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You're WHERE? Speaking WHAT?
After a superbly relaxed two weeks in Berlin (including a fantastic
birthday) I am enjoying sunny Brussels, Belgium. With three languages
(previous to the everpresent English) spoken consistently in every public
place, (French, German, Dutch) Randy explains that one should look for
clues..."check their hands for books and magazines in a particular language...Always
listen to the people around you to hear what they are speaking in..."
so that in the instant you find yourself drawn into a conversation,
you know with which language to begin.
Who's the man?
We are presently in Sibylle's office at the University. Randy seems
to have momentarily gotten bored of the work that he brought with him
to occupy his time while I 'netted and I can hear him snoring pleasantly
behind me. So...my present host seems to speak at least 4 languages
fluently (and appears to soak other like a dry sponge), is extraordinarily
humble, plays a MEAN game of shogi, can do my puzzle ring one-handed,
is (SLOWLY - my fault) teaching me guitar (in exchange for computer
lessons), let me assist in the preparation of some wonderfully delicious
meals, teaches English, French, and Guitar to make money, and has (although
I have yet to meet her) a wonderful wife. I feel quite lucky to be the
guest of such a great man and I think listening to him snore is a small
price to pay (actually he stopped just about half way through this paragraph).
I Did it!
Only a very few of you are likely to care at all, but I can now do my
puzzle ring "backwards", upside down, with one hand, and without looking
at it. It takes a bit, but I can DO IT! Let's hear it for useless skills.
Quite Zen, Randy expects me to eventually throw it in the air apart
and catch it solved in my hand effortlessly.
Your Move...
Randy has taught me Shogi and I've taught him Go. We've played a few
games of Tile Chess (Steve Jackson game) and a single game of Chess
(I successfully played for the draw once I saw I would lose). We have
also enjoyed a few games of Contract (I'm still undefeated!).
Off we Go...
Intentions are as follows: Randy and I will head from Brussels to London
via Eurostar Train on Friday morning. I'll spend the morning going,
"Ooh, London", then I'll head North up England's east coast to Durham,
to stay with Rachel's Family there. 2-3 days later I intend to catch
a flight over to Ireland and wander about a bit there, before catching
another back to the continent.
Ice it / Heat it... I dunno...it
hurts.
We went running for 1/2 hour yesterday morning...felt GREAT then, but
now I've an extremely unhappy right ankle. It had better heal up before
Ireland, where I expect to have to do a LOT of lugging my backpack around.
What to do, what to do...
So...Excedingly generous, my friend Brandon has offered to assist me
with lodging and job-search in the sunny South Bay area of Northern
California. I can't bring myself to presently take him up on this kind
offer as I want to try my head (& hand) at employment here abroad. I'm
quite of two minds in this area and have spent gobs of time and thought
weighing his offer against the exceedingly cordial invitation to remain
in Berlin with my new English friends, Rachel & Diane. The money is
of course going to run out soon so, please feel free to register your
votes by _Reply_. (chuckle)
I hope everyone is doing splendidly and I wish you all the best,
-Jason
JMGEUR 13.6.00 17h30
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