Autumn in Long Beach

I guess it's safe to say that I have let myself disappear from the world for the most part. Well, I am back, and I will be trying my hardest to keep the world informed of my activities. The summer ended beautifully. Rachie turned 17, the prettiest age of them all, and Nettie married Jacob, which means I've got myself an actual brother!! She was a pretty bride, and it was one of the greatest dance parties in history. Dad even catwalked to Right Said Fred! Rachel is a senior in high school now, and a five-star frozen yogurt swirler, which makes her the rock star of the family.

Fall semester of 2008 began a month ago, reminding me how huge the CSULB campus is, and how lovely it is to not have to worry about understanding the language of instruction. California seems to be in denial that it's no longer summer, but I am more than ok with that! The first half of my two year long senior year has been passing calmly. All of classes seem to relate to each other, which a nice confirmation that upper division classes are a billion times better than GEs. I have also declared a second major, which officially makes me a double major in Linguistics and English (emphasis in Creative Writing) with a minor in French. It keeps me busy.

I'm still coordinatoring, which keeps me even more busy. I love working with all the RA's though, especially with their event projects. They get to plan fun social events for residents, and my staff is really prepared and creative, which makes my job so much easier! I also supervise a community service committee, so that's even more good stuff for me to get involved in. Then, I am involved with two clubs on campus (Christian Youth Group one and a Study Abroad one), so free time is a rare a special thing for me. Chad does a good job of keeping me mostly un-crazy and helps me focus on important stuff like homework and getting off campus to the outside world!


I've been spending most of my free time doing four things. Mostly, I'm in my kitchen, actually, practicing my baking and chocolate-working skills. I figure that if this whole college/writing thing doesn't work out, I can always start a chocolaterie. I also watch reruns of The Office and old black and white movies, which I realize are almost opposite genres that don't really mix very well, but I can't help what I like. I've started up a book club in the Residence Halls! Our first book is A Handmaid's Tale, but I haven't started it quite yet. (The Picture of Dorian Gray was amazing- I couldn't put it down!) All this reading has got me to start writing more, which is great for my creative nonfiction class. I think my work is okay, but I haven't been critiqued yet. I would just like to thank my friends and family for being such fun characters to write about- you guys make me sound pretty darn cool in class!


Question for the week: How many morphemes would be in eggplant? Yes, it is a compound noun, but does it's etymology really require it to be separated? I say no, but this has become quite the controversy in my semantics class.

California, Right Back Where I Started From

I have been home for almost a month now, and it feels like I've been home a lot longer. In fact, after being home about three days, it felt like I had been home for a lot longer than a month. Before I left for Switzerland, my study abroad department gave an informational meeting about stuff we should know while in our respective foreign countries. One topic was reverse culture shock- where we might have trouble readjusting back into California life. Nope. Not such a huge problem. My beach is right where I left it, my sisters are still silly and the weather is, at 90+ degrees Fahrenheit, where it should be for summer.

The flight from Geneva to London was easy- I slept the whole way. Then, I got to Heathrow. First off, the new terminal 5 is amazingly huge and looks like an extended set for Doctor Who or some other future-y show. But, as I should have guessed, security is high, and they didn't like my 25 pound carry-on bag filled with books. So I had to unpack my bag and flip through every page of every book to prove I was hiding pieces of bombs between my copies of Italian Edgar Allen Poe and my German-English dictionary, then repack and run to catch my flight. Good news is, it turns out I'm not a terrorist. I did break the plane though, on the way to LAX. During take-off, there was a bang above my head and then the oxygen masks came tumbling down. Not everywhere- just my row. I thought it was exciting, but my terrified Scottish seat-mate did not agree. She was pacified, however, when we were escorted to the first class "World Traveler" section.

After a couple naps, Harry Potter 4 and Sense and Sensibility, I was home! I don't mean to brag, but I think Chad and my mom were impressed to see me wheeling two oversized suitcases by myself with that only-slightly-ridiculous carry-on slung over my shoulder through LAX customs. I spent a few days at home, visiting with my family, handing out chocolate and telling stories to anyone that would listen. I think the most well-received story is the time when the Swiss Ninjas raided the building next door to mine. Good times. Ask me in person if I haven't told you- it's more fun when I can see your reaction. Anyways, I tried on my bridesmaid's dress, danced crazy with my sisters and future-brother, and inherited Jenette's old apartment stuff. Hand-me-downs are like Christmas without the actual holiday, just the presents.


Then, too quickly, I moved into my new apartment in Long Beach. I love it- it's big and it's mine! I keep my fish in the living room; my kitchen is slowly gaining cooking food (like Kool-aid and Bisquick!); and I have a queen-sized bed! I still don't have queen-sized blankets yet, but it's summer- so two twin blankets are perfect, even if it looks kinda funny. Thank you, by the way, Auntie Colleen for the afghan and Kelly for the quilt! But, although I love my apartment, I work a lot, so for the first week or so, I didn't see too much of it. Plus, it's weird coming home to an empty place. Heidi, where have you gone? So my family came up and made me dinner to help break my kitchen in. All friends are welcome to to keep me company!

I started work right away- my first morning, before I even had my key card encoded, the fire alarm went off in my old building, and we had a visit from the Long Beach Fire Department. Welcome back to RA life! Then we had the hubs check in. Our residence halls become a sort-of dorm-hotel during the summer, and most groups having any sort of conference on our campus stay in the halls. The hubs, a group of warm-hearted, good-doing, volunteering, new-age humanity-business people (they were that complicated) came. I had to learn new stuff in the office and figure out a organization system really quickly, because as kind as they were, they needed our office's help in organizing themselves more than I thought anyone would. I think that they were a good group to learn on, because that answered any and probably all "But what about this unlikely scenario" questions.

Life continues on like normal .I got a new public library card from Long Beach City, so I just finished Fahrenheit 451, which I loved and already want to read again. Now for The Picture of Dorian Gray. (or is it Grey?) Three chapters in, and I'm already in love with it. I went to Huntington Beach and got milkshakes with Genevieve and Kelly at the Ruby's on the Pier, and I am catching up on the movies I've missed. Definitely see Chronicles of Narnia and Wall-E, but skip The Happening. I'm still way behind on pop-culture in general, especially music, but I'm not disappointed in the least about that. I like my Irish music and Hollywood jazz and Big Bill Broonzy better than popular music anyways.

I am settled, and happy and finally warm!

The Last Few Days

To send me off properly, Switzerland has decided to rain all week before I go home. I like rainy days and thunderstorms alright, but I was hoping to have at least one day of sun to take pictures of. Denied. I don't mind too terribly, though, because it does make for nice weather for tea and fondue and looking forward to California sun.

Finals are over, my papers are finished and classes aren't meeting anymore. I am on my last few days in Switzerland, and everything seems to be going a little too easily. I had no problem packing my bags and fitting everything and being under the weight limit, everything that had gone missing during the semester resurfaced, I checked out of my room (and moved in with Heidi) with no problems, and I am going to have exactly the right amount of chicken breasts to last until my last dinner. I feel like I should just be thankful and keep going, but it makes me nervous that something hasn't gone terribly wrong yet.

Last week, some of the local kids were playing baseball in the park that my window overlooks. It was amazing to see them playing something over than Europe's beloved football, and especially amazing to see baseball of all the other sports in the world. I watched them play for a good half hour and got probably a little too invested in their game, but it was brilliant. Just after a boy in a red cap hit the first home run, though, the game was called on account of rain. It continued to rain through the evening and when I walked back from my classes, I had a magnificent view of a thunder and lightning storm.

The cows have disappeared from outside my apartment building. As mysteriously as they showed up two months ago, grazing on the grass and watching the metro pass every ten minutes, they have gone. I got quite attached to them and their noisy cowbells, so I hope their are as happy as California cows wherever they are, because, as everyone knows, happy cows come from California. The Unil has moved the sheep and donkeys closer to my metro stop though, so instead of my daily "How now, brown cow?" I get to say a quick salut to the other animals.

I, however, apparently do not. In two of my classes, while discussing my plans to return home, it turns out that my classmates were very surprised to find that I am an American. They all could tell that I had an accent and spoke English, but both classes thought that I was Irish. Then me trying to explain that while my family is partly of Irish descent, I, nor my parents, ever lived in Ireland. Then to make it worse, Irish dancing (as many thought) is strictly reserved for only Irish people, so how could I possibly be of a different nationality? All those times I tried so hard to be on time and speak well and be polite to represent America just gave cool points to Ireland. Erin go bragh, I guess.



So now I would like to thank all of you dear readers for hearing about my silly little life in Switzerland. I have enjoyed this blogging thing, so I think that I shall continue for a while longer. Hopefully I will still be interesting in Long Beach! Ciaociao Lausanne!

Finals Week(s)

With two weeks to go before I come home, I am trying to take in as much as I can of my life here. As much as I would like to spend the next 14 days traveling the country (I still have not seen the Matterhorn!), that's more easily said than done in the midst of finals week. It's amazing what procrastination can accomplish, however. In avoiding my finals, I have cleaned my room, vacuumed the apartment, done two loads of dishes, and found both my missing journal and gloves all in one day! I am not looking forward to leaving my adventures here behind, but I must admit that I will be happy to go home for, if nothing else, the cereal.


This was in Utrecht, (Netherlands) where I was taunted by a heavenly box of Apple Jacks being held hostage behind those horrible bars. I almost cried when I couldn't rescue them. This store also had Betty Crocker frosting and blueberry muffin mix in the window, which inspired me to find a world market in Lausanne. So I did. It's inexplicably bizarre to go to the world market and find overpriced bottles of BBQ sauce and bags of marshmallows sitting on the shelves next to all the other "real" foreign foods. Just another reminder that here, an American s'more is just as exotic as some Anthony Bourdain-esque meal.

The Past Month

I probably should have seen it coming, but I never would have guessed he would have been so sneaky. My bird friend, who has spent so much time keeping me company, eventually flew in the the open window. But, to my surprise, he entered through the kitchen window, not my bedroom's. He claimed the kitchen table as his own new land, making just enough rustling and tip-toeing sounds to make me suspect a home intrusion. Sneaky, sneaky little oiseau. He left as quickly and quietly as I chased him (quickly, but not so quietly) back out. In California, I've notice that there are more ant attacks in the fall, before it gets colder for winter. I suppose I could decide that my feathered visitor's home invasion was meant to signify the start of a new season, too.

Spring has finally arrived, and it could not have come at a better time! The ugly knobbly trees finally have leaves, the insect population has grown both indoors and out, and, just like all those illustrated kids books always claimed, calfs and lambs have shown up next to their mama animals. I cannot stress, however, how much of an impact seeing the sun has had on me. My excitement at it not raining for a week has hindered my common sense though, and as a result of my reveling in the glorious sun, I've already had two sunburns. Although both were completely worth it.

The first I received while on what had started as a pleasant walk around Lac Léman. This walk eventually turned into an epic journey as my friend and I set the nearby city of Montreux as our goal. We reached our destination 21 lizards, 16 car honks, 7 hours, 5 speedo-or-less old men, and 20 miles later. The second was not as much of a sunburn as a light-pink tan while spending the day with my family in The Netherlands.


The Netherlands was amazing. As much as I didn't want to leave Rome when I visited Italy, I could have moved into a cardboard box just outside the residential area of Amsterdam. I keep trying to describe how beautiful the buildings were, how kind the people were, how happy I was there, but these words just aren't working the way they should. I will say that Dutch food is amazing, filled with tasty bread and chocolate and butter, Dutch people every ounce as friendly as they are tall, and cities built on top of canals is pretty much the way I would design my town if I had one of my own. (I would also have bubbles come from all public building windows, more bicycles than cars, and have a waterfall in the town center, just in case you were wondering.)

Life as Usual

The French verb naître means "to be born," and naissance means "birth."

So why, oh why, would I not realize that re-naissance on my quiz last week meant "re-birth," and not the period that followed the middle ages if the entire quiz focused on religion and not historical eras?


Life has been stiflingly slow as I am suffering one of my worst bouts of homework-writer's block. While I am still interested in all my subjects, and have faithfully been following my coursework, my motivation to not procrastinate and to finish all my work has almost completely disappeared. So, I remain locked in my room until my homework muse shows up.

Saturday night, while waiting for my muse, I faintly heard fireworks crackling outside. So I ran up to the roof to search the skyline. Unfortunately, there was a building perfectly blocking my view, so I watched the second half and finale of the show through the reflection of several windows of the apartment building across from mine. Not the most spectacular view, but still, it was a unique way of enjoying the fireworks.

For the past week, a brown finch-like little bird has been landing on my window sill and keeping me company. Sometimes he helps me to wake me up in the mornings. Other times, he just sits and primps himself while I read. Heidi says that it's like I am Cinderella, but as of yet, I have not seen any singing mice, and do not feel particularly inclined to make tiny hats and shirts for my new friend. I am very glad that he is so small and sweet, because my window has no screen, and he isn't afraid to sit right on the open frame. I don't want imagine my reaction if I were to wake up and see one of those evil-looking pigeons from Rome chilling just a few feet away.

Rain, Rain!

Monday was a beautiful sunny day. I didn't even have to wear a scarf to walk to class! Tuesday was just as beautiful, but it snowed the whole day. From Wednesday until the end of the week, it rained. The rain came pouring down as if it were Winnie the Pooh's blustery day. As I sat at my window, watching the little creek's water level rise, I wished that the storm would wash away the assignments written on my class syllabus the way it washed away the letters in his book. But, I was not so lucky as Pooh Bear, and I still had three papers to write.

Mid midterms season, most of my time is spent locked away in my room, writing and reading. Although I love both of those things, I don't think my head's come back right after my Italy trip. Bitten by the travel bug, school works is becoming increasingly more and more difficult to focus on. At least the two papers I have left to write are on my own topic choices, so it is definitely more motivating when I'm interested. Still, I am tired of my corner. See, my wireless card is only able to receive internet at the far corner of my room (luckily by the bed) and facing a certain angle at the kitchen table. The kitchen provides too many distractions, and I end up eating more than studying. So, I've barricaded myself in my cozy little corner, unable to move without losing all internet connection, typing away about the strange cases of both Jekyll and Hyde and The Yellow Wallpaper.

This evening, I went to Circus Nock, a charming 1-ring circus under a great big red and white striped tent. There were tigers, zebras, horses and llamas all ready to perform for Heidi's first circus. Like every good circus, there were too many jugglers, cotton candy by the pound, and the acrobats fell just enough to give you a scare. My favorite act was, as always, the tightrope walker, who could unicycle and toe-shoe across the highwire. Although the show was aimed for kids and there wasn't anything earth-shatteringly original, it was an enchanting distraction from homework for just a few hours, and was able to rival Wednesday's sunset thunder and lightning storm for the best part of my week.