You know the classic jokes right? Those "there was a Welshman, a Mexican and an Ecuadorian...." jokes? Well it's actually happening! Tomorrow (well, technically today) I, along with my good friends Itzel and Simon, will be spending the next three weeks conquering Europe. From Rome to Rennes, with a couple of detours en route, the three of us are going to go sightseeing, try local cuisine, and probably make a fool of ourselves as we attempt the various native languages. And I'll be blogging it as often as I can get Wi-Fi for you guys to follow!
The (albeit still provisional) route is: Start at Rome. Go to Venice, then Milan, then travel through Switzerland to Munich in Germany. After a day of Bavarian fun, we will progress Sound of Music style into Austria (except we'll be on a train, not climbing every mountain, fording every stream...) to see Salzburg, and then Vienna. After that? Budapest, in Hungary (because we can!) and then Prague, Czech Republic (we may sneak in a stay at Bratislava, Slovakia too depending on timing.) After Prague it's back into ze Deutschland to check out Berlin, and then hang out with the Hamburgers.
After Hamburg? We begin the journey to our ultimate destination, crossing three Nordic lands and checking out the cities of Copenhagen and Stockholm, to reach our Finnish friends in Helsinki for a wintery weunion and appalling alliteration. After a cruise back (yes kids, a cruise!) to Stockholm, we begin our journey back to Rennes to start semester II, calling in on a little country called Belgium on the way (and maybe Luxembourg too, depending on the amount of time left).
So as you can see, it's going to be nuts! I've packed my bag and have no idea how I'm going to be able to keep packing and unpacking it! It's going to be three weeks of amazing experiences, epic sleep deprivation, hostels and the occasional train to get us everywhere. It is set to be the best January of my life, and I cannot think of a better way to continue the high with which Rennes finished 2011 off.
Yes guys 2012 is here, and while the Mayans believed we're all going to die on December 21st this year, it's only because they can't count beyond 2012. If those fuckers had gone to school, we wouldn't have this 'fear'. I put the word 'fear' in inverted commas of course, because the Hobbit film comes out a week before on the 14th, so we certainly won't miss that! Whew!
So bring on 2012! I don't know if you guys feel the same, but I really feel this is the year that will define me (probably as a complete loser but hey). Before I am once again confined within the bubble that is Warwick University this October, I aim to make the most of my exchange placement and summer, becoming fluent in French and hopefully gaining an internship this summer. So unsurprisingly, my New Year's Resolutions are:
1) Gain fluency in French. Become bilingual once and for all!
2) Make the most of my summer (internship/summer job/world domination)
3) Banish my beer belly from all existance! (Okay that one wasn't that obvious for me, and a little generic. But yeah, we got Wii Fit for Christmas, and I found out that I'm technically overweight. Thanks talking balance board for the ego boost...... you little c***).
What are your resolutions for the New Year? Why not comment below? (I'll set up proper blog tools for sharing ideas when I can be arsed). It's always a time to muse upon your life isn't it! If you think you won't achieve anything you set out to....DON'T! Make your goals realistic and achievable so that you can see 2012 as an important year in the development of your confidence or happiness or whatever! But give it a go! I did it last year (see a new country) and it worked! It made me want to seize the opportunity!
In fact, I'm going to add a fourth New Year's Resolution (nothing wrong with a few resolutions........okay I'm a perfectionist alright?!):
4) NEVER say the words "I'm bored". Boredom means you are wasting the precious waking moments of your life. Boredom means you are waiting for life to happen to you rather than going out and seizing the day yourself. Boredom means you don't want to see, learn, or try anything new, and that would make one's life REALLY boring!
Anyway, those are my goals for 2012. Also, I saw this picture last month and I'm going to show it here, because it shows the 'creed' that I want to live my life by from this year forward.
Yep, it's cheesy, and what I wrote tonight probably didn't make sense (or wasn't as short as I had hoped). But it's 2am, I'm getting up in 4 hours to start my three week adventure, and I don't give a shit!
But check out that poster. Hopefully it will inspire you like it has inspired me. Happy new year, and may 2012 bring you health and happiness!
Happy 2012! Next stop - Rome!
Half-asleep rant over
Ollie
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