Friday, May 28, 2010

On Grocery Shopping

True Loves,

Grocery shopping in Germany is a very unique experience when you're used to American super stores. The following are the top 3 things I've observed to be the most different.

1. Milk and Eggs are often not refrigerated
2. You must bring your own bags, using there's (if they have any) will cost extra
3. Because they use a lot less pesticides and preservatives produce can look...well...sad.

I've mentioned before that maneuvering around Germany's 1990s atmosphere can be difficult, but wondering the isles of a Grocery store can make you feel like you've gone even further back in time. Milk comes in glass bottles, there's a butcher and a baker, and you're half expecting a candlestick maker, not to mention the alcohol section that looks straight out of a specialty shop in the States.

It's time's like these I wish I had a video camera to allow you to observe these wonders in all their glory. On the bright side, most of the people who read this blog will be visiting me anyway.

With Love,
Emily

Thursday, May 20, 2010

On Classes

True Loves,

I love economics. The closest courses they have to business courses here are economic ones and thank goodness, I have totally fallen madly in love. Business is definitely my passion and I am only slightly less surprised by this than I was when I discovered this in Entrepreneurship a year ago. Slowly but surely, however, these courses are making me understand why. Ready Mom? You're going to love this...

I think in a way business and economics is a marriage between some of my parent's passions. My mother a psychologist and my father, someone who considers "The Economist" candy for the brain may have subliminally and unknowingly been pumping business theory into my brain. There are so many psychological and analytical aspects. Psychological you say? Yes! For instance, have you ever heard of Hofstede's indexes? Basically (stop reading here if you aren't interested in my nerdiness and skip to the next paragraph) he created a system to measure cultures in different countries which transformed how international marketing and consumerism is approached. I.E. the masculinity index--how important women are in the workforce, or the individualism index, how much you rely on yourself for success (America is very high on that one). So cool.

While the rain continues to fall...and fall and fall, I'm taking comfort in the warmth of Aspect Cafe getting back to my Amherst "I'm a pretentious asshole who hangs out and 'does work' in coffee shops" roots. Which is why this blog was originally written in a notebook first, have to look the part!

With Love,
Emily

PS.
Dad--what do I do about this?

It started out as a callus, now it's blackish purple and bleeds a bit. Ewwwww.


Saturday, May 15, 2010

On Homesickness

True Loves,

Now that I'm not homesick anymore I thought it was a good time to write about it. While in my room sulking I pondered the reasons for homesickness. One of the hardest things about being abroad is no one here has known you longer than a couple months. It's tough when you want to reminisce about that party or that adventure, you want to tell one of those "you had to be there" stories but no one here was.

It was really awful for a couple weeks. Readjusting friendships, missing friends back home, and family, and definitely boyfriend. When you're not at the comfort level of hugging the people your with life can feel lonely.

But now life is better. I realized the things I need to do to keep myself sane (i.e. hanging out with the other girls from UMASS since at least they know what Bueno is) and making sure to nurture my new friendships too. Most relationships take work and that's unfortunate but it's a fact of life.

I've finally become at ease here, now all I need is some warm weather and I can be at ease outside.

With Love,
Emily

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

On Becoming Friends With Girls


True Loves,

I think I have narrowed down bonding between women into three thruths. If you know me, you know that gelling with my fellow gender hasn't always been easy, largely because admittadly I am a bit awkward, can spit better than most of my male friends, and have perfected poop jokes. And yes, I still find them funny. But the fact is I am still a lady, and even I, with my unfiltered mouth less than graceful mannerisms apply to the following three things.

1. All (or most if you want to get all technical feminist on me) women are aware of their hair and the state it is in.
2. All/Most women have had a negative experience with a boy/girl/love interest/crush of some sort.
3. All/Most women can agree that Dirty Dancing is a great movie. RIP Patrick Swayze.

Okay, I am being a little facetious. But the fact is that no matter how dainty or...not we may be we do all belong to the same gender. There is a piece of me, and maybe this is my western MA dirty hippie mentality, that believes that there is something to be said for sisterhood and the ties that bind us. I'm willing to put money on it that if you start singing "I've...had..." in a group of ladies someone is bound to join in with "the time of my liiifffeee"

With Love,
Emily