guten tag.

so my flight to Berlin ended up being a flight to Hanover on what i assume to be a toy plane, then a train ride to Berlin.

Original plan:
.Do not miss my flight

New Plan:
.Fly to Hanover because booking another flight to Berlin would have been 380 euros.
.Take a train to Berlin

i knew nothing about Hanover but was told that it is 156 miles from Berlin.


















so i make it to Hanover, spend 30 minutes there, then got a train ticket to Berlin. this is 120 euros later, and i am not pleased with myself. but i was in Germany! and i had a bratwurst that was delicious.

FYI: i am not a vegetarian in Europe. i had many sausage delights. many equals 6. i also had Blutwurst (blood sausage) with sauerkraut. also, schnitzel. all amazing. oh yes. and beer of course.














i made it to EastSeven Berlin Hostel 5 hours later than i was suppose to. but it is a great hostel, i met some people there, and we all collectively decided to go out. there was more than 10 of us easily. and we somehow ended up at a goth club. we decide that there may be something else for us besides the "last cathedral". we left, the drunk boys almost got into a fight with goth boys, we wandered, rode the underground.

Underground in Berlin: basically free. i did not buy one ticket all weekend. and it's open 24 hours on the weekend.















then i saw some sights.

Highlights:
.remains of the Berlin Wall (first picture)
.Holocaust Memorial (third picture)
.Currywurst (bratwurst with curry sauce)
.free underground
.little green man with a hat (sixth picture)
.cigarettes can be purchased from a vending machine (seventh picture)
.Sunday flea markets
.hip hop club i had no business being at, but had fun, and saw a man or, "the man", wearing a city of Compton shirt (video below)

oh Canada.

so this weekend. my friend Pete and i wanted to get out and check out an indie-dance club, so we attempted to find it Friday night. we followed his map, and directions given to him by someone, but we were still pretty clueless. so we get to a corner where there was a group of people, and in his broken French, ask if they know where this "pop in" may be. it turns out that they are from Canada, and speak English. we get to talking, and they are from Toronto, though they mainly met here in France. they also befriended another person from Paris that night. Pete and i decide to give up on the club and hang out with our new friends. good people they are. i met up with them last night at a small bar because there was a free dj show. Andrew, one amongst the group, got the opportunity to put on a small show himself.

this is the way i live. in Paris.

this is my room plus the things i have accumulated since being here. yes, i am being spoiled right now. my host mother does my laundry, i have internet, i can call to the States for free, and she cooks for me if i make it home in time.

this modern art museum by day and warehouse party by night place is in the red light district. it is an amazing concept. there is art on the walls, anyone can get in so there is a wonderful mix of people, beer for 1.50 euro from a keg, and there is an in house DJ.

i forgot to mention the great flea market in Brussels. it's a daily flea market in the morning, and has such an interesting selection of things. i am a little embarassed to say i did not bargain for the "asian girl" magazine. or the man. i initially purchased a record and an instrument for 7 euros.


























little did i know that after the vendors pack up their things, there are still a good amount of treasures. FOR FREE. i mean, treasures are in the eye of the beholder, but my eye was satisfied. 2 beers later, we ran around to different trash piles, and started to fill a bag full of things. this bag of nonsense included:
.various books in various languages
.a skirt, kimono, and scarf
.vase
.tin box
.slides
.a diploma
.picture of a man
.wall hanging
.cheap trick sleeve, but no disc
.dance record
.monopoly money

asian new year

my new year was last week, and it was a delightful one. the best part came later when i was wandering aimlessly around Paris and happened to discover a parade, an asian one of course. coincidence, i think not.

i miss these people.

oh. amis. AIFS

name: Braffman, Adam
age: 21
sex: Jew
location: 15th arrondissement
star quality: has what we all want, because his bag is always full.



















name: Johnson, Alix
age: 20
sex: Swed/Chink
location: 15 arrondissement
star quality: romance languages. pastries. she loves them. actually, she loves anything with sugar.














name: Masi, Brian
age: 20
sex: Chimay
location: 16th arrondissement
star quality: eats lettuce by the head. loves beer. runs swiftly. man of pom pooms.