Forget Swine Flu, It’s the Gypsy Epidemic

I like to think that I had a pretty normal childhood: finger painting, learning how to tie my shoes, setting up my first 401(k), diversifying my investment portfolio. (Normal enough, right? Come on, my mom couldn’t have been the only one who read The New Yorker to me before bed). It wasn’t until I watched Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame for the first time a few days ago that I realized that — maybe, just maybe — I was a little bit deprived as a child.

At first, I was mad that my mom never let me watch The Hunchback of Notre Dame (you bet your bottom dollar that I called her from half-way around the world to voice my complaints about how incomplete my childhood was because of this). But then I realized that it was probably in my best interest that I’d never seen this movie prior to moving to France. Why? Well, most girls my age claim that all Disney movies gave them unrealistic expectations about love (have you guys seen “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”? That Wayne Szalinski is so dreamy). But for me, The Hunchback of Notre Dame would have given me unrealistic expectations about gypsies (yes, you read that correctly).

Think that all gypsies are beautiful Parisian belly dancers who can “see past your disfigured face and unsightly hunchback because you’re beautiful on the inside,” Esmeralda-types? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but think again. Most gypsies I’ve met in my time living in France don’t even have all of their teeth, let alone the ability to see past my hunchback (why can’t we just be friends, gypsies on the metro? Is that so much to ask?) (more…)

The Capital of Europe: Brussels, Belgium

Just as a little introduction, I am a fourth year UCSB student studying in Madrid, Spain. Don’t get me wrong; Madrid, Spain is a spectacular place, but one thing I’ve noticed about Europe is the incentive to travel. Many airlines offer cheap fares and so I have been hooked. I will be traveling 12 different countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa and will be reporting from all of them. Here begins my first blog.

My intensity for partying in Santa Barbara rivals my intensity for traveling while I am abroad. While it may seem all easy, it is not. Having to coordinate even the smallest of details such as getting transportation and from the airport, these skills have me thirsting for some traveling back In the Western Hemisphere. Even more, my planning has involved many languages, as Europe is clustered with many languages and even though English may be dominating, who wants to get stuck in an English-speaking hotel that only shows tourist attractions. That is what exploration and adventure is all about! This is my story of Brussels, Belgium.

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Hocus Pocus: Aural Pleasure, Ala Kazam!

Before we start, let’s play a quick game of word association: I say something like “peanut butter,” and you say, “jelly” (though “jelly-time” would’ve also been acceptable). Sounds easy enough, right? So, if I say: “French hip-hop” – what do you say? Probably: “…?” followed by, “Does that even exist?”

And I say, “Hocus Pocus!”

Now you might be wondering where this entry is going now that I’ve gone all abra-cadabra on you, just rest assured I’m not going to pull a rabbit out of my hat or try to find a quarter behind your ear (but your ears might thank me later, so you’re welcome in advanced). Allow me to explain: hailing from Nantes, Hocus Pocus is a well-known French acoustic hip-hop band (with an MC, DJ, 4-piece band, and 3-piece horn section) influenced by the likes of The Roots to A Tribe Called Quest. Since 1995, Hocus Pocus has managed to put a fresh and innovative spin on a seemingly mismatched blend of French and English lyricism, jazz, hip-hop, and soul – peppered with both acoustic and electronic musical elements.

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Alcohol in Sweden

I recently bought ankle high boots from H&M, to prevent an embarrassing repeat of the Keds-in-VIP-section-in-Stockholm incident. They are söt. (cute!) and cheap, like just under 30 bucks! I feel so chic.

I have already made the vow to live on pasta, tacos and hamburgers for the next five months so I can save all my money for clothes and the extremely expensive System Bolaget aka the alcohol store of Sweden, the the booze monopoly. This is the bane of Swedish culture. Whine all you like about waiting till 21 in America, at least you can buy booze at nearly all hours of the night and it takes a while before the bar cuts you off (I assume? Only 20 years old myself hahah). The drinking age in Sweden is 20, but only between the hours of 10 and 6, 7, or 3pm, depending on the day of the week. (3pm is Saturday!) And it’s very expensive. A half liter of absolut costs almost 40 bucks. That’s a grande, in Starbucks terms. you can get little 2.25 percents at the grocery stores but really? You might as well have a soda with dinner.

Here in Lund we have these things called Nations- they are basically co-ed fraternities operating in ways our frats and sorors wish they could operate. I mean, the entire thing is volunteer student run, they all have their own real clubs, pubs, and bars (not just basements), security guards, coat checks (what with all the layers we wear- bless the coat checkers!), dorms, etc. (more…)

Midterms in Rome

And a groggy buongiornio to you too. I’m sure most of you are killing yourselves over finals right now, hating me for being abroad, thinking that I’m living it up while you’re stuck in Davidson. Falso! My program is in the middle of midterms, and well, let’s just say that when they say “study abroad” they actually mean study. I’m coming up on round two of midterms and papers, and there is no time for gelato afternoons near the Pantheon (well I mean, there is, but I’m trying to make you feel better). There is light at the end of the tunnel however; in fI’ve days I will be on a plane on the way to Prague and four days after that will be sonsuming so much schnitzel and beer in Berlin, I plan on gaining 30 pounds. So I just need to push through my two midterms and paper proposals for fI’ve more days! Wooo!! (more…)

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