Conn Coll Craziness

So...Rose, Amanda, and I and a few of the people we were with were in some bar in Prague at around 2 AM last Saturday night. There are these English guys at the next table. We start chatting with a few of them. One in particular starts talking to the three of us. He asks us where we're from, and where we go to school. We tell him that we go to a small college in Connecticut. He asks us more specifically where. When we tell him Connecticut College, he freaks out and tells us that when he was a student about 15 years ago at Oxford, he did his semester abroad at Conn and LOVED it. How fuckin nuts is that?? So we spent the rest of the evening with him as he reminisced about Conn. Just thought I'd share that with you guys because I think it's pretty neat. I'll see you all soon!

off to a good start

oh my lordy! I woke up to snow on the ground!! :) Just a thin layer, but snow none the less. I had to tell somone, and well a post seemed necessary.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Off to spend quality time with the extended family. Gotta love the Mandell craziness that will ensue.

I love you all!

Minties and Vegemite

Yep, thats what you will be snacking on when you come by my room next semester, because, while Vegemite is absolutely disgusting, minties are delicious... riiight. Anyways, i promised Alli that I would send a picture of a lovely new purchase to keep away the flies... honestly, it works like a freakin charm! I miss you all SO much, and im really looking forward to getting home, resting, and coming back for next semester. Jess, to be honest, i am so glad that you will be here next semester cuz a year would be just too goddamn long! Let the good times roll!

Love and hugs and videogames,

Seth

Ready Set...

It's noon here in Prague. Mollie's here chillaxin with me, Nick is showering a few rooms down, their friends are getting ready, Rose's train comes in in a few hours, and more of their friends come saturday... last night they almost got thrown into "foreign prison" by our doorman for not registering, but then we had a good late night feast at RADOST FX and now we're off so that they can enjoy the splendor of Prague in freezing weather, but we wanted to send our love!

Let the craziness ensue!

feta cheese + olives = appetizer?

Here is the deal, I have tons of studying/work to complete of the Chinese and organic chemistry nature (which is really no different than any other time of this semester), but I am so unmotivated to get into the swing of things, so I am posting. Not a freakin' clue what to say, being that my life has been fully consumed by orgo and Chinese. To be honest, despite all the stress and not socializing, there are moments when I am doing orgo and get really excited when I get a homework problem right, or in lab when the experiment goes my way or when I just totally grasp a concept--it is an amazing feeling and I love being an orgo dork. And, the other day Christina Comfort and I were asking orgo questions back and forth, and I started explaining one in Chinese, it was sooo creepy! Later in the day, I found a website that had orgo in Chinese, which also made me happy.

I started volunteering at Backus Hospital, which as of right now, entails me escorting patients to and fro various points in the hospital. I have my own volunteer badge and jacket! It is not as easy as it may look to push a person in a wheelchair (not that I have had any doorway bumpings or anything...). I work with a bunch of elderly women, who have made me want to go to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun to play the slots, darn me not being 21 for another 7 months! I really love that I am back doing community service, I feel less selfish, and being in the hospital has made me realize that I could see myself in that type of setting, or something of that nature. Which means I think I am finally happy with the path that I am taking, major wise, and well as much as I love art, it just a passion in which I will continue on the side. My 3D art class has been a good learning experience, though I have not been all that proud of any of my projects (don't worry Drew, I won't throw them away, and I will still show them to you), but I do hope to take a drawing class senior year.

Well, I think I have gotten all my unmotivated energy out and I am ready to buckle down, so I am signing off. Enjoy the last month or so abroad, can't wait until you all return, for I can only see craziness ensuing.

Peace and Love!

So i have some news for you all....

Guess what? You'll all be seeing me next semester. That's right, I'm not going abroad. After a lot of thinking (and i mean ALOT, i agonzied over this even before i handed in my application and after I got approved) I came to the decision that instead of going to Florence I'm going to stay at conn. I know that some of you may be thinking why? Well its as simple as this, I didnt want to leave. I know that sounds lame but I just realized that mentally, emotionally, and physically its too big of a step for me. Now it may sound like im chickening out or something but thats not really the case. I just finally feel comfortable in myself, am genuinely happy with who i am, and am enjoying college life. I dont want to leave that feeling so soon after finally achieving that. Don't worry, i'm not giving up on the idea of going abroad completely. Its just that three months is way too long for me to be away from my family and friends. So instead im going to do a summer program for a few weeks or maybe an internship in Florence or somewhere else in Italy. As much as i did want to go, I just dont want to leave just yet. so yea, just wanted to let you all know that i will be here when you get back next semester and i cant wait to see all of you and hear your amazing stories! Remember, this is a good thing, hehehe

It's officially November

When did that happen? Time is alternately flying by and dragging with each day and each new experience.
October was:
+ Craziness with friends in the Kolej
+ A trip to Krakow and Auschwitz and Birkenau
+ Actually having a few assignments for school
+ My parents coming to visit. Spending time with them in Prague. Travelling with them to Germany and then meeting my friends in...
+ ITALY! Italy was: amazing, gorgeous, a refreshing break from eastern europe with some good weather thrown in the mix, a lot of mishaps (most of which worked out fine), feeling closer to friends, amazing art (the originals!! how crazy?!), ridiculous architecture, so much history everywhere, gondola rides in Venice, shopping, climbing 400something stairs to the top of the Duomo, seeing the DAVID!, mass with the Pope, the Sistine Chapel, the Colloseum, lots of silliness and sarcasm, and our favorite part... fabulous food (and unforgettable meals).
+Eastern Europe forgot about Halloween! TESCO (the "hyper market") is decked out in Christmas lights already!

November:
+hopefully to budapest and vienna (or at least one of them), maybe to Serbia, because we have two free tickets one way, or maybe a Czech spa or a Slovakian hot water park.... so many plans, so little time!
+Mollie, Nick and Rose visiting one CRAZY weekend
+work, maybe? naaah!
+The Christmas markets in Prague!

December?

I hope all of you have been enjoying everything and having lots of fun. I'm scared shitless that December is nearing, because I don't know where the time went. But the thought of seeing you all is pretty damn exciting! Until then... keep posting and stay warm and dry in all this crazy weather!
love,
a