#see the world

Tangled (2010)
Rapunzel

I want one

One of my favourite places

Some crazy shit I’ve been apart of while visiting Europe

-Came out of the metro in Paris and walked right into a yellow jacket riot. Scary but remarkably controlled. Parisian police all carry MP5s and are in full riot gear

-Was interviewed, recorded, and put on the Norwegian news for being the first in line for a seasonal ferry that brings life back into the isolated community of Gryllefjord after 9.5 months of darkness

-Experienced the devastating heatwave in Chamonix that created a never seen before lake on the Mont Blanc glacier and is now contributing to the mass melt of the glacier

-Watched authorities rescue the sunken boat and the lost bodies in Hungary from the Danube River boat accident that killed over 25 Koreans

-Was apart of a crowd of over 1,500 people watching the astrological clock in Prague turn to the hour. The clock was first installed in 1410!!! and is still the same it was back then making it the oldest operating clock in the world!

-Met a couple from Hawaii when I was in Italy that the husband told me his wife was the first nurse at the hospital to see Amanda Eller, the yoga teacher who went missing in Maui after going on a hike but was later rescued. (This was big news for like a month in the US) Turns out she didn’t just get “lost” but in fact she was tripping hard on mushrooms and walked the other way into the woods on her own, unlike what all the news reports state about her going missing. Thus, her claim that it was a “spiritual experience” is probably true.. look it up.

-Got pulled over by two smoking hot Austrian female cops (like literally the Baywatch of cops) that ran out from BEHIND a building and WAVED my car and the car behind me off the road and told us to pay them money right then and there because them “having to do paperwork would not be in our best interest” and “speeding tickets in Colorado are way more expensive.” Corrupt? Yes. Btw we were NOT speeding, but there was no arguing with those scary hot babes ESPECIALLY when your German is garbage.

-While in Switzerland I got to witness on several occasions the running of the beautiful ladies (female cows) dressed up in ribbons and flower crowns, and cleaned and brushed to perfection, marching orderly down the street. The ladies marching from tip to tail in a line, never getting distracted by the mass of people that line the streets to cheer them on and marvel at them.

-Stumbled out of a park in Bavaria right into a traditional German concert where everyone was dressed in dirndls and lederhosen, including all the spectators.

-The first time I saw complete darkness on my trip after getting out of northern Scandinavia was in Copenhagen (although it was only for 4-5ish hours). I had complete daylight for almost a month and it shocked my body (eye blinders are LIFE). Nordic humans are remarkable and their countries are the best in Europe btw.

-Took over 30 ferries in Norway, traveling the entire country north to south.

-In the Czech Republic, I watched a woman defecate in front of me, wipe her ass with leaves, and then pass out on the bench adjacent from me in a park.

-In another park story this time in Copenhagen, I watched a pack of 13 dudes roll into a park, spread out, whip out their dicks and start peeing. After 30 seconds or so their pack leader gave out a long whistle and then all the bros zipped up their pants and joined him and rolled out of the park as fast as they came into the park.

-In Germany, anytime you get onto one of their highways, cars will blast past you in the left going as fast as their motors can possibly go and yes everyone drives German made vehicles like Audi, BMW, VW, Porsche, and Mercedes so they go fucking fast.

So next year I’ll be graduating in April and I’ve already started preparing for what I’ll be doing right after. I’ve compiled a list of programs that I will be applying for and my summer plans will depend what additional things I have to do for these programs. Here it is below:

• Chinese Government Scholarship
• Taiwanese Government Scholarship
• EPIK Teaching Program
• Freeman Asia Scholarship? (not sure of legibility)
• Taiwan-United States Sister Relations Alliance Ambassador Summer Scholarship Program

I may push some additional applications but I am pretty set on what I already want to do. Pushing out more applications on things I don’t really have in mind would be counterproductive to my plan, but also it would be good for a backup if all else fails. But at the same time, when I want to do something, I set my mind to it and I make it happen no matter what. So I know it will work out…but it all depends and anything can happen. Either way, I hope that I hear good news from at least one of the programs and expect to be out of the country by August. My first choice out of them all is Taiwan for I want to continue studying Chinese, but I don’t want to study and/or live in China long term again (I have to think about it). But I am applying to the same Chinese Government Scholarship Program again nevertheless.

If you’re not familiar with what I am talking about here, read more about how to for free here.

Major difference between applying for the Taiwanese vs the Chinese Scholarship is that you have more leeway in choosing the time of the year and length you want to do in terms of the language programs when it comes to applying for the Taiwanese Government Program. You can specify but the scholarship committee will choose which one you’ll get based on your application. Also they give more money to the student to use at their expense. BUT in turn, students have to use a part of the scholarship money to pay for their tuition so technically they give you money for personal funds, tuition, AND to get an apartment. They don’t pay for it up front only because certain schools cost more and may require students to pay out of pocket (be on the lookout for that if you’re interested in applying) and it also gives more freedom for students to choose where they want to live.  

One other major thing to keep in mind (if anyone gets accepted and decides to go through with the program), Both the Taiwanese & Chinese government waits till a month after to give the scholarship stipend after you arrive meaning that you somehow have to have some kind of money to pay for everything in the meantime. And its not so bad! I saved like around $1000+ for my first month while in China and it lasted me up until I got my money so I couldn’t complain. You just have to make sure you set up all the necessary requirements to get your money in time.