Wednesday, September 29, 2010

My New E-Class Benz

This week wasn't as eventful as the other weeks. Although we did have a trip to Stuttgart, Germany. We had the opportunity to visit the Mercedes Benz museum as well as visit the inner city of Stuttgart. The Benz museum was just how I expected it... A lot of cars and a lot of history on the cars. With the many car shows I've been too... It wasn't too too exciting. We had lunch at a pretty cool Swabian restaurant. I had this thing that reminded me of American macaroni and cheese. It was pretty good! We then got a souvenir from the restaurant... Throwing the pitcher of beer we ordered at Vinny and headed out the door as waiters and waitresses looked at us and chuckled at our obvious attempt at taking the pitcher. The trip back was long, but very entertaining. Vinny loved how he could enjoy beer on the trains. At one of our stops, we started singing German drinking songs and busting moves to the Macarena and electric slide, along with some other American hits. What a time... We ended up in a dangerous part of Strasbourg, Vinny and I ran over to the playground at an apartment complex, jumped the fence, and played on spring toys until our bus finally came, some half hour later.
In conclusion- the trips too and from Stuttgart were our entertainment on this long and rainy day.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Something New.... Hmm.. 40th anniversary parties?? I think so!!

<Cue 007 Theme>

So, I'll make this one shorter than the last. We went out to dinner like normal with the Big Boss Man and the gang. Normal night, or was it...? We had a normal french dinner of tarte flambee and some bread and wines. A nice dinner outing. It was about to get better...

Flashback!


Morning came. Far to early it seemed. "You've got to be kidding me," I say in disbelief as I listen to the yelling of men in the courtyard below and the cranes running, which woke me up far too early. Things need to change, I think to myself. I wake up and do my thing and walk to the balcony of our room. A gigantic tent had just been erected in a matter of hours. Lights were in place, a huge sound system was being tested... This'll be a good night... I slyly think to myself as I rush out the door to our first class...

Flash-forward!


View from the Chateau
We return to the Chateau, late, as we say people in designer suits and girls decked out in Prada and Gucci. I could have sworn Louis Vuitton was there as well. This party was off the hook! Music had been blasting down the road, light shows with lasors to build it up even more. I have got to get in...

Everyone, on the way back to the Chateau, had been joking around about crashing the party. So many comments filling the air about how funny it would be if someone did... How much they would be "The Man"...

Lasers... For real...


I had to get in...

I rush to my dorm room and grab my own designer suit bought from London, England and throw it on. I run to my mirror, do a quick pamper of the hair and face and run to the other rooms. "I'm going in guys, wish me luck!"

So that was it... It was now just the four body guards and two guest list checkpoints in my way to make it down into Chateau history. I act cool and collected as I got into line. Pushing near another group of people in front of me to look more in character. I only had a few seconds to come up with a name and story before someone came up to me and asked me, "Bonjour, comment appelez-vous? Souhaitez-vous champagne?"


"Um, oui merci. But, me french is, how you say? Very bad. Je suis Romanian. I am Svris."


"Ah, oui. Merci."


That's me in between the waiter in the white and a bodyguard of a couple in the grey.
I grab my champagne glass and walk forward. My heart is absolutely racing. The hardest part is yet to come...  


I walk forward as the group in front of me starts to chat with the bouncer. I take a couple steps forward with them and nod to the conversation, pretending I am with them. Eventually the bouncer smiles at us and waves us to the door.


Two more bouncers were at the door, guest lists in hand. I play it cool and look around. Please get distracted... I think to myself as I walk forward.


No luck...


"Name?" is said in a large angry voice. I look up and start to speak, but it was to the person to the right of me. Perfect. The bouncer turns around to grab something as I walk in with the group ahead of me. We walk towards a table to the left to sign in. Another guest list? I casually walk in and at the last second, spun to the right and entered the party. 


That's me standing tall facing inwards between the blue door way next to the bouncer.
I had done it. I was in! I had no problems once I was in. Free sandwiches and things on toothpicks. What the life. I had single handedly entered a three guest list party, super formal at the age of 18! The youngest "assistant CEO millionaire who was looking to create good ties with this 40th year business" was my story. 18 years old and a millionaire. Everyone who talked to me bought it. After a couple of drinks and sandwiches, I make my way to the door. Tipping the bouncers and winking at the lovely girls that had been eye balling me all night long at the tables.


The next James Bond, ladies and gentlemen.

The names Ronnie...

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Wait... What happened?




Tap, tap, tap... The keys on multiple keyboards in one room cry out. A swarm of these cries around the ears of the 4 or 5 people in Room 122 at the Chateau de Pourtales as homework is frantically being worked on before our deadlines just moments away. 

*POP* "New E-Mail from Dad"

I click on the Growl notification on the right side of my laptop and read the subject line to myself.

"Sizing..."

"They finally got back to me about shirt sizes," I thought to myself as I opened the message. I looked over the e-mail 2 or 3 times before turning around, eyes shifted, and forehead crinkled.

"What?" everyone in the room states in an almost harmonic tone. I tell them that I am thoroughly confused and read them aloud the email of which I had just received.

"Call we know about greece we need to help you
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry”

“Greece?” everyone says as they look at me with utter confusion and humor.

Beep!

Not even two minutes later, my iPod sounds off as I receive a text from a very good friend of mine.

“What the hell is going on Ronnie?!?! Are you okay??”

I repeat this to my friends and they look back at me and giggle a little. I ask her what she was talking about and she replies with the same Greece story that my parents told to me.

“Ronnie, call your mom. She is flipping out.”

I call my mom and she starts speaking at a million words a minute. Trying hard to keep up with her, I answer her 3,000 questions and look at my friends, all staring in my direction, as my computer speakers blare the voice of my mother down the halls of the Chateau.

“No mom, I have never been to Greece… No mom… I haven’t even left France yet for any trips on my own… Wait what?...”

My confusion comes to a pause.

“I was in an accident in Greece and I asked for $5000? Mom, I was never in Greece!”

‘Nanny said you called her and told her this about an hour or two ago,’

I reply to the numerous texts bombarding my phone as things slowly start to get figured out and come together. My mom’s voice slows as she starts to come to the realization that I am not anywhere near Athens and that I am completely safe from any harm.

“So you sure you are ok?” she tells me over my Skype call to her phone.

“Yes mom… But, can I still have that $5000?” I throw in just seconds before she starts to say her good byes.

“Are you kidding Ronnie? We just had a heart attack! Maybe if you were in Greece and…”

I cut her off.

“Will you pay for my ticket to Greece, so that I can be?” I reply with wit to lighten the mood.

I hang the phone up and turn to my friends as everyone bursts into laughter of disbelief and complete confusion.

Most confusing night ever.

Moral of the story? 



-Don’t go to Greece.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Overcoming Challenges




<Read in a 50's mystery story narrative voice> 

It was calm, windy night. The last night in Frankfurt, Germany. September 5th, 2010. The stars were out, shining oh so bright. Man, what a life! First year students traveling half way around the world, experiencing new cultures and a new way of life from another perspective.
 We hear cries from the street below, calling out… In English? Snooks rushes to our city side window, leaning out and yelling, “Yah Americans!” The room bursts into a gleeful laughter, as faces turn red and tears fall down. “Let us come up!” We hear from the streets below. As eyes dart from person to person, we stare at Snooks in suspense. “Our boyfriends are up here, sorry!” A sigh of relief overtakes us all at her comment. “We’ll be right up!” Panic rushes into our room. I get everyone organized and lead the girls into the bathroom, having them lock it from the inside. Slam! Slam! Slam! We hear on the doors as I stand up to keep everyone calm. 
       “Ronnie,” Tap, tap, tap… “Let me in,” I walk over to the door and open it. Low and behold… Two late 20-year-old men stand a little down the hallway, staring me down. “Hey! They’re in here!” and rush towards our room. I can feel the panicking people behind me in need of a leader. I step up… “You need to go downstairs,” they reply to me in words that I should not repeat here. They back up a step as I move a little bit closer to them to prove that I am not messing around. My adrenaline jumps, as my muscles tense, heart pounds, and veins shoot out of my skin. “You need to leave,” I tell them, never diverting my eyes from theirs. More backtalk comes from them; I can sense some fear in their voices as they start to shout swears down the hall, now pushed up against the elevator. After sometime of back and forth’s, my group mates pull me back into the room and tell me that it wasn’t worth it. I take a couple minutes to myself to cool down and check on the girls inside - safe. I smile at them, letting them know everything is all right.