Jump to content

Fulbright 2013-2014


Cyclone88

Recommended Posts

Argh, I know exactly what you mean. It really puts everything on hold.

 

Speaking of bikes, my little brother has been trying to convince me to ship my road bike to Germany with me. He is a hardcore biker, and got me into it, which is why he is trying to convince me. I think I finally convinced him it was not a good idea when I told him how difficult it can be manovering around airports and trainstations with a big, bulky suitcase.

I have to admit, it would be cool, but I think just buying a used bike somewhere would be a much better option. :/

 

Yeah we were talking about that morning.  We'll definitely want bikes if we move over there because we won't have a car, and it will be easier to get around.  But we'll probably just end up buying bikes there.  We don't want to take too much.

 

That is IF I get it.  Because I still don't know.  STILL.  DON'T.  KNOW.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for anyone who is still lurking, for those of us who are in similar regions of the world, I was thinking it might be cool to do a Fulbright couch surfing type deal. That way we could do more traveling. Say I want to go to Latvia and someone in Latvia wants to go to Germany, maybe we could put each other up for a  few days? Maybe people already do that already and I'm clueless. But it seems like an awesome way to get to know more Fulbrighters that we might not get the chance to ever meet, other than messaging on this board. It's also probably a bit premature and would depend a lot upon what type of housing we all find, but it's something to think about :P I personally would feel better couch surfing at another Fulbrighter's place than finding a random couch surf on the net. Seems like it would be a lot more hospitable than a Hostel, too.

 

I love this idea!  Hell, you guys can even couch surf at my place if you want to visit Chicago  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for anyone who is still lurking, for those of us who are in similar regions of the world, I was thinking it might be cool to do a Fulbright couch surfing type deal. That way we could do more traveling. Say I want to go to Latvia and someone in Latvia wants to go to Germany, maybe we could put each other up for a  few days? Maybe people already do that already and I'm clueless. But it seems like an awesome way to get to know more Fulbrighters that we might not get the chance to ever meet, other than messaging on this board. It's also probably a bit premature and would depend a lot upon what type of housing we all find, but it's something to think about :P I personally would feel better couch surfing at another Fulbrighter's place than finding a random couch surf on the net. Seems like it would be a lot more hospitable than a Hostel, too.

yessss I am an avid couch surfer!  ha...I guess I've sort of already invited myself to visit other fulbrighters, we should make a fb group if you're interested in being involved in that you could post like what country/city you wanna go to and if you're in that city and see someone posting abt you can get in touch with them...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for anyone who is still lurking, for those of us who are in similar regions of the world, I was thinking it might be cool to do a Fulbright couch surfing type deal. That way we could do more traveling. Say I want to go to Latvia and someone in Latvia wants to go to Germany, maybe we could put each other up for a few days? Maybe people already do that already and I'm clueless. But it seems like an awesome way to get to know more Fulbrighters that we might not get the chance to ever meet, other than messaging on this board. It's also probably a bit premature and would depend a lot upon what type of housing we all find, but it's something to think about :P I personally would feel better couch surfing at another Fulbrighter's place than finding a random couch surf on the net. Seems like it would be a lot more hospitable than a Hostel, too.

Yes!! This is a genius plan!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yessss I am an avid couch surfer!  ha...I guess I've sort of already invited myself to visit other fulbrighters, we should make a fb group if you're interested in being involved in that you could post like what country/city you wanna go to and if you're in that city and see someone posting abt you can get in touch with them...

YES! Exactly what I was thinking!! Saving money on traveling means MORE traveling. We'd get to build more of a Fulbright community, and our "Host" that we would be visiting could show us all the best places to eat and visit. So, win, win , win, as far as I see it!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love this idea!  Hell, you guys can even couch surf at my place if you want to visit Chicago  :)

Oooh man. I have really been wanting to visit Chicago. I have a hankering for an Italian beef sandwich and some deep dish!

 

Look at me, food is ALWAYS the first thing on my mind when visiting someplace. Good thing I started doing Zumba!! :P

 

Geez, you would think Latvia ETA's would hear SOON considering Latvian full grants already got their notice. I know in the past though, there has been as much as almost a month in between the time German full grants got their notification and the ETA's. I don't get it. X.x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for anyone who is still lurking, for those of us who are in similar regions of the world, I was thinking it might be cool to do a Fulbright couch surfing type deal. That way we could do more traveling. Say I want to go to Latvia and someone in Latvia wants to go to Germany, maybe we could put each other up for a  few days? Maybe people already do that already and I'm clueless. But it seems like an awesome way to get to know more Fulbrighters that we might not get the chance to ever meet, other than messaging on this board. It's also probably a bit premature and would depend a lot upon what type of housing we all find, but it's something to think about :P I personally would feel better couch surfing at another Fulbrighter's place than finding a random couch surf on the net. Seems like it would be a lot more hospitable than a Hostel, too.

 

Sounds like a great idea. Like you said, it would depend on the type of housing and all, but I'd be interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oooh man. I have really been wanting to visit Chicago. I have a hankering for an Italian beef sandwich and some deep dish!

 

Look at me, food is ALWAYS the first thing on my mind when visiting someplace. Good thing I started doing Zumba!! :P

haha, I'm the same exact way!! I spend my trips home (to chicago) eating like 5 meals a day just to fit in all my favorite restaurants...and Teddy's Red Hots' Italian Beef is ALWAYS on the list!! mmmmmmmmm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

haha, I'm the same exact way!! I spend my trips home (to chicago) eating like 5 meals a day just to fit in all my favorite restaurants...and Teddy's Red Hots' Italian Beef is ALWAYS on the list!! mmmmmmmmm

I'm the same way, too!  I went on a European backpacking trip a couple years ago.  I thought I would lose weight because I was constantly walking with a giant backpack.  Nope!  I actually ended up busting out of a pair of jeans!  They literally ripped at my thigh.  Too many cones of french fries with mayo and chocolate croissants.  Well worth it though :)

 

I'm vegetarian, so I've never tried the Italian beef anywhere, but there are a few places with veggies dogs that I am CRAZY about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm the same way, too!  I went on a European backpacking trip a couple years ago.  I thought I would lose weight because I was constantly walking with a giant backpack.  Nope!  I actually ended up busting out of a pair of jeans!  They literally ripped at my thigh.  Too many cones of french fries with mayo and chocolate croissants.  Well worth it though :)

 

I'm vegetarian, so I've never tried the Italian beef anywhere, but there are a few places with veggies dogs that I am CRAZY about.

ooooh I was a veg head for 3 years, ever been to top dog in berkeley??? BEST veggie dog ever!!! there's a vegetarian restaurant...well actually a vegan restaurant I think it's called the Chicago Diner? everything was SO delicious, I got the veggie reuben and it was amazing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

haha, I'm the same exact way!! I spend my trips home (to chicago) eating like 5 meals a day just to fit in all my favorite restaurants...and Teddy's Red Hots' Italian Beef is ALWAYS on the list!! mmmmmmmmm

 

I'm the same way, too!  I went on a European backpacking trip a couple years ago.  I thought I would lose weight because I was constantly walking with a giant backpack.  Nope!  I actually ended up busting out of a pair of jeans!  They literally ripped at my thigh.  Too many cones of french fries with mayo and chocolate croissants.  Well worth it though :)

 

I'm vegetarian, so I've never tried the Italian beef anywhere, but there are a few places with veggies dogs that I am CRAZY about.

Baahahaha, you guys rock! You're making me feel better! I plan on eating my weight in gelato and Spaghetti Eis while in Germany. And lots of Kinder Happy Hippos, and reiber knodle, and pretzels. Oh man. It's going to be amazing. Hopefully I won't rip any jeans, but I gott say, that is IMPRESSIVE!! I ripped the crotch/thigh out of some jeans, though, trying to mount a horse in front of a group of kids.. that wasn't fun!

 

I was watching Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives the other day and the went to a famous Italian beef place in Chicago. I don't remember where it was, but OH MAN, have I been wanting to go there!! That show is like crack!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ooooh I was a veg head for 3 years, ever been to top dog in berkeley??? BEST veggie dog ever!!! there's a vegetarian restaurant...well actually a vegan restaurant I think it's called the Chicago Diner? everything was SO delicious, I got the veggie reuben and it was amazing!

Yes!  Chicago Diner is vegan and it is excellent!!!

I have only been to Berkeley once and did not know about Top Dog.  I guess I will have to go back!  I've heard there is a place in Chicago with a veggie corndog, but I haven't tried that either.  Definitely on my to-do list!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Baahahaha, you guys rock! You're making me feel better! I plan on eating my weight in gelato and Spaghetti Eis while in Germany. And lots of Kinder Happy Hippos, and reiber knodle, and pretzels. Oh man. It's going to be amazing. Hopefully I won't rip any jeans, but I gott say, that is IMPRESSIVE!! I ripped the crotch/thigh out of some jeans, though, trying to mount a horse in front of a group of kids.. that wasn't fun!

 

I was watching Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives the other day and the went to a famous Italian beef place in Chicago. I don't remember where it was, but OH MAN, have I been wanting to go there!! That show is like crack!!!

My favorite German food is spatzel!  Oh, and bienenstich...yum!!

 

Edit: I just googled "Kinder Happy Hippos"—amazing!

Edited by nfnsprite
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 more weeks until they MUST give me a decision!

Let the countdown begin...

Again...

Hopefully today or at least this week! zhaskin pointed out that we should all know by the 15th of May... It sounds like forever away but at least there is a potential end within the relatively near future... Ugh! I'm sorry you're still waiting - this timing is ridiculous...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm the same way, too! I went on a European backpacking trip a couple years ago. I thought I would lose weight because I was constantly walking with a giant backpack. Nope! I actually ended up busting out of a pair of jeans! They literally ripped at my thigh. Too many cones of french fries with mayo and chocolate croissants. Well worth it though :)

I'm vegetarian, so I've never tried the Italian beef anywhere, but there are a few places with veggies dogs that I am CRAZY about.

Oh man - I'm vegetarian too... I may have to start eating meat during my trip because there is very little Dominican food that doesn't contain meat or fish. Plus, I don't want to be the high maintenance a-hole who refusues everyone's cooking. I feel like it would be different being vegetarian in Europe because there's likely more people who don't eat meat and therefore you wouldn't come off as being offensive when you tell people you can't eat certain things. In the DR people just think you're crazy and/or a weirdo!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh man - I'm vegetarian too... I may have to start eating meat during my trip because there is very little Dominican food that doesn't contain meat or fish. Plus, I don't want to be the high maintenance a-hole who refusues everyone's cooking. I feel like it would be different being vegetarian in Europe because there's likely more people who don't eat meat and therefore you wouldn't come off as being offensive when you tell people you can't eat certain things. In the DR people just think you're crazy and/or a weirdo!

that's actually why I started eating meat again...being in Europe and having people cook for me and not wanting to sound like a douche...also, it helps get into the culture more, experience what they eat on a daily basis... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that's actually why I started eating meat again...being in Europe and having people cook for me and not wanting to sound like a douche...also, it helps get into the culture more, experience what they eat on a daily basis... :)

Yeah I haven't decided how I will handle that, yet, if I get it.  Europe is definitely more veggie friendly than the Dominican will be.  But I also want to experience local food and culture.  I don't even know what they eat in Switzerland!  Just chocolate and cheese?!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I haven't decided how I will handle that, yet, if I get it. Europe is definitely more veggie friendly than the Dominican will be. But I also want to experience local food and culture. I don't even know what they eat in Switzerland! Just chocolate and cheese?!

I feel like sticking to chocolate and cheese is totally justifiable if you're going to be living in Switzerland. Local people will understand - they know it's delicious too :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for anyone who is still lurking, for those of us who are in similar regions of the world, I was thinking it might be cool to do a Fulbright couch surfing type deal. That way we could do more traveling. Say I want to go to Latvia and someone in Latvia wants to go to Germany, maybe we could put each other up for a  few days? Maybe people already do that already and I'm clueless. But it seems like an awesome way to get to know more Fulbrighters that we might not get the chance to ever meet, other than messaging on this board. It's also probably a bit premature and would depend a lot upon what type of housing we all find, but it's something to think about :P I personally would feel better couch surfing at another Fulbrighter's place than finding a random couch surf on the net. Seems like it would be a lot more hospitable than a Hostel, too.

 

Totally agree :) 

 

(People wanting to come to Germany will be in so much luck...there are so many places/couches to choose from!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  Just chocolate and cheese?!

Sounds good to me!!!

 

Bahhahaha. That reminds me of a funny story..

 

I honestly can't remember if this was in Switzerland or Austria, but it was one of the two.

My uncle took my cousins on I on European trips when we graduated highschool - one of the most memorable experiences I've ever had. My sister and my cousin who is a few months older than my sister went when they graduated, and then a few years later when I graduated, he brought my 16 year old cousin along, too. He was a hoot.

 

Anyway, so there the three of us are, sitting outside at a cafe in either Switzerland or Austria, extremely stoked for the meal we were about to be served - a full course fondue experience. YUMYUMYUM. So we are just sitting there, at these nice little collapsable bistro tables, made so that they could be folded and stored inside the shop when they closed. Yeah, I'm sure you know where this is going.  So, here comes our server with trays laden with food, meats, breads, veggies, and the cheeses and oil to cook the meat in. The waiter sits our food down on the table - and it promptly collapses under the weight of all that food. We sit there in shock as mushrooms and bread chunks go scattering across the cobblestone street, as people stop to stare. Then the waiter looks at me, ( I had my legs crossed under the table) and says that I kicked the latch on the bistro table that kept it stable which was why it had collapsed. I'm kind of just like... Uhhhhhh... what?? I nearly had boiling oil in my lap and you are just gonna blame it on me?!

The ended up bringing out more food a good 30 minutes later, I'm not really sure if they charged us twice or not, but I wouldn't put it past them, being Europe and all. We still have a good laugh about that to this day!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyway, so there the three of us are, sitting outside at a cafe in either Switzerland or Austria, extremely stoked for the meal we were about to be served - a full course fondue experience. YUMYUMYUM. So we are just sitting there, at these nice little collapsable bistro tables, made so that they could be folded and stored inside the shop when they closed. Yeah, I'm sure you know where this is going.  So, here comes our server with trays laden with food, meats, breads, veggies, and the cheeses and oil to cook the meat in. The waiter sits our food down on the table - and it promptly collapses under the weight of all that food. We sit there in shock as mushrooms and bread chunks go scattering across the cobblestone street, as people stop to stare. Then the waiter looks at me, ( I had my legs crossed under the table) and says that I kicked the latch on the bistro table that kept it stable which was why it had collapsed. I'm kind of just like... Uhhhhhh... what?? I nearly had boiling oil in my lap and you are just gonna blame it on me?!

The ended up bringing out more food a good 30 minutes later, I'm not really sure if they charged us twice or not, but I wouldn't put it past them, being Europe and all. We still have a good laugh about that to this day!!

THAT. IS. AWESOME!!!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THAT. IS. AWESOME!!!!!!!

bahahah. okay. Now I'm gonna tell you another.

 

I sometimes have a poor filter, and when I'm tired, it's even worse. I can speak pretty impulsively, which sometimes gets me into trouble.

So this is another story about that trip with my uncle. When we arrived in Germany, my cousin's and my luggage was been lost. It was eventually recovered, but for the first couple of days, we had nothing. Why we didn't just buy a few things, I'll never understand, but instead we just borrowed a few things from my uncle. This was pretty much okay for my cousin(male), but for me?? Yeah.. So on this one day we were going to Neuschwanstein. I was experiencing jetlag quite badly that day, and my brain was about three steps behind. So my filter was worse than normal. You have to climb a hill up to Neuschwanstein, but it was raining, so my cousin and I grabbed a ride on a carriage to get out of the rain. We happened to share the ride with a group of American college students. My cousin and I happily chatted with them, as we hadn't encountered anyone from the States for a bit. We swapped airport horror stories, and I told them that we had lost our luggage. I then went on to tell them that I had to borrow clothes from my uncle - underwear included. At about the time I finished that sentence my brain caught up to my mouth and I though, "Dear god, I just met these people, why am I telling them this?!" I guess I thought it was funny (well, it is), but the uncomfortable looks on their faces told me that maybe that was sharing a bit much with people I had jut met. For the rest of the trip, my cousin and my uncle kept teasing me that they were going to have to "hold me back" from new people because I would scare them off by telling them I was wearing men's  underwear.....

 

LOL. And now I told a bunch of internet strangers as well.

Edited by there'sanappforthat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love this idea!  Hell, you guys can even couch surf at my place if you want to visit Chicago  :)

 

I'm in Chicago too. It would be awesome to meet with a group of Fulbright applicants in the area. I'd love to hear about other projects, and also take my mind off of waiting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I haven't decided how I will handle that, yet, if I get it.  Europe is definitely more veggie friendly than the Dominican will be.  But I also want to experience local food and culture.  I don't even know what they eat in Switzerland!  Just chocolate and cheese?!

 

That's what I'm thinking. The most I remember from my research is that losing weight would not be easy in Switzerland. They do eat pretty hardy foods, lots of dairy, beef, etc. Another strange thing about the Swiss is that they turn off their cars when idling at a stoplight.  I thought it was weird at first, but I was also sitting on a corner outside a cafe, and getting annoyed with this paramedic truck that was just sitting there and idling while the guy went inside for a coffee, because I could smell the exhaust. I thought of the Swiss and how they turn off their cars at stop lights, and now I think it's pretty considerate to the air quality of fellow country-men. It's not the norm to expect clean and clear air in a city in America, but with summer starting, I'm missing the crisp air of the winter already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's what I'm thinking. The most I remember from my research is that losing weight would not be easy in Switzerland. They do eat pretty hardy foods, lots of dairy, beef, etc. Another strange thing about the Swiss is that they turn off their cars when idling at a stoplight. I thought it was weird at first, but I was also sitting on a corner outside a cafe, and getting annoyed with this paramedic truck that was just sitting there and idling while the guy went inside for a coffee, because I could smell the exhaust. I thought of

the Swiss and how they turn off their cars at stop lights, and now I think it's pretty considerate to the air quality of fellow country-men. It's not the norm to expect clean and clear air in a city in America, but with summer starting, I'm missing the crisp air of the winter already.

Somebody once told me that Germans do that (don't know if it's actually true or not) and I though it was awesome! I totally do that now too - I'm sure people think it's weird but that's ok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use