#2: Hostels are always looking fo

[berlinaura]

The trip to Poland was legendary. We had no expectations and no prior information of the whole city before we went so it truly was an adventure. Our first impression was that Szczecin smells like chocolate. Apparently there is a chocolate factory there! The buses reminded me so much of the bus in Harry Potter and he prisoner of Azkaban. I flew towards this elderly lady and judging by the look on her face she said something like “watch out, idiot!”. As I couldn’t say anything other than “sorry!” I said to my friend “we really need to learn some basic polish vocabulary” to which a random passenger offered to teach us “hi” (pronounced: “djen dobre”), “thank you” (pronounced: ”djen kujä”) and “sorry” which ironically I cannot remember how to pronounce. 

All of the buses didn’t have a screen which show the next stop and because it was dark, guessing by the surroundings was hard too. We mostly used google maps and tried to guess when is the right time to press stop. We also tried to pay a ticket to the bus driver who then guided us with a “no! machine” to a ticket machine on the back of the bus that only accepted coins (which we did not have). The bus system wasn’t bad though, it was just interesting. Google maps evaluated that he distance of one bus stop we took every day (with a 3,8 km distance!) would take us 6 minutes with a bus. We were there in a minute. Also, the buses ALWAYS came on time to the minute. Szczecin bus drivers are hardcore!

At night we went to a restaurant with good ratings. It took as about an hour to walk there because there seemed to be some kind of obstacle between our hostel and our destination. It was already dark so we had no idea what mine field there is against us so we decided to trust google’s instructions:

At midnight as the restaurant closed and we had completed some intensive drinking we of course forgot about this situation and just started to follow our “gut feeling” of where the hostel is. At first we circulated some company’s yard by walking next to some fence and then ran across railway tracks. Suddenly we realized we are now at some field surrounded by hay that’s taller than us. “Let’s go deeper” we thought and the hay field slowly turned into a forest. My friend started to panic because she felt like we were in a horror movie scene. I tried to think logically “just imagine there’s light here. If this all was happening during daylight, this would be so ridiculous! There’s nothing to worry about!”. A second later I heard noises in the bushes and was SURE there was something in there. A human, a deer, a rat. Suddenly I wanted to get out ASAP. 

We started half-running along our path but it turned out to be a dead end. The road led us to an abandoned cottage. Then we saw what had been making noise in the bushes. FREAKING CATS. Their eyes just reflected the light I projected towards them from my almost dying phone. We decided to follow them. They took turns leading us. One cat started jogging along the path, checking every once in a while if we were still following it like some shepherd dog leading its sheep. Then it stood by the road and another cat appeared from the bushes and jogged in front of us. After a while we started hearing car noises and THIS is the moment we realized we were in the area all along that we avoided going to on our way to the restaurant. As we go to the hostel room we laughed our asses off.

The next day we went out for breakfast and I had the best brownie I have ever tasted. We were told that Berliners often go to Szczecin for shopping because the prices are lower than in Germany. To be honest, I noticed the cheap prices only at restaurants, cafes and bars. We went to two shopping centres and he price range was quite usual in my opinion. Mid-shopping we wanted to moist our throats (this does NOT translate well to English but I am using it anyways) so we visited cafe22, a restaurant/bar in the 22nd floor of some fancy building. We were expecting high prices but actually the price range was the same there despite the view. The view wasn’t that nice to be honest. I looked at he city and thought to myself “This is exactly what I thought Poland would look like”. Everything was grey, made out of concrete and/or dilapidated. Cloudy November afternoon sure didn’t do any favors to the view. Nevertheless, it was a place worth going. Fancy atmosphere, strong drinks and cheap prices.

We obviously had to check out Waly Chobergo, a building complex which is probably the most popular attraction in Szczecin. We even saw around 5 tourists there! In the evening we went to a restaurant which served one of the best meals I have ever had. They put seeds an cherry tomatoes into my pasta and it was so delicious I had to buy them and try imitating that dish when I got back to Berlin. After this we started our pub crawl that we ended around 2 in a “film bar”. We realized we have to wait for the bus for 50 minutes so we decided to go to a bar nearby and it turned out to be so cozy! They had this movie theme there, so the lighting was dim like in movie theaters and the seats where old red movie theatre seats. There was a big screen where Kill Bill was playing (without sound but with subtitles). Some people were focusing on the movie while some people just hung out as in a normal bar. I thought that this would be the best place to have a first date in: if you run out things to say, you just look at at the movie and you can even talk while the scene is on! But if you feel like talking and getting to now the person, you can do that without others expecting you to shut up. Such a cute concept. With a good luck, there might even be those in Berlin...

On our last day we went to out for a breakfast again (I was living my best life with my omelette and pancakes!). Quite extempore, we decided to go on a tour to an underground museum afterwards. I had no idea what the tour was about but turned out it was a bomb shelter in the WWII time in Szczecin. It was mind blowing to think that people actually stood where I was standing. The signs on the walls were still there. One of the signs for example forbid gossiping in the bomb shelter. Talking about Hitler’s decisions, about how Germany is doing in the war and/or causing mass hysteria used to be forbidden there and could be punished by even death. 

The tour was incredibly interesting! Szczecin used to be a part of Germany that time, and a huge industrial city. The world’s fastest ship of that time for example was manufactured in Szczecin. The city was bombed into ruins during WWII. Being such a industrial city was a big reason why the Allies were interested in attacking it. We had just been spending two days there knowing nothing about the place and its history so after the tour I felt such a Kulturbanause (= someone who just goes to cultural places without wanting to really get to know the place and its culture, only where the mall and bars are). We should have went there on the first day I think. Afterwards we headed back to Berlin, completely drained. 

A few weeks later I met a Polish girl here in Berlin and asked her where she was from. When she said she’s from Szczecin and I told her I visited it, her response was “WHY THE HELL”. I don’t know. My question is: why the hell not.

Soon was the time for the first christmas market of the year: Gendanmenmarkt. Me and two friends went there after a Tuesday. I remember studying in the library, almost deciding not to go but went anyways. 1 hour later I was chilling there in the middle of christmas lights, glühwein in my hand (and all over my scarf ahem), dancing to live music that the most random band ever played. I swear they were all high! In this christmas market we started our PICKLE HUNT that lasted almost a month. I visited around 10 different christmas markets this year and at every christmas market the mission was, in addition to chugging glühwein, checking the price of the pickle decorations. We, the pickle bandites, soon noticed that there is no logic in the way Germans price their pickle decorations. Some of them were 3,50€, some 9€. A few days before leaving to Finland for christmas, me and a friend went to the Alexanderplatz christmas market again and finally got our pickles. I already know this will be one of my most valued possessions after coming back.

The chrismas markets also varied in the way people behaved there. We noticed that in the christmas market in Zoologischer garten people were super aggressive and it was guaranteed that someone would bump into you and spill your glühwein all over. The one at Potsdamer platz was not one of the best but that evening escalated to cocktails at Que Pasa. We were originally supposed to just search a bathroom before going home but it just so happened that this goddamn restaurant with its cheap cocktails was the nearest one so of course we had to stay for cocktails. A similar thing happened with Alexanderplatz christmas market (the first time). We decided to go to a “pub” which turned out to be this huge German oktoberfest-like room where people danced on tables and sang Schlagers. My favorite christmas market however was either the first one we visited (Gendanmenmarkt) or the one in Quedlinburg. 

In the beginning of December I attended another organized trip like the Dresden one. This time we traveled to Quedlinburg which is a cozy old town in Saxony-Anhalt. The buildings in this city are medieval and therefore the old town is on the UNESCO world heritage list. We had so much fun on this trip with our Wanderlust-squad! We played car games in the bus, shared life trauma and basically made the rest of the bus hate us. In the evening we also visited Magdeburg which was a city that I for a second considered to be my exchange city. I can’t stress enough how grateful I am I did not went there. I mean, the there was nothing wrong with the place. After Berlin it just feels incredibly small.

We decided to go clubbing with the Wanderlust-squad. I am so looking forward to this!

Around this time I also said “fuck it” to school work, downloaded Tinder and started living my best life on tinder dates. I guess I need to censor my text a bit so let’s keep these adventures mysterious.

12.12. there was an international dinner organized by my university. Everybody was supposed to bring traditional food from their home countries and enjoy the christmas feeling with other international students of TU. Me and my swedish friend and her swedish friend who was visiting made potatoes and meatballs. They were super good! But so were the food of the others, I gotta say. This event exceeded my expectations. There was free glühwein, people sang. It was almost like a sittning but at the same time nothing like it. I tasted a Turkish food which was spicy af but I tried my best to keep a straight face. Gotta say that some Swiss chocolate cake was the one that stole my heart. 

After this, we decided to continue the evening to a pub. At this point we were at our campus which is in west Berlin (Charlottenburg) so the choice of pubs was quite narrow. We heard a tip from a local though of a bar called “Klo” (=“toilet”) and it sounded so interesting that we just had to check it out. It was one of the weirdest bars I have ever been to! It was like a horror house at an amusement park mixed with humor, toilets and drinks. The wall decorations just started talking out of nowhere. The staff made announcements and sometimes just turned off the lights. At one point our table started going up and down... The list just goes on. I ordered a shot of Cointreau because I remember it being good when I chugged a whole bottle of it on a cruise in August. The bartender asked me if I wanted to have it with ice and I had no idea how people normally drink it (probably not straight from the bottle, the whole bottle in one evening) so I just went with the flow and said yes. “What the actual fuck! Nobody drinks it with ice! What’s wrong with you!” was the answer from the bartender. Mission FAILED. I then asked why they offer ice with it if it is unnatural. “I have to say it. It’s my job. It hurts my soul to ask it”. “Okay, no ice then” I said. The bartender came back with my Cointreau shot and... ONE ICE CUBE. This place was so confusing that it is hard to find words how to describe it. Anyways, the evening was super nice once again and now I feel like I am one experience richer. 

Two days later the buddies organized a pub crawl. Me and a friend already had a few glühweins beforehand because we wanted to check out a cozy Markthalle in Kreuzberg (Markthalle Neun) and I have to say that their bio-glühwein is the best glühwein I have tasted so far. It was SWEET AND DELICIOUS. Hopefully Markthalle neun is open in January (and still have glühwein) because I really need to go back there. 

When the pub crawl started, the buddies asked ME to lead us to the best pubs. We were at Warschauer Strasse and even though I have heard it is the best place for partying, I had never went out there. We just walked to some direction, a bit away from the main street to find cheaper prices and went into the first pub we found. After drinking a few beers there, we decided to get some wine from Späti and go to a dorm party at Sigmundshof. It is on the other side of Berlin so naturally we had to use the S-bahn trip as efficiently as possible. 

On the last week before Christmas I went to Sido’s christmas show in Columbiahalle. I still have no idea how I managed to get this ticket. The show was amazing! He picked up people from the audience to the stage and asked them to sing christmas songs, gave presents to audience, picked people from front row to get drinks from the minibar... There were Casper and SPD as surprise guests. I suprised myself that I still knew the lyrics for “Ne Leiche” even though I listened to it like 4 years ago. I know I hype things so much that it starts to lose meaning but I think this show goes to at least the top 5 things I experienced during this exchange. 

My exchange ends 31.3. In 2 days I have spend half of it. For the past few days this has been making me extremely sad. At the same time I want to just make the most of the time I have left but at the same time I really want to do something in order to stay longer. At first I thought about applying for an extent but I really don’t think it is a good idea to study nonstop from October 2019 to May 2021. One of the downsides of doing an exchange study as a master student is that there is really a pressure of graduating and I really worry about getting work experience before I graduate. This is why I now start looking for a job, not extremely efficiently but still applying for even a few jobs here and see if it is possible to spend the spring and summer working here in Berlin. If it doesn’t work out, I will return to Finland to work, cherish the half year I spend here and be forever grateful I ever left.

[matthewschueller]

One Day in Madrid | Gay Madrid Guide

One Day in Madrid?

So you’re planning your trip around Europe and you’ve only got 24 hours in Madrid… it is not easy to deeply experience Madrid in such a short time, but with a bit of quick walking and an optimistic mindset to see as much as possible, here’s what you should put on your list for what to see in Madrid in 24 hours!

Our first recommendation is to plan fo more than 24 hours in this beautiful city. Madrid is often overlooked by backpackers around the world when planning a trip around Europe, but it shouldn’t be skipped! The vibrant and electric atmosphere of the city will have you wanting to book a trip back before you depart.

Gay Madrid

Madrid is one of the most gay friendly cities in Europe. After the huge success of World Pride in 2017, Madrid has become one of the top destinations for LGBTQ+ people everywhere. Its infamous Chueca neighborhood is the city’s gayzone and holds some of the best gay bars in Madrid. While boasting the most lively Madrid night clubs, we recommend including Kapital Madrid on your night out. Apart from the fun of Chueca, Madrid should be near the top of anyone’s must-see list and here’s why!

What To See in Madrid in 24 Hours

Madrid is a very walkable city. The best thing you can do to get oriented with the city is to first partake in a free walking tour. And what better way to experience a bit of the spontaneous street-art throughout the city than to walk around! Here are some of the best free walking tours in Madrid. 

1. Take a Tour

Free Walking Tours Madrid:

The free tour leaves every day at 11am (Saturdays at 3pm) from the Plaza del Callao. The walking tour is available in Spanish and English.

Free Tour of Madrid:

This tour runs for about 3 hours from Plaza Mayor. The walking tour is given in English and Spanish. The start times are 10am, 11am, 2pm, and 4pm. 

OK Hostel Free Walking Tour:

Some of the Hostels in central Madrid offer Free Walking Tours as well. We stayed at OK Hostel and took advantage of their free tour along with other travelers!

Rainbow Gay Tours

Looking for more incredible in-depth tours around Madrid? Our friends at Rainbow Gay Tours gave us an experience of a lifetime while in Spain. In Madrid, dive in with one of their premium tours! Get 10% off when mentioning “Michael and Matt” on your email/booking! We Recommend:

Madrid City Center Tour: In this three-hour tour you will discover the most important monuments and places of the city center, unhurried and at your own pace.

Madrid Rainbow Night: In this 2 hour tour, you will be shown the most popular venues for the LGBT community where you can party and have a good time!

2. Puerta del Sol

Whether you’re looking for some great shopping, chow down on churro con chocolate, or people watch amidst the various street performers, Puerta del Sol is Madrid’s most famous central gathering place. Just a short walk from Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol was originally the spot of Madrid’s old city east gate.

3. Almudena Cathedral (Santa María la Real de La Almudena)

This Neo-Gothic Cathedral can be a quick stop on your way to the Royal Palace, or you can spend 1 to 2 hours here walking around its chapels and chambers. This is actually a newer cathedral, with construction beginning in 1879. Santa Maria Cathedral is open from 9:30am to 8:30pm 7 days a week. However, the museum is only open Monday through Saturday 10am to 2:30pm.

4. Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real De Madrid)

As the grandest building in Madrid, The Royal Palace boasts an insane amount of History presenting tons of information on the Kings of Spain from Charles III to Alfonso XIII. Just a short walk from the Plaza Mayor, you can wander some of its 3000+ rooms, and look in awe at its ornate decoration. Don’t miss the Changing of the Guard (presented on Wednesdays and Saturdays). While it costs to enter the Royal Palace, you can enjoy its beauty admiring the outside if you’re in a rush. Or, come by in the evening and see the Palace from the nearby Sabatini Gardens.

Sabatini Gardens

Want another fascinating view of the Royal Palace? Head just north of the Palace, down the giant staircases to Sabatini Gardens. These Classical gardens were built in the 1930s where the former stables used to be. Here you can admire gorgeous flowers, a fascinating set of reflecting pools and fountains, and the Palace’s towering north facade. The Sabatini Gardens are open from 9am to 9pm and are especially magical close to sunset. This is one of the best places to watch the sunset in Madrid. If you’re looking for a great Instagram photo opportunity, stand at the northern end of the reflecting pool and set the Royal Palace as your backdrop. 

Watch our 24 hours in Madrid and Toledo!

5. Plaza Mayor

Madrid’s living room, and the major public square in the heart of the city center. While wandering the tightly packed streets of central Madrid, you can’t miss this grand open space, boasting warm colors and picturesque architecture. The cobbled stone square is flanked by countless cafes, and acts as the meeting place, including for many of the free walking tours. This plaza was designed in 1619 by Juan Gómez de Mora and is something you must see in Madrid. Food and drink can be a bit overpriced in the plaza, but it’s worth sitting down at one of the tables at least once for the experience! We recommend Restaurant DCorozon at the North East corner of the plaza.

6. Madrid’s Museums

Madrid is a city filled to the brim with museums. From incredible paintings, history, artwork and architecture, it’s not easy to experience all of them even in a lengthy visit. In a pinch, here are the best museums in Madrid:

Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado)

The Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado) is a must-see when visiting Spain’s capital. There are many tours available to really dive into the works, but for those of you who are on a tight schedule, one or two hours can be enough to see the most important pieces of art. There are over 7,000 paintings within its interior, so even spending the entire day here is likely to only scratch the surface, and is an intimidating feet! The Museum is open from 10am to 8pm, however visiting at the very start of the day or during lunchtime around 2pm may save you some time in the queues. Buying a ticket in advance means that you can head straight in through security and avoid the long line altogether. Free entry is offered from 6 to 8pm Monday through Saturday and 5-7pm on Sundays and holidays, but the free hours almost always equate to large lines and crowded rooms. Must-see paintings include Valaquez’s Las Meninas, and Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights.

Reina Sofia Museum (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía):

Spain’s national museum which holds 20th-century art. This prized museum is also located close to the Atocha train station in Madrid’s “golden triangle” of art. Holding Picasso’s Guernica, this is an essential stop for any lover of art. The Reina Sofia is closed every Tuesday, with entry from 10am to 9pm. The least busiest time to visit is right at opening. Like the Prado Museum, you can purchase tickets online in advance.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza):

Another incredibly popular museum in Madrid hosting an overview of art from the 13th to the late 20th century. From Renaissance and Baroque, to Pop Art and Impressionism, The Thyssen is one of the most extraordinary private collections of European art in the world. Where the Prado and Reina Sofia allow you to dive into specific bodies of work, the Thyssen takes a much broader view of artistic styles. Canaletto, Rubens, Degas, Manet and Van Gogh are just a few of the great artists represented here. The Thyssen is open from 10am to 7pm Tuesday through Sunday, and 12pm to 4pm on Mondays with free entry. Purchase your tickets online.

7. El Retiro Park

After running around in the hot sun for much of the day, what better place to go and relax than Madrid’s El Retiro Park? With over 15,000 trees, Madrid’s largest park is bound to provide you with plenty of shade and a little relaxation for your mid-day siesta. Check out Rainbow Gay Tours Retiro Park Tour which will take you through to see the best sights, ending in the lively Chueca district!

The Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal)

As one of the most iconic buildings in Madrid, this is a must-see spot in El Retiro Park. Located in the center of the park, the palace is made almost entirely from glass. The interior hosts art exhibitions and you may enter for free to see how the light shining through the crystal bounces around the many surfaces. The Crystal Palace is also a hotspot for Instagram photos. As you walk around the small lake in front of it, be sure to take advantage of the fun photo opportunities here!

The Retiro Park Lake (Estanque grande del Retiro)

If you fancy renting a small rowboat for a few euros, you can enjoy the coolness of Retiro Park’s Lake and paddle around, enjoying the view. The lake lies just beyond the massive statue of Alfonso XII, and is especially beautiful at sunset.

The Rose Garden (La Rosaleda)

Most of the flowers and roses are blooming in full force by late May, making this part of the park absolutely stunning any part of the late Spring. Walk through and get lost in its many arches and thousands of roses. It’s the perfect spot to rest your feet on a bench, watch the fountains, and simply enjoy a quiet moment away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

8. Tapa Street (Calle de la Cava Baja)

You cannot visit Madrid without experiencing the madness and fun of going out for tapas! Cram yourself into a small bar a little past 8pm to start your dinner with small plates and ask for a glass of vino tinto or 3! There are by far more tapa bars than empty stomachs in Madrid, but here on Calle de la Cava Baja you will find some of the best and locally popular spots in the old city. This is one of the best places to eat in Madrid. Looking for a couple places to start? Check out Lamiak and Casa Lucas.

9. San Miguel Market (Mercado de San Miguel)

Although not the cheapest place to get tapas in Madrid, San Miguel Market holds a massive variety of flavors and represents a new type of Spanish cuisine. The large indoor market is packed with tourists and locals alike drinking and eating and meeting with friends in the open areas around the market. Even if you’re not planning on having your entire dinner here, it’s worth checking out and enjoying a couple exquisite and modern tapas.

10. Chueca District

Chueca is the heart of gay Madrid. For nightlife, the bars and clubs are primarily centered around Plaza de Vazquez de Mella. Whether you’re looking for a place to grab a drink, sit down for dinner, go shopping, or go dancing, Chueca has something for everyone. It’s an active area that in recent decades has exploded as the quintessential gay neighborhood of Madrid. Make sure to cut out a little time to experience the nightlife here.

Where to Stay in Madrid

With a ton to see comes just as many options for accommodations including many hotels and hostels in Madrid. When looking at aspects of location, affordability, comfort and social atmosphere, these are the best places to stay in Madrid.

Axel Hotel:

In the heart of the old city is Axel Hotel, providing an incredibly fun and comfortable environment to see all the best parts of Madrid while being able to meet others in the city. With its rooftop pool and bar, Axel is the most renowned and top recommended LGBTQ+ hotel in central Madrid. Book your stay at Axel Hotel.

OK Hostel Madrid:

Along with hotel options, there are a variety of hostels to choose from in Madrid. OK Hostel is one of the most popular and highest rated hostels in the city center. It is one of our favorite hostales en Madrid! OK Hostel takes the cake for great location, centered just a five minute walk from Plaza Mayor and a short distance from the gay and nightlife district, Chueca. OK hostel hosts tons of group activities including their daily free walking tour, and a pretty expansive breakfast including eggs, bacon, and a fun cappuccino machine! This makes for a great, comfortable and affordable option for those who are looking to meet fellow travelers and backpackers. Book your stay at OK Hostel Madrid.

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[justkpopstuffinmyhead]

GD Concert Berlin 30.09.2017

First off: Concert was AMAZING! Everything around it? - Not so much.

Before the concert: We had huge communication problems with Livenation and the Mercedes Benz Arena. They were telling the lovely lady who tried to organize the numbering, banners and stuff (Shout out to you sweetheart! You were amazing!) different things about the numbering (First they said saturday, then friday, suddently they told us fans saturday again) and that the VIPs didn’t need numbering, but then suddenly they did. Also On the picture of the MBA(Mercedes Benz Arena) It looked like VIP and FOS(Front of stage - our category) would be in one pit - turns out that’s not true.

Friday [Numbering Day]

We arrived pretty early on friday & went to pick up our albums (Pictures will follow after this post) & then went to our room (Super cute and pretty close to the MBA) and then 3 HOURS BEFORE THE NUMBERING STARTS we were like “Let’s go there early and talk to ppl!“ So we went there and we met the sweetest ppl actually (Special shout out to the sweetheart that turned 19 on the concert day!)  and me and my best friend left to go back to our room & pick up our jackets because it was getting cold. Suddenly my friend messages me. “Come back. everyone is standing. They start numbering.“ That was 2 hrs before numbering was supposed to start. So we ran back there (Lemme tell you - I DON’T RUN) and were there barely in time to stand with the rest. Got our numbers (55 & 56) and left. at that point everything was fine for FOS.

Remember how I said that VIP didn’t need numbering? - Well, later that day they were like “VIP DOES HAVE A NUMBERING IT STARTS AFTER FOS!“ Didn’t concern us . Still shitty thing to do

Saturday [Concert day - Before concert]

We woke up at 10 and by 1 pm the sweethearrt that stood in line with us was like “GUYS YOU HAVE TO COME NOW NUMBERING IS NOT OFFICIAL ANYMORE.“ So we run - again. And then we stand there and suddenly there are two FOS lines. The right one is for everyone that got their numbers friday, The left one for everyone who got their numbers Saturday bc there was a miscommunication during the night and they suddenly started with no.01 again. When we get there I suddenly turn responsible (Someone stop me) and start helping the others with giving information out and putting everyone in order. Unforunately (or fortunately maybe) I left for a while to go pick up my nose spray cause this stupid person has a chronic cold (it’s my fault so that’s why I’m stupid) and when we got back my other friend helped organizing. Some ppls were rly rude and annoyed and they even had to get the police to our line once.

After standing there for about 6 hours they let us in. Security was pretty nice. The only thing i thought was weird was that they didn’t do a body check on me? Like idk why? We went to the FOS are and actually stood right up front to the right . Due to even more people pushing to the front we were pushed together and we told one person that they should please stop pushing us (My best friend could barely stand on her toes, she was forced to tiptoe the entire time) and we had an argument that calmed down, but then my friend was on her tiptoes again and just stood back down on her feet and we all started argueing again and were all rly heated (we told them that they were pushing us and they thought that we were blaming them  when we actually weren’t trying to do that. I mean we can’t rly say that “The people behind you are pushing us“ when it’s them doing the pushing. U understand?) And then my best friend got mad and we switched places (She was now in front of me because I’m 4cm taller and could see a bit better)  and she blamed herself the entire time and was crouching because that was supposed to be my concert and due to the stress and argueing(I’m someone that doesn’t like to argue) I started crying like the crybaby  I am and in between I was actually close to fainting because I couldn’t breath properly and my fingers and lips were tingling because of the lack of oxygen. 

[This is where we stood without zoom. Would have uploaded the entire video but someone is singing rly off key. idk who tho]

Saturday [Concert]

When the concert started I had calmed down somethat and tried to make sure that the girls we had argued with had enough place - unfortunately that was barely possible because of the ppl behind all of us that started pushing. Some ppl ripped some hair out (Rip scalp), ppl rested their bodies and phones on us. Some even hit us with their lightsticks or phones ( By accident but they didn’t do anything to stop it if they noticed)

The concert itself was AMAZING. GD was so cute and adorable and he looks really good life. He felt really real in a way - like a person and less like a star. Just the way he spoke to us was really down to earth and he was sorta nervous. His english was hella cute. ROD was lit. Divina Commedia was super touching (We had some ppl from Italy in our hostel and the way they say it is just beautiful)  There was an interview of his friends & family talking about Gdragon and Kwon Jiyong - The way his family spoke of him was beautiful. They were proud of him and that made me happy for him.

The only thing I really realized was that this is his dream and that he basically gave up his private life to be able to make us happy. - And how do some ppl thank him? By following him around when he’s looking at the cities, by stalking him, by standing infront of restaurants he’s dining in, by screaming while he’s talking at concerts (If he stands back to give us time to scream and shout it’s fine - I was part of that screaming as well - but you don’t  scream at your friends face when their telling you something, right? That’s just rude) and that just somewhat broke my heart. I wish that fans could just be more polite sometimes. I’m all for asking him if you randomly see him on the streets. But if someone says “No“. Just leave them alone. You wouldn’t want that for yourself as well. That’s not fan love anymore - that’s creepy.

But that’s another thing to discuss, right? Concert was amazing, organisation was a mess - as always. Something that European KPOP fans & organisers just can’t seem to work out hahaha :D

[giacintodenmark]

Long Study Tour: Hamburg & Berlin

SUNDAY

6:45 Meet tour leaders and the group at Copenhagen Central Station

Up at 4:40, I gathered my things and myself to make my way to the station. I forgot to lock my bike (thank god for host moms, my bike likely would have disappeared otherwise). It all went well otherwise, I boarded the bus with my class in a daze.

7:10 Depart by bus for Rødby (Bus 38) 

We then made a switch from bus to train. The train boarded the ferry.

9:35 Depart by ferry to Germany Depart on train (EC 38) to Hamburg 

The train boards the ferry, we walk amongst the ferry (which is really a mall on the inside, may as well sell things to people when you’ve got them captive for the 40 minute crossing to Germany). It’s a pleasant ride, we talk on one of the two outside docks... watching the other boats pass, the whitewater trail we leave, the wind, the sun.

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A view from the train. A town view of the Lensahn municipality within Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. 

12.31 Arrive at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof Walk from station to hostel 

Hamburg’s central station. Bustling with people of all sorts, all in a bit of a hurry to be somewhere. It’s quite something to shuffle through shifting rivers of people with all the luggage we carried with us. It was an exciting introduction to Northern Germany.

Walking to the hotel, we were in a rather industrial area of Hamburg. I have been spoiled by Copenhagen in that the city infrastructure works wonderfully for pedestrians... for people. I can’t say the same for this part of Hamburg, with many cars and garbage. Its easy to see the benefits of the simple things Copenhagen implements in their city layout.

~13.00 Arrive/drop bags: Novum Belmondo Hamburg 

Time on own: 

St. Nicholas Church Ruins in Hamburg

The Bombings of Hamburg destroyed most of the city and killed many in WW2. The most destructive operations being Operation Gomorrah (named after the biblical destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah), killing 42K and wounding 37K. 

The Gothic-style spired tower stands out like a beacon, it is the second tallest structure in Hamburg. 

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Spire side view of the ruins, the spire-tower, once hollow, the damage to the details noticeable... now contains an elevator and information on the church remnants.

“Founded in 1195, St. Nicholas is one of the oldest churches in Hamburg. It develops from a little chapel to a hall church. During the Great Fire in Hamburg in 1842 it burns down.” (although it was destroyed and rebuilt times before this point).

“The citizens of Hamburg, however, facilitate to rebuild the church in a neo-gothic style. The plans are designed by British architect G. Scott, the construction lasts from 1846 to 1882.”

“In July 1943 Allied airplanes attack the city of Hamburg. During the air raids more than 35,000 people die, 900,000 become homeless, 250,000 houses are destroyed, as was St. Nicholas.”

“After the war, St. Nicholas is not rebuilt. The remains commemorate the victims of the “Fire Storm” over Hamburg and the victims of the German atrocities in Europe.”

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Lunch on own:

 Züm Spatzle

The front page is a letter to guests expressing how the importance of knowing where one's food comes from. The restaurant has close ties to the source of each ingredient used, everything is listed in the letter. The ingredients of every menu item are listed. The menu is small to keep everything home-made and high quality. 

“Our meals are very traditional, home-style cooking. I hope you enjoy this cuisine from my homeland! We always fo our best!”

Spätzle with green pesto and parmesan. Topped with arugula, cherry tomato, and balsamic vinegar. 

Maultachen in vegetable broth. (This was my favorite

Cheese Spätzle baked in the oven, with onions (caramelized + chives). 

16:00 – 18:00 Group Visit: HafenCity – Sustainability Tour 

Mr. Thorsten Gödtel is going to be our guide and the focus of the tour will be on sustainability concepts of HafenCity 

70% of the German population lives in cities, this proportion is expected to increase in the future. HafenCity is the largest inner-city development project in Europe. There is an emphasis on making the infrastructure compatible with renewable energy, minimizing resource use and detrimental environmental impact, maximizing green space per urban/industrial area.

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Depart to return to hostel to check in 19:00

 Meet in lobby to depart for group dinner 

19.30 Group Dinner: Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant 

An international all-vegan chain in which each location can offer its own menu items, but must remain completely vegan. We had a sesame/ginger soup and a whole bunch of spring rolls. It was quite good, I haven’t been to a bad Loving Hut... there are a great number of other vegan restaurants unique to Hamburg worth checking out as well.

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Rest of evening on own. 

(went home, went to bed)

MONDAY

Morning Run #1

Went out early in the morning for a run, it was interesting to. see the city as the sun rose. The streets were bustling with morning traffic, the still active harbor was alight with ships coming in and out.

7.30 Breakfast at hostel.

8:40 Depart for a group visit 

9:00-10:00 Group Visit: Farmers Cut 

We visited a pilot vertical farm, working to bring locally grown greens to the people of Hamburg through dryponic cultivation. The process requires no pesticides and assures fresh, hyperlocal produce to markets and restaurants within the city. 

Isabel Mlitor, a co-founder and current CMO of Farmers Cut. She gave us the tour through the Hamburg facility. 

“[Indoor vertical farming] captivated me immediately as I was already following the development of next-generation farming in the USA – especially in New York – and knew what an incredibly fascinating topic it is: the link between technology, urbanization, and nutrition. All areas that carry great meaning for all of us.” 

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A view of the plants growing within the vertical farm .

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A souvenir, some Lemon Balm fresh from the vertical farm. 

Depart for Walking Tour 10:45- 12:45 

Alternative Hamburg Tour Starting point: Sternschanze Bahn station 

A tour through the Schanze neighborhood... focusing on the role graffiti art and tagging plays in creating the unique environment and giving voice to locals.

Here are some photos from the tour.

Time on own: Adventure around Sternshanze

A mysterious knick-knack store

I couldn’t find the name of the place anywhere, I don’t know if it was a shop, a museum, I don’t know... I never asked the guy sitting amongst the mess, he was busy reading and smoking .a cigarette (which are then placed into jars and placed throughout the room.

A Google Maps image of the entrance... the interior is below the Elternhaus. 

This place was just an amalgamation of all sorts of unusual items... skulls wrapped in copper wire, meat grinders, people’s postcards, CPR dummies, dirt, et. cetera.

The place is a horribly messy art piece, everything seems to sort of have a place... sort of...

Hot Dog Thrift Store

A collection of curated vintage clothing, the owner seemed quite knowledgeable and passionate about the shop’s collection. The place is a fun visit, everything is quite expensive though... 

Hermetic Coffee

“Living and breathing the diversity of coffee, we are very pleased that our café is giving us the opportunity to share with you the full range of coffee flavours.

We serve hand brewed speciality coffee from our own roasts as well as from appreciated roasteries from all over the world.

For you to explore the world of coffee at your home, too, we offer freshly roasted coffee and a wide range of brewing equipment such as scales, drippers, hand mills and much more.

Should you have any questions, feel free to approach us at all times – we are happy to help you.

We are looking forward to your visit.“

The café interior. 

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Espresso, the go-to for every café I visit.

18.36 Depart on train for Berlin 

20.19 Arrival at Berlin Hauptbahnhof Depart by public transport to hotel 

Approx. 21:00 Arrival/check in: B&B Hotel 

Rest of evening on own 

TUESDAY

Morning Run #2

Got up early once again to get a first look at Berlin as the sun rises. Our hotel is near Tiergarten, a large green strip similar to NY’s Central Park or SF’s Golden Gate Park. It was once the royal hunting grounds, it was turned into a protected public space in the 1700s. Much of the park was clear cut during a coal shortage during WW2. It has gradually been replanted thanks to local donations. 

The Victory Column, commemorating the victory in the Prussian-Danish war.

A sunrise along the road that runs through Tiergarten. Morning traffic had began, everyone was starting their Tueday in Berlin.

Soviet War Memorial, commorating soldiers killed in the Battle of Berlin.

The sunset reflected upon the glass buildings near the hotel we were staying at. 

8:30 Meet to depart for group visit by public transportation 

9.30- 13.00 Group Lunch + Academic Visit: Das Baumhaus 

Project & Space for Sustainability in Berlin Gerichtstraße 23, 13347 Berlin A workshop on sustainability and community engagement And a hands-on workshop – building stuff with tetrapaks.

“A place to meet neighbors and other people who want to make the world a better place in Berlin! The project space is a platform for meetings, events and workshops for a variety of people and organizations. Das Baumhaus is an open socio-cultural project in Wedding. They connect, inspire and empower each other, neighbors, organizations and local changemakers working for transition to sustainability. In the project space, people and projects from a broad variety of backgrounds come together, meet and collaborate.

Das Baumhaus is a self-organized, grassroots initiative grown out of the neighborhood, with Karen & Scott, the project co-founders at the core of the Baumhaus project. Since 2012, more than 300 people have collaboratively developed the project, organized events, meetings, initiated new groups, and in 2016 renovated a storefront space into a pretty unique project space. Organized as a non-profit association, a social business and above all, an open network.”

We discussed the foundational thinking of Das Baumhaus... recognizing the world as a conglomeration of multiple systems within a collective balance. Sustainable development should be looked at from 6 perspectives: Personal, Ecological, Aesthetic, Cultural, Economic, Social. We then pretty much did arts and crafts to make upcycled things for an hour and a half. 

Lunch is served by the Real Junk Food Project, they only use rescued food. (i.e. food that is still good to eat but would have been thrown out without someone using it ASAP)

Time on own 

16:00 Meet at Orinienburger Tor U-bahn station 

16:15 – 17:45 Cultural Visit: Private Viewing of Boros Collection Inside Bunker Reinhardtstraße 20 10117 Berlin 

“The Boros Collection is a private collection of contemporary art. It comprises groups of works by international artists dating from 1990 to the present. Different facets of the collection are on public display in a converted bunker, with 3000 sqm exhibition space. “

1942... Construction of the bunker as an air-raid shelter for the civilian population, built by forced laborers.

1945... Bunker occupied by the Red Army and used for prisoners of war.

1949...Use as a textile warehouse.

1957... Converted into a warehouse for imported tropical fruit from Cuba, managed by a state-owned company “Fruit Vegetables Potatoes”. Known locally as the “banana bunker”.

1990...After German Reunification, the building becomes the property of the federal government.

1992...Techno music and fetish parties mean that the bunker gains a reputation as the hardest club in the world.

1996... Art exhibition Files featuring Olafur Eliasson, Daniel Pflumm, Ugo Rondinone, and others.

2001... Nippon Development Corporation GmbH acquires the bunker.

2003... Christian Boros purchases the bunker to convert it to house his collection.

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He Xiangyu, Untitled (2017)... Bronze cast egg cartons, gold plated. 

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Rest of evening on own including dinner

Mogg

“Mogg is housed in an old red brick former Jewish girls school on Berlin’s August Strasse, designed by Alexander beers in 1927. The modernist stark exterior of the school come hospital is belied almost by the colorful art deco tiling in the communal areas. The building's appearance, combined with its long history makes this a cultural must-see in itself.

mogg was added to this eclectic mix in 2012 and quickly established itself as an institute on the Berlin culinary scene. the menu is speckled with home comfort staples such as matza ball soup and new york cheesecake (locally known as the best in town), which sits comfortably aside seasonal salads and of course, the home cured and smoked pastrami- for which the deli is famous.”

The shop interior.

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A very serious photo of myself with my Rueben sammo... Pastrami, swiss cheese, Russian dressing, pickled cabbage toasted on a half rye bread with a side of coleslaw and a pickle. 

Café Am Neuen See

I had to walk off my Rueben, I met up with some friends at this beer garden within Tiergarten. It’s a pretty spot worthing stopping by for some beer/wine.

The view of the large venue from the dock 

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Cuore De Vetro

We then journeyed over to this gelato shop that also seems to serve up many other wonderful things (baked goods, charcuterie, drinks). They are open until 11 PM, making it a great place to stop while out with friends. 

A view of the interior front. The space is really cool, with a nice seating area out front. 

WEDNESDAY

8:15 Meet to depart for group visit on public transport

9:00- 10:30 Group Visit: The Little Sun Project 

“The Little Sun Project is a Berlin-based socially and environmentally conscious initiative that was founded by artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen. Together, Eliasson and Ottesen designed a solar lamp that is sold to entrepreneurs in off-grid communities to work towards creating local businesses while also providing a source of sustainable and reliable light. “

Inside the Little Sun office.

Depart on foot for visit 11:00- 12:00 

Group Visit: Inken Behrmann, an activist from Ende Gelände Volkspark Friedrichshain We will have an informal talk about the work for ending the coal industry in Germany. 

“Ende Gelaende is a broad alliance of people from the anti-nuclear and anti-coal movements, the Rhineland and Lausitz climate camps and the Hambacher Forest anti-coal campaign. They are from grassroots climate action groups, large environmental organizations, left political groups and many other campaigns, groups, and networks. 

Ende Gelaende all share the belief that to stop climate change we need to take action ourselves, using civil disobedience as a powerful signal for real action to put our climate before profit.“

Time on own including lunch

Engelberg

“A visit at Engelberg is a great way to experience a proper German breakfast, which traditionally consists of sourdough bread and rolls served with of loads of charcuterie, cheeses, and spreads. The secret to Engelberg is simple: The crew sources the best goods from all over the country and serves it on a beautiful sidewalk patio.“

The sidewalk patio, it was a wonderful day and a wonderful visit. Everyones food was delicious, this place is most definitely worth the visit if nearby.

Farthest left (somewhat out of view): eggs with smoked ham, German rye, fresh tomato. Then we have gulasch with bread, spaetzle with ham, a boiled sausage with a pretzel and mustard, gulasch with spaetzle, salads. They also have a wonderful selection of drinks.

14:45 Meet at giant TV tower in Alexanderplatz for bike tour 

15:00- 18:00 Group Activity: Fat Tire Bike Tour

Our guide brought us to a number of different historical landmarks throughout Berlin. It was a better time than I had expected, it was a nice day for a bike ride. 

Humboldt University

One of the world’s most influential universities in the 19th and 20th century, linked to major breakthroughs in physics and other disciplines by its professors... such as Albert Einstein. It was the site of one of Nazi Germany’s largest book burnings, the Book Burning Memorial is now in the center of the pavilion.

Berlin Wall

Still standing portion, most of which was torn down in 1989. 

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

There are multiple interpretations to the memorial, as nothing explicitly suggests its purpose. There are 2,711 concrete slabs of different heights, laid upon the ground of different elevation. Walking further into the monument, one is surrounded by the granite slabs.

Brandenburg Gate

Altes Museum

Berlin Cathedral

18:15 Group Dinner Good Bank 

“We are the first vertical-farm-to-table-restaurant in the world.

We grow our own vegetables and salads – right before your eyes and for your culinary pleasure. In doing this, we transform unused urban areas into productive farms from which produce can be harvested and used fresh.

We avoid using any kinds of pesticides or genetically modified seeds and protect the environment by removing the need for long cold chains, transportation and packaging waste.

It doesn’t get fresher than this – and it’s a difference you can taste. Our salad leaves also contain more nutrients than those farmed using conventional agricultural methods.

Our vision is to produce all our food self-sufficiently – starting with the three self-grown lettuce and vegetable varieties we currently offer. Others are set to follow.

We hope to play a role in the development and promotion of an increased awareness of sustainability.”

This visit was a lot of fun and the food and drink were simple and delicious. We were served a pumpkin soup, a combination of different salads and bowls, and desert... along with wine, beer, or non-alcoholic tonics and juices. We were given a jar of local honey as a souvenir. 

Rest of evening on own 

Klunkerkranich

“It doesn't get much more Berlin than Klunkerkranich, a makeshift bar on the top floor of an abandoned parking garage in the middle of Neukölln. Equipped with one of the best views over the city and stocked with plenty off cold drinks and savory snacks, this place is one of the ultimate late night bars in Berlin. Stick around for its famous after-hour parties.”

This place was really cool and is definitely worth the visit when in Berlin, take the elevator inside the mall up to the fifth floor... follow the signs to this unusual oasis amongst the city.

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THURSDAY

8:15 Meet in the lobby to depart for the group visit 

9.00 – 11.30 Group Visit Agora Energiewende 

“In 2012, the European Climate Foundation and the Mercator Foundation founded Agora Energiewende to tackle the challenges posed by the energy transition. Its official mandate is to develop academically rigorous and politically feasible pathways for transforming energy systems toward clean energy in Germany and across the globe. Because its core funding comes from philanthropic organizations, Agora is fully autonomous, operating independently of business interests and political pressures. Within the framework of some international projects, Agora receives public funds in the form of grants.“

11:30 Lunch & time on own 

Azzam Restaurant

“Famous for extraordinarily tasty fatteh and hummus, the Palestinian owners of Azzam have created a true melting pot for hungry diners of all stripes to experience the cultural and culinary diversity of Neukölln.”

One of the many places brought up through immigration to Berlin. The space is a meeting place for locals and visitors alike, the place was packed... and the kitchen was booming as fresh ingredients were thrown together and tossed out on large plates of deliciousness. 

Gamäldegalerie

“The Gemäldegalerie boasts one of the world’s most important collections of European painting ranging from the 13th to 18th century. Masterpieces from all epochs in the history of art are on permanent display here, including paintings by Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel, Albrecht Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, and Jan Vermeer van Delft. The gallery is especially proud of its strong collection of German and Italian painting from the 13th to 16th century and painting from the Low Countries dating from the 15th to 17th century.“

Hieronymus Bosch ... Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony (1501)

Peter Paul Rubens ... Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter (1614)

Rembrandt ... Self-Portrait with Velvet Beret (1634)

One of Rembrandt’s etching, there was an entire exhibition on his own and his students etching. It is difficult to discern between his own and his student’s work.

Caravaggio ... Amor Vincit Omnia (Love Conquers All) (1602)

Titian ... Venus and Cupid (1549)

Raphael ... Madonna Colonna (1508)

Sandro Botticelli ... Portrait of a Young Woman (1480s)

18:30 Group Dinner

FRIDAY

9.15 Depart for the academic visit by public transport 

10:00 – 11:30 Group Visit: UfaFabrik: International Center for Community and Ecology Viktoriastr. 

“Internationally, the UfaFabrik enjoys considerable recognition as a leading demonstration in the areas of culture, community, and ecology. The UfaFabrik Berlin is a living example of the possibilities that exist for creating attractive, socially and ecologically just ways of living in a metropolis. 

We will discuss sustainable energy at the center and how community involvement has been crucial to the development of UfaFabrik Berlin. A site which had been a wasteland for over half a century. Along with friends, fans, activists, and neighbors, the group cleared away rubbish, built transportable organic vegetable plots and reaped the first fruits of their labor.”

From the green roof of one of the buildings, much of which contains solar panels. The energy is sold to the local community when there is a surplus and bought back when there is a shortage.

Walking along the path of the community. The buildings originally made as a film factory now house all sorts of things... a dojo, music studios, schools, a fire-oven bakery, and more. 

Depart for hotel by public transport 

14.00 Pick up luggage at hotel and depart for main train station by public transport 

15.06 Depart on train (EC 174) for Hamburg 

17.11 Arrive in Hamburg and switch to train to Copenhagen 

17.28 Depart Hamburg for Copenhagen (EC39) 

The sunset seen through the train window.

22.26 Arrive in Copenhagen 

I arrived to the energetic bustle of culture night in Copenhagen, its very unfortunate that we didn’t plan around culture night. It would have been worth it to come home early in order to be a part of this special night.

I was happy to be back in Copenhagen, I went home to make some oatmeal and went to bed.

[shwagginonyou]

Friday 06 Jan 17

it is currently 10:39pm, much later than when we passed out yesterday. honestly it was super needed tho. ended up sleeping for like almost 12 hours LOL 

today was really chill and relaxing day. spent the morning inside the apartment, ate some nice cereal, and did work. well jess did work while i mostly procrastinated, looked over my confusing schedule again, and finally began some lesson planning for my intro lesson haha. never actually had to work with an elementary school class outside of music, but since i’m scheduled to be with the 4th grade class everyday outside of my music classes, i might as well gain something out of it! which reminds me, the 4th teacher was SUPER nice and invited us to eat dinner with her on sunday night. honestly, that is like the nicest thing you can do for someone in a foreign country with no relations whatsoever hahaha..

around noontime, we went out to explore the town of velden, which we soon realized is quite tiny and all pretty much walking distance lol. we went closer to the lake area, checked out the “velden palace” which is basically another mad expensive renovated hotel from the 1600s (older than america lul), and tried to look for any restaurants that might be open on the holiday. it was nice seeing the residential area of the neighborhood too, very european and quaint, esp with the mountain and the lake around it. still not sure if i would live here forevz tho haha. we finally found a really really nice restaurant for lunch and i got some amazing pizzzaa. it’s not italy, but the pizza here is fo realz a lot better already. 

the restaurant was literally down the street from our apartment, so i already know we’ll be going there for many more meals haha. wasn’t too pricey either, esp for a resort town. after lunch, we just headed back to our rooms and stayed here for the rest of the day! doing what you may ask? spending 2387 billion hours booking all of our hostels for pretty much every trip we’ve planned so far. literally do not want to stare at another hostelworld website. after lots and lots of comparing and settling, we got our entire hostel expenses down to around $200 per person for our 2 big weeks of travel. which is REALLY really cheap considering we’re visiting some of the biggest cities in europe haha. basically we’re gonna live like hobos in all the cheapest hostels in dorm rooms that sleep up to 33 people... yay :0 (tbh i don’t think i would’ve picked all the cheapest options, but jess is more keen on saving money so i will learn to deal LOL)

so that pretty much took up the entirety of our afternoon and evening, but i’m honestly really glad we got all that taken care of before school even starts so we can focus on more important things and have plenty of time to research what we wanna do in those cities. next weekend is salzburg and munich! 

as for the rest of THIS weekend, we’re planning to hit up another grocery store tomorrow to buy more necessities we realized we lacked. a lot actually heh. and then spend the rest of the day taking the train into villach and see what they have to offer there. psa: dr. leonard went there!!! lol that’s it. but it’s technically the closest bigger city to us, even closer than klagenfurt. so hopefully we will find something worth seeing there. besides, we have literally nothing else to do :D

i really could just go on and on about useless things, so i think it’s better for me to stop here. i always end up missing home so much the first couple weeks out on a trip, so hopefully it will get easier as i get more used to this environment haha. i’m really such a wimp, even if i don’t show it >_> gonna try to take in as much sleep as i can this weekend, and be fully energized for our first week of student teaching starting mondayzzz. 

(ps. we learned more fun things about austrian culture, like not jaywalking and not overtipping at the restaurant LOL)

[masterpheonix]

Marc Angelo Coppola at collective evolution has the following : YOU! Yes YOU can travel the world for much cheaper than you think, and I (Marc Angelo) want to explain to you why all it really takes is a mindset shift. To explain this further, let me tell you a short story and dive into a few mindset shifts that will radically change your outlook and get you on the road sooner rather than later. The other day I was having a conversation with a very good friend of mine — Lynan Saperstein, the amazing entrepreneur behind The Big Factor and Trailblazers Retreat — about our upcoming journey to Costa Rica, and I brought up that I was super jealous she gets to hit the road and travel to different countries seemingly every month. It truly feels like every single time I talk to her or catch a glimpse of one of her Facebook statuses she is enjoying the scenery in Bali, sipping on some coffee and enjoying a sunset in Turkey, or cruising the streets of Austin, Texas. Her next stop? Costa Rica, and it turns out her free spirited attitude has me joining her (apply to join us) and many others really soon too – but I’m not here to share my travel plans so much as to share what clicked in my mind! In our last conversation Lynan said a few words that are still resonating with me long after the sound waves disappeared into obscurity… “It’s not nearly as expensive as you think! Anyone can do it and definitely you could too…” For a second I completely discounted it, saying things like “no no I can’t,” but then the reality hit me… Wait, yes I can, and better yet, YOU can too! I had to overcome some limiting beliefs that inadvertently crept into my psyche and might be in yours too! Rather than this being a blog about the specifics and costs of being a digital nomad from the travel perspective — I’d rather focus on the 3 crucial elements I feel any entrepreneur or “wantrepreneur” should consider in order to live a life on the road. Lifestyle Design False Commonly Held Limiting Belief: “Traveling the world is expensive.” Having been an entrepreneur now for close to a decade I must say I took on the role because I always dreamed of having my own ideal lifestyle. Like most, this first came out of understanding what I didn’t want! I didn’t want a boss. I didn’t want to drive in traffic. I didn’t want a cubicle or a 9 to 5. I didn’t want to have to do anything I didn’t personally choose to do. The truth is that figuring out what you don’t want to do is half the battle to discovering what you do. And then this hit me… I had an amazing revelation one day while on my first ever solo backpacking journey, traveling the Great Wall of China. I wrote out an impossible list… That day I fell ass backwards into what I would now term lifestyle design. I had made a list of things I DID want to do and have been chipping away at this list of challenges ever since. Surely you have felt this way before and, depending on your choices, have walked down this same path or plan on doing such “one day.“ Perhaps your dreams, like mine, include starting a charity, climbing to the top of Everest, or traveling to every continent on the planet. The truth is, these are ALL possible. The lifestyle we choose dictates our means. The truth when it comes to travelling is that you can hop around the world for likely no more expense than you currently pay in rent, groceries, utility bills, entertainment expenses, car payments, and gas — all the bills you “have” to pay because you need them all to get to and from “work.” This, however, is your CHOICE — not your duty. Don’t believe me? Calculate it. I dare you! Consider the average cost of living in your hometown and compare it to a one-way flight to the destination of your choice and a month of living there… Not all that different, huh? I did this exercise recently and totalled my monthly expenses here in Montreal to be close to $2,500 (not including my businesses expenses, but just the cost of living). could buy a plane ticket to Thailand, rent an entire home on AirBNB for a month with food, internet, AC, and everything I need, and be able to live steps from the beach, for pretty much the same price! DID YOU HEAR ME? YOU COULD DO THIS EVERY MONTH IN A NEW LOCATION AND LIVE FOR AS LITTLE AS YOU DO RIGHT NOW! Now you’re surely thinking: Okay, it may be as affordable as my current lifestyle, but how do I get paid on the road? Quick tip: Google “Travel Hacking”! You’re welcome. Offer Value – Stop Consuming It False Commonly Held Limiting Belief: “It’s hard to get paid while on the road.” As someone who has helped countless students via coaching and online classes, as well as answered more questions than I care to remember at Valhalla, what I can say is that people have HUGE limiting beliefs in terms of the way they perceive or “consume” the world. To be a successful digital nomad, you must be sustainable in all senses of the word! Sustainability is a lifestyle — not a product. A focus on “getting paid” or collecting rewards is the first mistake. The mentality of the truly wealthy follows the lines of “how can I help you?” versus the-ever-so common “how can you help me?” mindset. Wealth is found — exchanged really — from those who provide value and those who receive it. Our consumeristic mindset always has us thinking about taking first and this is exactly the wrong way to go about adopting the digital nomad lifestyle. Beyond the endless list of skills that can be jobs that you do on the road with nothing more than a laptop, camera, or internet connection, we must take an honest look in the mirror and ask ourselves how we truly want to serve others. There are SO many organizations, farms, start-ups, companies (including one of my own), and people looking for talent and help all around the planet, and if you are humble enough to lead with your value versus trying to make your way around the world purely as a commodity then you will find yourself in many gift scenarios. I personally have traveled way more due to having taken a moment to find someone who needed my help and was willing to reward me for my troubles than I ever have just saving up cash to hit the road and pay full price out of my pocket for everything. Your New Digital Nomad Lifestyle Belief: Offer value and create win-win scenarios, and recognize that money isn’t the only value you can use to EARN — not just pay — your way around the world. Quick Tipr workers — so are hotels, cruise ships, and all travel related industries, not to mention work exchange programs like WOOFing. New emerging platforms like NuMundo could be a great place to look as well. Quick Tiplling to sell their standby passes. I traveled from Montreal to Australia for less than 200 dollars and Montreal to Argentina for about the same price, too… BE CREATIVE! Less Is More False Commonly Held Limiting Belief: “I gotta see everything while I’m in the country!” As someone who travels 3 or 4 months out of every year (Montreal and Valhalla keep me at home, otherwise I’d be on the road), what I can tell you is that LESS IS MORE! Traveling is not about seeing every single landmark, nor truly about getting to any one particular spot or place, compared to what you shall learn on the journey getting there. A bucket list item being checked off is one thing, but there is truly nothing more expensive while travelling than doing the most touristic things in the most touristic places! You can save a bunch of money if you avoid the touristic hotspots and get yourself onto the less travelled path… Become a trailblazer and you will find life’s many riches, and they won’t be material in nature…ng that book you have been meaning to read while in transit, trying new foods, having light bulbs go off internally, and moving around less while truly exploring a town location more is 1000 times more fulfilling! Sometimes our travel dreams are affordable and it’s just a matter of changing our itinerary a little and recognizing the destination lies within. Quick Tip: Participate in group trips or travel with friends! Power is found in numbers and there are many ways to stay in amazing places and live amazing experiences you couldn’t afford alone. Shameless plug for Trailblazers Retreat: If you’re ready to blaze your own trail and want to learn more about the trip to Costa Rica, check it out here! Thanks for the inspiration Lynan, and to you, dear readers — I’d be SUPER happy to meet you there! from Northern Lights Initiative via IFTTT