Critical Gender, 20th Century American Politics, Early North American Foreign Policy, Sculpture, Photography and Film Art, and Critical Race Studies at the Island University of which she is also the Dean, South Africa/Bosnia/Spain/New Guinea representative on Model UN

Possible Escape Tactic: Starting a riot after writing a song that exposes the horrible and oppressive conditions of the island.

8. Justin Timberlake (N Sync / Solo [not indie, i know i know, but i'm making huge stretches as it is])

Although not a 'rock' star, per-se, something tells me that JT can fake it pretty well. I think he'd be the jock that the others need to feel inferior too (like in high school, hence all their woe). Also, if Feist is choreographing nightly dances/entertainment, someone needs to perform them. He can also do a duet with Meredith.

Position: Dancer/nightly entertainment, beat box, model in The Island's fireman calendar, Michael Jackson impersonator, student at the Island University [he wouldn't be on the UN because 'all the good countries were taken']

Possible escape tactic: simply waiting for former N Sync fans (now in their mid twenties) to start a search party and find him. This is like an extended vacation for him, except unlike other celebrities, he doesn't need to call it "rehab"

9. Jesse F Keeler (MSTRKRFT / Death From Above 1979)

He might feel uncomfortable as all his projects have involved him and one other person, and here I am putting him on an island with 9 other people. But I think once the DJ booth is set up, he would feel right at home. He would probably drink a lot with JT and they would create nightly dance parties which everyone but Conor would attend.

Position: DJ at The Island Night Club, Kathleen Hannah's secret lover, President and CEO of the "sexy results" club and recreation center

Possible escape tactic: Using his high powered cell phone to call Sebastien, make up, and start a DFA reunion tour with JUSTICE opening... I'd buy him a plane ticket and give him a sincere appology for kidnapping him, but hope that he doesn't hold a grudge against me because by kidnapping him I inadvertently made him best friends with Seb again..I'd hope to get passes to all his shows

10. Tegan (and/or) Sara Quinn (Tegan and Sara)
I probably wouldn't want to interrupt their tour, simply because I would really like to try and see them in Germany, so this one would have to wait until September (because there is nothing like seeing Canadian bands in another country). The problem in this is - do you kidnap one or both? They're identical twins...so does it matter? It may be best to get both, because of that twin telepathy thing, best avoid possible escape tactics early.

Position: Stand Up comediennes during nightly entertainment, Kathleen Hannah's secret lover, talk show hosts / political commentators during model UN meetings...pretty much anything that allows them to talk a lot...

Possible escape tactics: well we took care of the twin telepathy by kidnapping both of them, but they may use some sort of lesbian telepathy voodoo to get batwoman to come and save them.
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BONUS: Avril Lavigne (solo)

She's like, a fake rock star.

Position: food

Possible escape tactic: us finding out everyone on the island is vegetarian, and then realizing that there is no possible use for this girl at all, anywhere, ever....we create a raft, and all the other rock stars help to build it and as a team we push her off into the sea...we tell her rafts are very anti-britney...but still very girly and instyle.

avalanche, oh avalanche

avalanche, oh avalanche
you are the number one natural disaster in switzerland
the swiss put up barriers to keep you out,
and built covered roadways to save themselves
but its no use, you always kill at least a few skiers a year
just to remind them to be fearful
at least a few skiers a year
a few innocent lives a year
avalanche, oh avalanche

Avalanche, oh avalanche by Gregory and the Hawk

Marvel at the architecture

I decided to get lost in Geneva again...I mildly succeeded.

This past Friday, while on our way to the restaurant/back-end-of-an-alley/guys apartment, we passed by this grungy looking place, covered in graffiti. I didn't get too much of a good look at it as we passed by, but Nadia pointed it out and mentioned that it was a 'bad' part of Geneva. It had a couple of good bars, but was pretty dirty, had shoes hanging off wires, etc. It was interesting, but essentially, a 'different' part of Geneva.

I told her that she pretty much had me at hello and that it was my life's mission to go there. And seeing as how this weekend was shaping up to be a bit of a bust, I decided to check it out today. The first time, I got lost. I took the bus to the stop where we got off for the Eritrean food, and started to walk down. However, I kept stumbling upon all these great little nooks and crannies along the way - ie. a great view of the river, a wall of awesome art/graffiti, a quaint little garden (all pictured bellow). At some point I made a wrong turn, or didn't hang right or left, or whatever I was supposed to do, and surprise surprise, right when I thought I was totally lost I wound up at the same bus stop from the beginning. Seems about right.

Now I had to two choices - go home (which was about 5 minutes away) or take the bus (which was going to be there in one minute) and try again. I took the bus, got off a stop early, and found it.

This place...whatever it is...is amazing.

Now I know that when in Europe you're supposed to marvel at old architecture and historic buildings and yada yada. But honestly, when you find something like this...you just scrap all that history and dive in. Essentially it looked like a small abandoned part of town that got turned into a semi skate park. However, that might not be the right description for it at all. The place is covered in graffiti, every building, every garbage can, every car, just everything. There is an electrical line with shoes thrown over it, however, unlike the ghettos/suburbs in North America there isn't just one shoe thrown over the line, but almost 100 pairs on one line. I was taking a picture of a childs high top converse, and I looked up, and there it was. It was so striking to see all those shoes. Every car or van parked there is long past dead - totaled, spray painted and rusted, gutted, demolished. There is a make shift grave yard for dead skate boards. The place is so much bigger than it lets on to. It has so much potential for great photographs, but I was in just so much shock by the ... ... beauty of this place, that I couldn't do it any justice.

I know that after I described what sounds like a desolate punk rock meets gangsta ghetto, I would refer to it as beautiful, but honestly, while walking through it I marveled at everything as if it was a small piece of art contained inside an even bigger piece. Like it was some kind of political art work with all these social connotations that my brain just couldn't process. That there was this subculture of skate boarders and bmxers who had developed this place as their home, and that some kind of anthropologist could come in and study it and never really understand it. I loved it. It was a perfect example of- what Laura uses as the definition of punk culture - the clash between beauty and ugliness.

Photos + Video from my day bellow:

Frankie tells me "when you take pictures while traveling, make sure you're in the shot" .. but as you can tell, I frequently fail at either a) looking at the camera or b) actually getting the background in the shot.

At the quaint little garden I found while walking around.

Me and the river (not sure which one).

At the garden, standing backwards on a ledge - THE THINGS I DO FOR YOU PEOPLE

A wall with really terrific art on it that I passed while looking for the land of graffiti / getting lost. (it was here I realized I had gone the wrong direction)

In the land of graffiti - one of the first things you see upon entering.

The skateboard grave yard. Behind the gate fronts / ends of skate boards are burried and stick up like tombstones.

These bikes were above a skateboard ramp.

art attack.

for more photos, and larger sizes, go to my flickr page (its in the links)

Video:

(I'd like to say, that if you intend to visit me, and this seems like something you would like to check out, then whatever you do - do not watch this video - i don't get to go through the whole area, and this bumpy walk through does not do it justice - this is really something you have to see up close and personal - so if you want to visit, if you ever plan on going to geneva, if you are ever going to see this in real life - then i don't want this video to be your first glimpse...that said, enjoy)

green plastic watering can

Yesterday was pretty sweet.

and I just have to say it, because Steph, the rumors are true
WE WENT GROCERY SHOPPING IN FRANCE

[steph and i a month ago - looking forward to our internship
"oh what are you doing this weekend"
"oh i'll probably just go grocery shopping....in France."]

yeah, it happened - look forward to it Stephanie, look forward to it.

But on top of that, last evening we [we = large group of interns/employees (with our organizations and other NGO's)] went to a restaurant...or a guys apartment..or the back-end of a random alley...i guess thats all relative...anyways, we got Eritrean food [or Ethiopian food, depending on who you talk to] Essentially its this huge platter of a spongy sort of flat bread covered in lettuce, tomato, sour cream, meat, spinach, lentils, that you break off and eat and share. It's freaking awesome - Heather's camera should have snap shot of the food platter (we got about four platters) and of the random alley - I don't have those photos, but I will get a hold of them and upload them straight away.
The interesting thing about this group of interns/employees that seem to have created this mini network, is that they all work for these NGO's doing such interesting and important work. They focus on everything from human rights, to hiv/aids, the environment, global trade, development, etc in areas from all over the world. These people are all well traveled, well educated, well cultured, and are putting their talents to good use - they are passionate about what they are doing; helping to change situations, to fight oppression, etc. It's really something to be exposed to a group of people like that. And its not like everyone sits around and plays pretend philosophy club, but when their work comes up, when their master thesis, when an issue is raised..they speak about it with such passion and with such interesting opinions...I guess its great to see people loving what they are doing..

I also saw Harry Potter last night....
I hadn't read this book - I was told to stay away. While I could understand the plot being a touch weaker compared to the others, I have to say the most true thing I heard - in terms of criticism - is that the film doesn't necessarily flow so much as it jumps from one story point to the other. I thought the first segment was fabulous, and that the new characters who were introduced were very well played/directed.

In terms of work
I am still getting into the swing of things. I spent most of yesterday working on some rather easy web edits which could have, or should have, taken only a few minutes to complete, but rather took nearly half the day because I had to search my way through the mass amounts of content to find the pages/documents I wanted to link to. However, that extra time spent searching [and, of course, making ridiculous mistakes while preparing and uploading] allowed me to get to know the ins and outs of the website/cms a bit better. I guess until tyop3 is installed for the TWA site and Mike and I start to hash out transferring [or rather properly transferring, as I tried to write up the code without having the cms actually on the server in order to compare] the template - I guess until then - I'll just try to keep up with web edits and listservs and etc etc.

Today I cleaned my room and kitchen cupboard, started making things more organized and livable since it seems this foyer is where we are like 98%-sure-going-to-stay. It looks like a quiet weekend - which I'm happy with. Just a couple of days to actually get settled and do some work that has been lagging.

I got a plant to help liven up my room...
I don't have a plant name yet - so if anyone has some suggestions, then comment it up.

red flags and long nights

I'm at work. Waiting for my training to begin! whoot!
I've just finished marking up the css template for the trade week of action website. Its the preliminary markup, so we have yet to make the necessary adjustments to make it IE compatible, converted it to Typo3, etc. It's the first big task I had to do, and I'm happy with the outcome. The graphic design transfered very well, and soon enough, we'll be ready to roll and throw in content. It's pretty cool to be a part of a team and work on this kind of stuff...like..in the real world...as opposed to school projects or random freelance. I probably sound corny as hell, but I'm enjoying it immensely, learning a hell of a lot, and I'm looking forward to the next steps in this project.

The past couple of days have been somewhat uneventful. Sunday, I spent most of the day trying to do something on the computer...download something, I think. But I had a serious issue with the internet connection in the foyer. I have to like, put my computer right up against the window to even get a teensy bit of connectivity. And although we had a nice day Saturday (the day of the lake parade) come Sunday it started raining and thunder storming - and hasn't really stopped (apparently it will on Thursday).

Speaking of thunderstorms, here is a dramatization of a conversation I had with my little sister sunday night:

ME: "It's thundering really bad here"
FRANKIE: "something about getting a new housemate"
ME: "some sort of response"
[random conversation]
ME: "woah, like seriously, its like firecrackers, its so intense"
ME: "its like explosions in the sky"
FRANKIE: "lol"
FRANKIE: "are you worried?"
ME: "Its so crazy right now, brb"
[get up and look out my window]
ME: "it is firecrackers!"
MY COMPUTER: "your message can not be sent because you have been disconnected"
[attempt to reconnect three times]
ME: "It is firecrackers!"
FRANKIE: "ooh"

Monday was work, meeting at FI to get information about our contracts. Tuesday was similar. Except last night Gilberto asked me if I wanted to go out - there was no plan, what out entailed, where we would end up. Turns out we ended up in some sketch part of Geneva near a pizzeria. We went home and decided that it would have probably been better if we had gone with our original gut-feeling of going to Cafe du Lys.
This morning, my alarm clock didn't go off, and I had five minutes to get ready.

I guess you can say, I'm getting into the swing of things.

set your watch / i want to hear it tick

this is pretty much the best thing to ever happen to my life!!

Haphazard Comic by Laura Zajacz ( Portfolio | DeviantArt)

(click the image to see larger)


I pretty much always wanted to be featured in Laura's comic, and this is pretty much based on an exact conversation we had. Like, to the tee, including the roman numerals and all. I feel freaking famous.

a) see the credits page of High-top Chucks and Bubblegum to read about how i'm never featured in Laura's comics
b) today Gilberto said Laura and I should have a comic based on us - I told Laura and she sent me this gold (written previous to the Gilberto comment, like...fate or something)

D.A.N.C.E

Turns out, Saturday was the lake parade (techno parade, rave parade, whatever you want to call it). It was, simply put, a lot of fun. It's still going now (I can hear it from across the lake, and its nearly 2 am). Gilberto and I went late (we were told we had missed it all together) however, we walked towards the other side of the lake and were able to make it. Unfortunately we got split up, and went about the parade on our own. When I made it back to the foyer, Gilberto was already there and we both did the "where were you?" turns out he stayed until the trucks parked then went home while i stayed a while longer (until it got dark)... so he was at the foyer by himself for a few hours worrying that I didn't know how to get home and that I had the key to the cupboard (not sure which of those two was the more important concern) while I was checking out the stages and crazy road dancing...when I got home I was dead tired and he was ready to go back, so luckily, I think/believe, he went ...I wish I had, but I don't think my feet could have handled walking around the lake again.

Anyways, the cool thing about the parade is that you don't merely watch it, you participate in it, walking/dancing along side the trucks stopping with the trucks playing the music/genre you like best. You can simply stand and watch, but the real fun is certainly being in the crowd of people moving with the parade (i like crowds, most people know this, but its true..i want to live in a big city 'when i grow up' because i like crowds so much). Anyways, I took a lot of photos AAAAAND even made a video (crudely edited on iMovie), so I'll let that all speak for its self. Let me just say, if you can find a bigger crowd of people made up of drunks, scene kids, ravers, goth kids, drag queens, cougars, water-machine-gun-toting fluffy animals, of all ages and races, and all willing to dance their ass off in a street to techno and electronic and disko and house and rap.. then let me know (and when i say all ages, I mean from granny to baby, no lie.)

VIDEO (featuring D.A.N.C.E by Justice, remix by MSTRKRFT)


PHOTOS

Gilberto and I navigating the crowds.

Bright Neon Payphone

Just an fyi, I changed the settings and now anyone can comment on my blogs!

You're the Dream Unicorn!

At work again, trying to get a handle on Typo3 templates (the CMS we're going to be using for the Trade Week of Action website, and the CMS that is being used in all of our proposals for new web design). Its kind of hard to learn something though by just *reading* tutorials and not actually doing them. But I'm trying.

It has been a busy couple of days....(I'm going to admit right now that, based on how I am used to writing blogs, this new blog is actually an adequate representation of blogs I hate - I call them shopping-list blogs 'today i did this this and this' etc.) Anyways, there was a potluck two nights ago at the Circus (remember, the cool apartment of Heathers that I napped in and Gilberto and I had dinner at, right near the cute little cafe with inexpensive beers) and last night we went to "Les Enfant Terribles" an awesome bar/shop/workshop/salon (yes four in one). Its this really cool urban...bar/shop/workshop/salon that features live music every Thursday (the bar is only open Thursdays for a couple of hours [7-930]). Afterwards we walked through Old Town - I'm going again Saturday with my camera, so I won't bother explaining it - you can all see for yourself soon enough.

While there has been a lot of complaining on my side regarding the living conditions, I do have to say that I am having a great time and learning a lot. There is like, this network of interns/co workers who organize and inform each other about various social events and outings (potlucks, cafes, cheap trips/day trips, etc). They've all been really welcoming, supportive, and helpful. Although a few people will be leaving in the next month or so, it seems that as new interns arrive they are brought into the fold, so there is always something new to do after work, at night, on the weekend etc.

For example, Mike informed us about the Lake Parade, taking place this Sunday. Essentially this is a huge 'techno' parade where trucks from all these clubs in and around Geneva parade down the street blasting music (techno, house, disco, r&b, electronic, and all those sub/hyphenated genres). Apparently last year 350,000 people attended. Sounds pretty cool.

Get Myself Into It

So if you've sent me an email and haven't received a reply, I apologize.

I'm at work now, having just (finally) finished updating a few pages with a link to a video. Sounds easy enough, provided you don't have to use three different programs to update a single page - and provided you don't have to wait until the third step or so to even see if what you've done looks decent enough on the page. However, I am assuming that it took me this long because (a) I haven't been doing an extensive amount of web editing recently and (b) I don't use keyboard short cuts (oooh but I will, I will). The good thing is, that while editing, I'm understanding the structure of the website more, so its kind of like I'm being eased into the intense organized chaos known as the eaa site (and the next 13 months of my life).

It's been a busy couple of days otherwise. Gilberto and I were invited to the circus (no, not the circus, but rather the apartment of one of the summer interns [heather, who's place i slept at when i first arrived]) for dinner. It was spectacular to have a home cooked meal (chicken, pasta, salad and bread - you know, the necessities in my life). Later we were introduced (by heather) to Cafe Du Lys (or Lysse, or Lis, I'm not sure) an awesome little bar/cafe right around the corner from her apartment (with beers that only cost 3.30 francs - whats that...like unheard of in Switzerland). The cafe is so quaint and cute, with a really warm/artsy atmosphere, and like big ol couches and arm chairs, its quite nice...plus they were playing Goldfrapp (not just a song, but the entire Supernature cd) while we were there, so you know, I was won over pretty quickly.

In other news...still no internet, and even less so with the rain (yes Steph, an umbrella, bring one, bring one!) so I haven't been able to connect with people unless I'm at work. Also, there seems to be some sort of coalition against Gilberto and I stealing glasses and bowls. We haven't yet because everyone here keeps guilting us out of it! But we have no dishes! no pots! no towels (of our own)! But....then again...Ikea trip is scheduled for tomorrow. So..thats ...good.

I hope it quits raining by the weekend. I think Natalie is planning a tour of the UN...I think I'm going to invite myself.

buy this car to go to work/go to work to pay for this car

today was my frist day of work...or training, as it would be.
however, as Gilberto did not arrive in Geneva until late this afternoon, my day was mostly spent toying around the internet. I did proofread a document and watch Mike (the current webmaster) edit a php form (which confused the hell out of me because of the vast amount of programs he was using to do so...seriously i kinda got scared when faced with the inevitable daunting task of running this website while simultaneously being in charge of coordinating the new one...but i know, i know, i'll "be fine"). anyways, i was told it would be an off day as they (the current interns) did not want to start official training until both of us (the new interns) we were both there (the office).

that said, Gilberto arrived today (and sorry Susan, I told him about your request for a blog and it doesn't look like its in the cards). It was good to see a familiar face, even though I've only been away from home for a couple of days, its the first time I've ever technically been completely on my own without knowing a soul - so there is a sense of comfort in having someone I used to see daily toiling around the lab (albeit, the back part of the lab). Once Gilberto arrived we got him settled (in the same foyer I am staying at..I gave him fair warning about the rooms...lets just say this place is the definition of student style living - common bathroom, common kitchen, and a tiny little room with no personality...i'm not sure we'll survive it, and a plan is underway to start slowly convincing the EAA to move us to a better location...we'll see what happens). Gilberto and I then attempted to do some shopping. We stopped by H&M to buy umbrella's as it was raining pretty hard (has been the past couple of days...and fyi, H&M is litterally less than a 10 minute walk from our foyer) and later attempted to grocery shop. Note the word: attempted. Everything, or rather, most shops and businesses etc, close here at 7. We must have arrived at the grocers at around 6:45. We tried to quickly pick up food (grabbing fruits and pasta) however, the lights turned out and a few moments later while purusing an aisle we were told if we didn't pay now we'd miss our chance. So despite our attempts, I think we got away with like...four pieces of groceries. Maybe tomorrow.

Afterwards we attempted to get food.
note the word: attempted
technically we succeeded, but this was after much strolling through side streets, comparing prices for food. Switzerland in general is extremely expensive, I knew or at least heard of this before coming out here. Our quest for moderately priced food merely confirmed what everyone had previous informed me of. We wound up at McDonalds because at least there, 10 Francs would get us some semblance of a meal.

That said, there seems to be a mutual concern about living on the stipend we have been provided. I assume it is doable (the other interns complain quite a bit about the difficulties in doing so, but admit, it is doable). So we'll see.

My current goals:
find the best place for falafels (always a goal of mine, no matter where I am)
buy some damned towels (i haven't showered because I have no towel, I have also been using a tank top as a hand towel when I wash in my sink)
get and/or steal a plant (if i'm staying in this room, i need to give it some life)

brandy alexander

it is impossible to get lost in this city

i wandered around today for a few hours, took a boat tour, walked around without paying much attention, hoping to get as lost as i could. while on a side street i thought "holy crap man, im so freaking lost" until i read the street sign and realized i was on the same street that i now live on. so much for that. maybe i'll get lost next weekend.

next weekend, you ask? well ladies, gents, and those inbetween, i start work tomorrow. cue coughing and anxiety...where's anthony with his codine when you need him...

anyways. i'm sure i'll do fine.
YOU'LL DO FINE (im just saying it so you all don't have to)

here are some touristy photos i took while on my attempt to get lost:


the boat i took the tour on


a touristy photo i took while on said boat tour



after the boat tour i stumbled upon a car show


anoher touristy photo i took while trying to get lost in the city...the buildings in europe are so much more aesthetically pleasing than the ones at home...these are just appartments.


this made me think of little miss sunshine, i also thought caroline would appreciate it

a little bit of post script:

i'm starting to get used to the whole 'bonjour' thing. however, this is quickly followed by 'what' or 'sorry' when the person i greet starts rambling in French. Maybe I'll take a conversational class...

Also - I had my first taste of swiss chocolate today. It was a chocolate-hazelnut bar. I won't tell you how it good it was, but I will say I kept the wrapper. Lets just say...if a chocolate bar from a newstand tastes like that, then I can't freaking wait for a chocolate from like....a choclate...making place....uh...cue to stop typing.