Tag Team

Josh got a new DVD

Josh got The Best of Bobby Brown DVD & we watched it

hello aliens

Gmail - HitotheAliensW.jpg

Nasty Norwegian Dinner Party

I'm set for the Nasty Norwegian Dinner Party:
- Norwegian Vodka. Check
- Fish in a tube. Check
- Shrimp in a tube. Check
- Caviar in a tube. Check
- Bacon in a tube. Check
- Sardines in mustard. Check
- White fish pudding. Check
- Crackers. Check
- Salty licorice candies. Check

I have to bake bread and find Norwegian beer and it will be complete. You'll only survive this dinner if your stomach is viking tough.

Luggage Update

So my bag finally made it to Orlando. The problem was that my bag was only checked through to Paris, even though I'd asked her to check it through to Orlando and I had confirmed others along the way that my bag was indeed on my flight to New York.

Well I got it back and everything inside was wet. I got really scared because I though it was wine or oil but it wasn't. It was water. And things had been wet for a couple of days because it smelled a little but not too bad. After some sleuthing I realized that the bag had gotten so wet on the outside that the clothes on the inside were soaked. I guess they just let it sit out in the rain for a couple of hours. a couple of things are a bit rusty from the water plus there's a dent in part of the handle shaft so it doesn't work anymore. Thanks Delta.

All of my fish products made it (thankfully). I dreaded the thought of opening the bag to a barf-like buffet of mackerel bits, sardines in mustard, fish pudding, and shrimp paste lining the inside of the suitcase. I think there was a happy hippo casualty, though.

Found Wallet

So I lost my wallet while in Italy. It fell out of my pocket one night while biking through Treviso. Well the cops came to the house here in Orlando and gave Corey the phone number for this man named Maurizio in Italy. Valeria tried for a long time to get in touch with him and finally talked to him...

but I think he's a little bit out of his mind, he thinks he's a secret agent! Allora I told him that now ur in America and so you rely on me for this blessed wallet cos u dont speak Italian and you are there. He said that he called the American Express and an other society of credit cards, he called the bank, he called your house, he called American police, he called an other department, he called Italian police (and I was already thinking he was really struggling for you) and THEN he said that HE CALLED 23 HOTELS to look for you! ahah but you were with a family
Oh my god Im laughing so much!
and while I was talking to him I was thinking how much he spent for all these calls! Especially to America!
Then he asked me while the one who was calling was me and I told him again that you are there and you don't speak Italian and he said " why was he here?..if I'm not indiscreet.."!!
So I told him about SUMMER CAMPS! and when I said I live in Sanremo he has exclaimed:
"che caso complesso!"
"what a complex case!"
but in the end I haven't understood if he trusts me, I mean, at the beginning he had several doubts about this call, he asked me why I was calling 10 times!
Anyway this man is great,he's the man!
let me know what happens cos we said "ci sentiamo" to each other!
I asked if Italian police can send it to you but he thinks it could be a problem cos you didn't denounce the loss, che palle he can't keep it for all his life! Okay I have to get dressed and go out, good luck

Found Luggage

Looks like Delta finally located my bag and is shipping to me today... I hope

Baggage Status & Delivery Information
Bag Tag Number: 2K049106
Status: We have located your bag and it will be delivered to you within the time frame shown below
Delivery Time/Date: 8am–8pm, July 19, 2007
Delivery Company: GUARANTEE TIME DEL -- MCO.

iPod Update

Putting it in the fridge seems to help. I cooled it off and was able to copy most of the photos. I had to chill it again and I think I'll be able to get the rest!

My body's glad to be home

I just used the bathroom... twice. Probably lost a good 5 or 6 lbs this morning.

Had one of those mornings where I woke up wondering where I was. Yesterday I was awake for about 25 hours before trying to fall asleep and having trouble doing it.

• Corey picked me up at the airport. Love that guy.
• Josh bought the Planet Earth DVD set. Love that guy.
• Baptiste is still laying in front of the TV watching something, surfing the web, writing emails, and getting messages on his phone continuously. Love that guy.
• Austin's not here. Love that guy.
• Israel was eating dinner in Altamonte Springs all night long. Long that guy.
• Polly was using Josh's computer. Love that guy.

My Luggage Is Missing
I hasn't showed up yet. I last saw it in Norway. Click here to check the latest updates on my luggage. Last name: Bowen. Number: MCODL34436

My ipod has been dying for about a year now
I'm so glad that Best Buy and Apple still refuse to recognize that there's a problem with my iPod. I'm also glad that I used it to back up my photos. My computer says that my iPod has needs to be formatted to use. I hope I don't lose them.

It's really tough to learn Swedish

Norway

Made it to Norway on Tuesday. From the hot beaches of Sardega to the cloudy skies of Southern Norway. Staying with my friend, Per, at the University (UMB) in Ås.



The sky is perpetually incredible here and it doesn't get dark at night. Everyone speaks English like a native, though you don't realize it until you start speaking to them.



The country is sparsely populated. Wide open spaces with occaisional small towns. A population of 4 million, compared to the 300 million in the US and 18 million in Florida alone. This means there's an abundance of forests and a dearth of cars & trucks on the road.



In Oslo I visited the Viking Museum and Vigeland Sculptures. Had to dodge the rain a few times in the city. I've eaten the worst licorice and best ginger candy I've ever tried.



Went hunting for lichens and peat bogs. Found wild blueberries everywhere and I learned about a plant that can be used for fireworks. Went hiking up to Gaustatoppen, the tallest peak in southern Norway. Sunny day, beautiful sky. Our 40 minute hike took over 3 hours to the top, where we found hot waffles and raspberry jam awaiting. Took the time to check out the lichen activity above the treeline. Drove back through the hills, listening to Jay-Z and Hammond organ music, stopping at an old church made from charred wood.

Having a slow Saturday. Going to buy some supplies for my Norwegian dinner party when I return. It will mainly consisting of brown chees, various types of fish puree in tubes and vodka. Headed to the big city tonight for a late night party with all the PhD's in this house.

Headed home in a few days.

Udine

Udine: "Ooh-dee-nay". It's in the north-east, not far from Slovenia and Austria. In all my travels I'd never been there.

I was nervous about Udine. I was nervous that my friends whom I'd convinced to come here for this "really cool way to see Italy" wouldn't like it and that I, who really could have chosen to take them anywhere, ended up taking them to Udine. What is in Udine? The train ride there was less than inspiring. We escaped our hot-box sauna of a train car to hang out with Kieren & Co.

Kieren is a returning tutor who's very gay, loves drama (not in the theater sense) and somehow knows the dirt on anyone at any camp and any place in Italy at any time. My introduction to Kieren was sitting in a train car last year as he bursts in and says to my friend Jackie "Sooooo, Jackie Browwwwwn, IIIIII heard about you and this guy Justin..." to which I replied "Hi, I'm Justin."

We were supposed to work together this year for a month, but some last minute camp swapping changed that, for better or for worse. I really like the guy, but maybe a week at a time is a better dose.

We said goodbye to Kieren and the other Treviso camp tutors and made it to Udine. A first time camp, the families were eagerly awaiting our arrival at the train station, excited and unsure about this whole cultural exchange experience.

more to come, gotta add some pictures as well