Many (about 20) of the exchange students went out to a nearby billiard hall Tuesday night to celebrate Sweden's birthday. At the billiard hall, I unexpectedly ran into a girl I went to highschool with back home. Through the grapevine, I knew Megan was in Gießen, but given that Gießen is about the size of Appleton and I'm taking strictly Germanistik courses here, I didn't expect to run into her. Turns out Megan is in one of Josefin's classes, so she (and a couple others from that class) came out to celebrate too.
This chance meeting makes me feel less like I'm in Germany and more like I'm sitting on a boat in "It's a Small World" at EPCOT in Disney World. The attached clip is sped up, so it sounds like a bunch of chipmunks singing, but I think it's less torture that way.
I can even hear the annoying repetitive song in my head now.
(for the disturbingly curious, I came across a techno remix on YouTube)
..and I think how the stupid ride i used to love is likely the highest concentration of stereotypes in the world.
...and as I project the prejudices Disney has taught me, I picture all my German Mitbewohners in Lederhosen and Dirndels - even though none of them are from Bavaria - and all the Polish students in their traditional dresses as well. The Greeks all wear togas. ...everyday, not just at toga parties. And the french students all have handlebar mustaches. ..even though all the french students I've met have been female. ...and Josefin has to have blonde hair and blue eyes. ...wait, she does already. But now she lives in a little scandenavian cottage at the end of a Fjord, too.
..and I picture all my friends as 3 feet tall dolls standing on the edge of the lazy river on this Disney ride, repeatedly chanting the darn tune over and over again. The only problem is that the people I know are alive. ..Not that that's a problem. It just means my stereotype is more like a Chuckie horror movie than a lovely little ride at Disney World. ...and this thought has carried way too far....
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"I dislike feeling at home while I'm abroad."
-George Bernard Shaw
This chance meeting makes me feel less like I'm in Germany and more like I'm sitting on a boat in "It's a Small World" at EPCOT in Disney World. The attached clip is sped up, so it sounds like a bunch of chipmunks singing, but I think it's less torture that way.
I can even hear the annoying repetitive song in my head now.
(for the disturbingly curious, I came across a techno remix on YouTube)
..and I think how the stupid ride i used to love is likely the highest concentration of stereotypes in the world.
...and as I project the prejudices Disney has taught me, I picture all my German Mitbewohners in Lederhosen and Dirndels - even though none of them are from Bavaria - and all the Polish students in their traditional dresses as well. The Greeks all wear togas. ...everyday, not just at toga parties. And the french students all have handlebar mustaches. ..even though all the french students I've met have been female. ...and Josefin has to have blonde hair and blue eyes. ...wait, she does already. But now she lives in a little scandenavian cottage at the end of a Fjord, too.
..and I picture all my friends as 3 feet tall dolls standing on the edge of the lazy river on this Disney ride, repeatedly chanting the darn tune over and over again. The only problem is that the people I know are alive. ..Not that that's a problem. It just means my stereotype is more like a Chuckie horror movie than a lovely little ride at Disney World. ...and this thought has carried way too far....- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I dislike feeling at home while I'm abroad."
-George Bernard Shaw
2 comments:
I had heard that Kyle Boegh's sister, Jamie (don't remember married name) is/was in Frankfurt or just north of it also.
I think that it's always fun to run into people you know while abroad, especially when it's unexpected. The world really is smaller than we'd like to believe it is. But Disney's song gets a bit monotonous. Now I can't get that tune out of my head! Thanks a lot!
It's true; she is, this is Jamie actually. I stumbled upon this page very randomly, kind of a coincidence. I am living in Bonn, which I think is pretty close to where you are Adam. Hope you are enjoying Germany!
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