Freitag, 12. September 2008

International Orientation BBQ

Today started with more information (like we didn't have any the last few days), but since it was especially for exchange students, it actually did bring some news.

After some reading, squirrel watching (they're a plague and they'll eat food right out of your hand!)


and chilling on the campus lawn with my homeless friends Anni and Hermina we headed to the big international BBQ in Woodland Park.
It was a place to associate and meet with new people. Actually it is kind of hard for us Europeans to meet any of the many Asian folks around, though.

Here goes an assortment of (kind of) random pictures from the BBQ:





Tomorrow, we're are leaving for Camp Arnold in Eatonville near Mt. Rainier. There's no alcohol allowed, but I guess we'll figure out a way to have a fun Saturday night after our hike.

Donnerstag, 11. September 2008

Locals

P.S.: If you really want to know, what life is like in Seattle: check out these two locals. They kind of got themselves on tapes around the Olympic Manor Neighborhood. Enjoy!
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/?CMXID=2120.10BAB5B8-A095-4F3A-A643-379CF2C9CFB8&WT.srch=1

International Orientation Day

After a few kind of slow, yet exhausting days of research and other things and hanging out at the UW with some Germans and other international students , today was going to be exciting again!
Today I have been in Seattle for two weeks!
I took my bike up to University and it was really nice and sunny. The Burke Gilman-Trail is awesome and goes right along Lake Union, passing the Skyline of Seattle in the distance.

When I got there, I was faced with about 800 people from all over the world. We were in a huge ballroom with yummy bagels and lunch, loads of coffee and a couple of interesting and not so interesting talks about what’s ahead of us.


Unfortunately, the most dull talk was given by a German member of the Student Board of FIUTS (the “let’s get all the internationals together-people”). So much for cultural embassadorship.
However, I met so many interesting people today from Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Morrocco, Iran, Sweden, Togo and of course the German crew was there, too. Table 16 Rocks! ;-)


Now, some of us had read in the Daily’s “Welcome Issue” (University Newspaper), that it was a myth that we were going to sit under these cherry trees with a bunch of people from all kinds of different nations and discuss world literature.


But right there, I started doubting this would remain a myth. And if it doesn’t happen by itself, we’ll just have to found a club for it (if there isn’t one already). After that we headed out for a tour of Campus and the University District.



I skipped the Udistrict though and went to the library.
The rest of the day I spent researching and almost got locked into the library when it closed at 5pm(!). Except for opening hours when there are no courses though, the library is awesome. Yo can check out books for almost three months
(“this will be due December 4th” – “Excuse me, did you say December 4th?” – “Yes, but you can get an extension if you need more time” - *jaw drop*)
and you can loan books fro libraries on the other side of this country (“Hey there, New York Public Library”) for FREE! Did I mention I like the library ;-)

And for a finish, just a little teaser for the weekend at Eatonville near Mt. Rainier:

Sonntag, 7. September 2008

Attack of the Killer Racoons & Bike Swap

So yesterday was a pretty slow day. I did some research, laundry and cooking and stayed around the house all day, desperately watching craigslist for a new bike. Then, suddenly and without warning, there were was a rumble and some loud squeeking and grunting noises outside. The dogs barked and the noise grew even louder. When I looked outside, I was face to face with a pack of middle sized dog large racoons that were climbing fences and shack roofs.



They were not scared, although I wasn't more than 2 meters away from them. The flash of the camera finally made them flee though.



So today I got up really early to go to a bike swap at a bar / grill parking lot near the Boeing airport. Not a pretty sight. BUT I finally found a bike that I like, so I can now scratch that off my list and try to safe the money that I've been handing out that last week. YAY!


I rode my new bike back home, since only weired people seemed to be on the bus today: One bus pulled over and stood there for 10 minutes until the three passengers that were about to start fighting (literally) for a seat in the bus got scared by the driver calling the cops. Nice neighborhood near that airport ... real nice neighborhood.

I rode over the bridge crossing Lake Union however and that made up for all the trouble. The deep blue water was very inviting and I'll have to go down there some time!