We've all heard about it. The earthquake. The tsunami. The nuclear power plant(s?). Japan has been thrown upside down by the Earth's tectonic plates. Yeah, that's right. A god doesn't hate them. Mother Earth doesn't want them gone. It just happens. The planet evolves. Shit happens.
The moment I read about the event, my mind clipped to the exchange students. I know a few Japanese on exchange and couldn't begin to imagine how they felt reading the information I was reading. Then, those exchangies in Japan and anywhere close. Their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandmas and granddads. What could they do? They went to call for their child with the worst on their minds. And I'm sure that one didn't/couldn't call back.
I'm not saying I don't feel for those people that were there. I just feel the connection with students across the world away from their homes and it hurts me to hear that those houses were wiped clean. Homes were wiped clean. A country, in a sense, wiped clean.
The number of people, humans with lives as basic as our own, is frightening. The final count could be over 10,000. Ten thousand. In a day. Sure, history has had worst. But that's why it's history.
Those affected by the earthquake and tsunami are in my thoughts and I wish them the best in recovering.
-Eddie
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Ninjas in Germany
Well then. Back from yet another adventure within the boundaries of Switzerland. T'was a SKI CAMP! Get ready for... DAY BY DAY RECORDS!
Saturday:
Get up uncomfortably early for a Saturday. Then I got a ride to the meeting place for us all. I stood quite awkwardly by my bags looking for someone who either wasn't talking to people or just simply a face I knew. Wasn't there long before someone came to talk to. All 80-90 of us piled in the bus and commenced driving for 2.5 hours. We arrived in the French part of Switzerland between Fribourg and Lausanne. It's when we began unpacking the trailer that I learned I was to be a leader.
After little info talks and so forth, we all went outside and played a massive game of Ninja which dispersed into smaller games. Very cool to watch.
Each night was themed a specific country and that night was "Germany Night." We had bratwurst for dinner and then had German activities throughout the night.
Sunday:
IT SNOWED
8am wake up. Bread jam for breakfast. thennnn
S N O W B O A R D I N G!!!!! In fresh snow :O
I finally learned to use the Tbar lift successfully :D
until about 5pm. Then a nice freezing-ass shower because I was far from the first to attempt at getting warm water.
That night was ENGLAND NIGHT. We had risotto for dinner and funny English accents in german. HILARIOUSSSS
Monday:
Same on the wake up. Same bread.
SAME SNOWBOARD but with easier snow but it was even more foggy than Sunday. Maybe 5 yards then white.
Same cold water.
South Africa was that night's theme! I couldn't tell you what we had to eat because I, well, can't remember. At night, we had the kids running through a little obstacle course in the snow. I stood on the roof and had to be hit with a snowball for them to pass.
THEN SLEEP!
Tuesday:
Meh.... ugh...
SNOWBOARDINGGGG in the sun with awesome swiss people!
Cold water.
I think this was Balkan night, if I'm not mistaken. Hella funny night of weird music, dancing, and accents.
T'was yet another late night.
Wednesday:
9am Wake up!
When we got the the ski spot, it was foggy again so a lot of us went up above and laid in the sun for the day.
NO snowboarding that day.
That night was China night but I ended up sleeping some more.
Thursday:
Woke up sick.
SLEEPYTIME
It was Brazil night but I missed it sleeping and only ending up eating bread and apples because bread and apples are freaking delicious.
Friday:
Still not totally well but I slept until about 5pm and felt much better. I then ate EVERYTHING.
RICOLAAAA!
THEN!!!! MEXICO NIGHT!
I can't begin to tell you how excited I was for Mexican food! But it wasn't. It was burritos: no beans, no Mexican tortillas, only swiss cheese, and no TACO SAUCE!!!
I died.
We were then told to go upstairs and try to get stuff to look like a Mexican.
Things they wore:
-Mustaches
-Pillows under their shirts
-Blankets around themselves
-Big belt buckles
-a balaclava
-soccer stuff
-drugs
-weapons
I laughed the whole night, I think (maybe the meds?).
Unfortunately that night consisted of a friend in horrible stomach pains which caused her to be driven home at about 3.30am.
Saturday:
Drive home. Non-eventful
Sunday:
We went to a football match in Basel versus Zürich!
Basel won 3-1 but it was a really great game to watch. My current host dad, Heini, was very pleased with the score.
Saturday:
Get up uncomfortably early for a Saturday. Then I got a ride to the meeting place for us all. I stood quite awkwardly by my bags looking for someone who either wasn't talking to people or just simply a face I knew. Wasn't there long before someone came to talk to. All 80-90 of us piled in the bus and commenced driving for 2.5 hours. We arrived in the French part of Switzerland between Fribourg and Lausanne. It's when we began unpacking the trailer that I learned I was to be a leader.
After little info talks and so forth, we all went outside and played a massive game of Ninja which dispersed into smaller games. Very cool to watch.
Each night was themed a specific country and that night was "Germany Night." We had bratwurst for dinner and then had German activities throughout the night.
Sunday:
IT SNOWED
8am wake up. Bread jam for breakfast. thennnn
S N O W B O A R D I N G!!!!! In fresh snow :O
I finally learned to use the Tbar lift successfully :D
until about 5pm. Then a nice freezing-ass shower because I was far from the first to attempt at getting warm water.
That night was ENGLAND NIGHT. We had risotto for dinner and funny English accents in german. HILARIOUSSSS
Monday:
Same on the wake up. Same bread.
SAME SNOWBOARD but with easier snow but it was even more foggy than Sunday. Maybe 5 yards then white.
Same cold water.
South Africa was that night's theme! I couldn't tell you what we had to eat because I, well, can't remember. At night, we had the kids running through a little obstacle course in the snow. I stood on the roof and had to be hit with a snowball for them to pass.
THEN SLEEP!
Tuesday:
Meh.... ugh...
SNOWBOARDINGGGG in the sun with awesome swiss people!
Cold water.
I think this was Balkan night, if I'm not mistaken. Hella funny night of weird music, dancing, and accents.
T'was yet another late night.
Wednesday:
9am Wake up!
When we got the the ski spot, it was foggy again so a lot of us went up above and laid in the sun for the day.
NO snowboarding that day.
That night was China night but I ended up sleeping some more.
Thursday:
Woke up sick.
SLEEPYTIME
It was Brazil night but I missed it sleeping and only ending up eating bread and apples because bread and apples are freaking delicious.
Friday:
Still not totally well but I slept until about 5pm and felt much better. I then ate EVERYTHING.
RICOLAAAA!
THEN!!!! MEXICO NIGHT!
I can't begin to tell you how excited I was for Mexican food! But it wasn't. It was burritos: no beans, no Mexican tortillas, only swiss cheese, and no TACO SAUCE!!!
I died.
We were then told to go upstairs and try to get stuff to look like a Mexican.
Things they wore:
-Mustaches
-Pillows under their shirts
-Blankets around themselves
-Big belt buckles
-a balaclava
-soccer stuff
-drugs
-weapons
I laughed the whole night, I think (maybe the meds?).
Unfortunately that night consisted of a friend in horrible stomach pains which caused her to be driven home at about 3.30am.
Saturday:
Drive home. Non-eventful
Sunday:
We went to a football match in Basel versus Zürich!
Basel won 3-1 but it was a really great game to watch. My current host dad, Heini, was very pleased with the score.
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