Snowy Update Soon

I haven't been doing anything TOO interesting recently. Well, it was great for me, but not something i could really take pictures of. Yesterday, I had a back pack full of books. for reading.

i also met my next host family. I cant help but feel a skepticism from them, and that is alright. i will show them otherwise, but at one point the conversation turned to my councelor and his obvious contempt for Americans. Which now makes me feel awful and small.

but there are some pictures coming, i just need some time.

Cologne is in Germany?

well that means i could go!


so here we have, left to right, jay, andres, kostya, and simon.

this is carnival folks. i dont think i have ever seen so many people. i dont even know what it is they are celebrating, and i bet, they do not know either.


maybe its something to do with fasting and ash wednesday, but, ironically the cathedral was shut up, closed up tight tight tight.


i dont believe i have ever seen anything so huge. really, you cant imagine.

on monday was the big parade. it lasted for maybe 6 or 7 hours, and i couldnt even stay for the whole thing. though there were angry drunk people,
for the most part, everyone is just so happy.


the floats were enormous, and they would throw candy and flowers to everyone. and then everyone would desperately try to collect them off the ground. there were some blood-lust mothers there, doing everything they could to make their kids temporarily happy. there was music and though i got separated from my friends, i hung out with some more relaxed ladies, and we shared some drinks. (not pictured)





surprisingly, there was absolutely no breasts or debasing of woman. these stickers were everywhere.


i used the train system to get there, and i must applaud the train system in germany. actually, the whole public transportation system. it is so convenient and overall, impressively punctual and reliable, though i dont think anyone gets shot if the trains are late, mussolini.


i went to visit Jay Jamison, who skied with me, remember?



hahaha. "if this was in america, shit would go down," says jay.

at the train station:


this guy was not on stilts. on the contrary, was in yellow rubber boots.


capitalism and private enterprise:


in germany, you can do this, i promise.


and on the nice quiet ride home, i saw this, and i cant wait to see it again.


and here is my collected stash. it was a halloween that i didnt have this year, i suppose. bad quality, but most of this candy is made only for this particular weekend, and that is cool.

basically, it was great and i want to live in cologne, and i hate being back here at school.

kostya.

Some Photos for you

I am a conceited person.







Those are from school. I usually go sit outside in the middle of the school during breaks.

When was the last time YOU had themed sheets?? I found these in the closet.



waiting...


for him:


Im going away this weekend. I will post my adventures next week. Undoubtedly from school. ahaha.

Have a great day. I am doing my best.

kostya.

Pictures next week

from Colgone, Germany.

going to Mardi Gras, basically.

kostya.

im 18, plz.

A little look at a typical week

And i would actually say, that though this week was fun, it was not really extra ordinary. i had never thought about that... it probably looks to you like i am having a really great time. indeed, the weeks do go by with a greater rapidity.

Here are the rotary exchange kids in Bensheim. Well, the guy on the very left is gone. His year ended this past saturday, because he is from Brazil, so he came last Winter. The girl is from mexico, Karla. She likes to travel and talks a lot. I dont really have to listen, though, and all she requires is an Uh-huh or OK once in a while.

The blonde boy is insane. No one really understands him and he feels like people are intimidated by him. he has a very intense workout schedule throughout the week, and compared to most german guys, is pretty fit. And on the far right is Win from Thailand. I would say he is one of the nicest people i have met in Germany. that goes to show, eh?

this is just a good picture. This guys name is Sven, and he likes Drama, and basically nothing else. i like him a lot. This is at the bar where all young people in Bensheim go. pretty fun atmosphere every weekend.



AHHHH!

Julian, my host brother, and I broke a glass "that cant be found anywhere anymore" and so we ate it with mischevious indignation.


Here is what the weather is like ALL THE TIME. and what my street looks like everyday.


OH last wednesday i went with my host aunt to Darmstadt. She had to go shopping and i took a walk around. It was a very nice feeling for some reason, to be alone in this city, where there were so many people, and students and i just thought, "I love being in cities." I think Darm means intestine. so i was in intestine town.


Backs! hot and fresh directly to you!


The direct center of Darmstadt.


Yes, it was definately worth 1 euro. The overwelming masses agree that i look french in this photo.


My german class and I went to see a play in Frankfurt. Here we are following the teacher to get to the play. Of course, all of the boys (excluding me) had back packs full of beer with them. the culture differences are incredible...


The play:


Watching:


and the climax. Literally? Figuratively? what does he mean?


Using Ben's teacher motif for a second, i will ask if you remembered that Frankfurt is the Bank Capital of Germany, if not Europe.
Obvious Symbolism:


Well, i think that does it for a while. the next exciting things are a possible trip to Cologne for Carnival. Then we got February, and Middle March i am leaving for Le Tour de Europe. and will be inactive for an undisclosed amount of time.

but maybe i will just keep taking pictures of my very lazy and definately enjoyable life here in germany.

Let there be marches in the streets, oh Captin my guide!

The City of Frankfurt

Karla is a Mexican exchange student here in bensheim. Also a part of Rotary, though i will say a more optimistic one. To be frank, like all girls i would never fall in love with, she refuses to have her picture taken. So i cant PROVE to you i didnt go to Frankfurt alone, but i did go with someone else.


the old opera house. opera houses always look small. i would say that opera houses are the smallest attractions in big cities. they just look tiny compared to other buildings one would visit and admire.


I will never throw away these shoes.

Do you guys know who Goethe is? The famous 18th century german writer, accompishing, amoung other things, the poem-novel Faust. Well here is his house and i was inside. He had a lot of clocks, and grew up here, and so, was a priviledged and aristocratic writer, and so, i cant really understand what was so interesting and astounding about him. his friend Schiller, i would say, would be more rewarding to read.



AHHH i dont even think Dr. Seitz reads these anymore, but here is another photo for him. The site of the Congress that resulted from the Revolution of 1848 in Germany (though there were revolutions all over Europe that year)


And now everyone will think, "ahh those german houses!" yes, here are those german buildings. half-timber houses. this is in the main square in Frankfurt, and I felt really good standing in this area. its just so nice.


A view of Frankfurt. on the right is the old city, and there you can see the sky scrapers and New Buildings that were possible because of the total destruction of this city in the second world war.


This was the second time in a row that the NUTELLA RESTAURANT was closed. I came here in december and it was also closed. disappointment for all.


The city hall. Still adourned with the Christmas Tree. Shitty compared to Rockefellar Center.


This fine individual played Country Roads. I gave him 10 cents and remembered for the 100th time that John Denver is dead.


Oh yes, here is a picture of Karla. This photo shows how we were "running" to catch our evening train home. It was a good day, although, of course, as everything here, had depressing attributes.


Soon, i will put up a myriad of photos from this week and possibly next week.

What would our chairs look like if our knees bent the other way?

New Years, man.

Before i begin, let me just say that new years here kicked ass. i cant begin, even, to really explain to you how much fun i had ushering in the new year. for my friends, this was another boring new years in bensheim, but for an exchange student, it was by far, the best night here.

and so the oceans turned.

i began by setting out alone into town, with a heavy packpack and my brand new hat. i didnt know what i was going to do yet, as no one had called me, but in town, i received a text message from Julian and was told to meet him in 45 minutes. for those 45 minutes, i went around trying to take pictures of fireworks, because see, the thing here with new years is lots of fireworks.



finally i ran into a HUGE group of kids from school, interlaced with friends of mine. we stood around waiting, and some kids began already.

here is Sven, holding tourches that, they claimed, were bought with money that went to the flood victims.


the kids instantly started blowing things up and here is a picture of people running away from a rather large firecracker.



shortly before 12, the rally cry was called and we made our way to the parking garage. i didnt know why exactly at first, and we all just stood around. it was a relatively warm evening, as well.



i didnt take pictures of the show, but i took videos. it was so great. people yelling at 12 or rather, 0:00, and for 15 minutes, bottle rockets up all over the city and we could see it. little explosions surrounded us as we yooped and hollared and did things that mothers fear.


this is Julian and me. notice, the hat.

after the public show died down, us boys stayed around and played with the fire works.


fleeing from the scene.


Henning on the left, and "yo-yo" on the right. making our way along the main street, sulfurous smoke everywhere.

i stayed with henning for a while, but we separated and i made my way in the direction of home with some other kids. parties ended and we were stuck on the street, until someone decided to climb the mountain, and we spent the first early morning of 2005 looking over the city at night.



i was a happy kid, as Julian and I walked slowly home.

next, my trip to Frankfurt with Karla, the Mexican exchange student.

until then!

kostya.