Germany: "The Last Days"

Mannheim in May & Amsterdam!

May proved to be a great month filled with visitors for Rashawn & I! First Marquinta, Brandon, & Abby, then Ray's Mom & Grandma, then Connie, Wendy, & Trae. We were all over Germany...and toppped it off with Amsterdam (newly added to my list of top 5 cities). And of course, it wouldn't be a trip without great pics to prove it! Check 'em out! Hope you enjoy! Love ya, miss ya, & see ya soon!

Amsterdam

We just got back from Amsterdam. This place far surpasses Vegas as sin city. It is the wildest place I have ever been to. Weed and prostitution are legal. They have "Coffee Shops" which are really weed shops. They look like coffee shops with neon lights. They are pretty nice though. They also have these weed cakes. The prostitutions are entrepreneurs and rent out small rooms in the Red Light District and stand in glass windows and doors with lingerie and bikinis on until someone comes to purchase them for about $40 for 20 minutes. In addition to the prostitutes being on the main Red Light District strip, several of them are down these super small alleys were you cannot even stretch your arms out on each side. Thus, it is just people walking all through the alleys running into each other. This is why everyone is warned about pick pockets. Amsterdam also has live sex shows.

Everyone also rides bikes. Everyone! They have bike garages like we have for cars in the U.S. People ride with friends and significant others on the back of the bikes. Parents ride with children in wagons on the front of the bikes. And the bikers will run you over! I thought Germany was bad, but the Netherlands is off the hook! You better get out of the street! I saw this guy get run over by a biker and it was not a nice scene. The only downfall is that the food is not that good, but all of this other stuff makes up for it. There is so much diversity in regards to race and culture that it is just amazing. I bet there is someone in Amsterdam at any given time from most of the countries in the world. This is saying a lot considering there are roughly 194 independent countries in the world. We saw some of everything in Amsterdam. People are hilarious! There is so much more I could say, but I will leave the rest for your imagination or personal conversations. Taken together, we highly recommend Amsterdam.

In addition to the obvious attraction of the Red Light District, we also took a cruise boat tour through the canals. That was nice. We went to the Anne Frank Museum, which is the actual location where the Frank family stayed. We got to walk through the Annex and everything. It was really moving. We also went to the Dutch Resistance Museum, which chronicles how the Dutch resisted Nazi takeover during World War II. There were these three women in their late teens and early 20s who were just raw! They would kidnap key Nazi informants and “take out” individuals who worked for the Nazis. The ring leader, Hannie Schaft, got caught and ended being executed. Hannie Schaft is known as the "Girl with the Red Hair." There was a movie about her in the 1980s, entitled “The Girl with the Red Hair.”

So the foolishness continues!

This morning I was running along the Rhine River, which is a beautiful location to take in the scenery in this area. As I am running, enjoying my day, and taking in the sites, I glance to my right and notice a person face down with a black g-string on. Upon further inspection, I realize it is a man. In fact, it is a homeless man because all of his belongings were scattered around his little area. He actually had quite a bit of stuff. I actually had to stop and stare for a second because it was rather comical. After returning to the Wohnung (apartment), I told everyone about what I saw. Of course, Cynthia did not believe me. Therefore, I had to take them to see the site. Right where I left him, there was the g-string. See the pics below. If you look closely, you will see that on the left side of the g-string there is a flower print of a rose.

However, this is not all. After leaving the Turkish Dönor for lunch, we go to the train station to do a little tourist shopping. It is a holiday in Germany so not much is open today. I was sitting on a bench working on a paper when a man walks by and waves. I respond with the standard head nod and hand wave. He then approaches me and asked if I am from The States. I stated that I live in Indiana. He said, “I have never met anyone from Indiana before.” He then proceeds to tell me that he has been living in Germany for 31 years after being in the US military. Why he left the military is still a mystery. I ask him standard sociological probing questions, which usually results in individuals telling me most of their life “story.” He tells me that he is originally from Texas but ended up having a child here in Germany. He tells me that America is not what it used to be. Then he says he think it is crack that changed America. This came a bit out of left field, but it will make sense soon. As he departs, we exchange names. He says, “You must be an 80s baby cause that is when Black women started naming their children all those nice, fancy names.” Lastly, he hands me a sheet of paper and says, “This is a letter about my life story. Read it if you have time.” How many people give you a paper with their life story on it? Weird. My grandma said, “I knew he wasn’t right when I saw his vampire teeth.” He did have teeth like a vampire. Heehee. I could say more but the letter is all the evidence I need on this one. And believe me, I could not make up stuff this good if I tried. Read Gregory´s ``Life Story`` below.

Students are Funny

Below is an email I received from one of my students here in Germany. Now there is a lot I could say, but I do not think my reaction is worth burning my candle on both ends. So I just decided not to respond. Enjoy the laugh.

"Unfortunately, I've to tell you that I can't take part in course on
Wednesday any longer. At the moment I'm not able to do the Readings
and to post my reflection statements weekly because I haven't enough
time. I'm so sorry about that. Lately, I've burned the candle at both
ends and I feel overload. For that reason I've to shorten my work
quota. I hope you're going to understand my decision."

"Sit Down! I said Sit Down:" Momma Jiree as Teacher

So this may be one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time. My mother and grandmother are here and it is so much fun having them around. Family is great! So Cynthia was telling us about her cousin Jackie substitute teaching 3rd and 6th graders. In short, the students are basically "running" over Jackie. She is basically "too nice" to the students. Of course, students will take advantage of nice teachers, particularly subs. Therefore, my mom decided to give Jackie some advice on how to deal with the students. See the video below.

Crazy Stuff: Weird Guy on Train

Ok… So I am really starting to think that crazy stuff follows me. Evidently, I am going to have to have to concur with Keon and Cynthia that I am a weird magnet. We were on the city train on our way back from Luisenpark, which is actually a huge Botanical Garden and Zoo with really beautiful flowers and weird-looking animals. See the pics below. As we approached a stop, we glazed to the other side of the tracks where another train going in the opposite direction was letting off some passengers. All of a sudden, this guy starts yelling and making weird gestures towards the train driver by pointing at his wrist where his watch is located. Then, as the train proceeds to take off, the guy leaps in the front of the train by throwing one leg and arm on the windshield. The train driver immediately stops the train. As this is occurring, everyone is staring in utter disbelief. And for those who have traveled to Germany, you know that Germans, unlike Americans, rarely make public scenes or reactions to public scenes. Thus, observing everyone’s faces was really funny.

However, this is not the end of the incident. After leaping onto the windshield like a fly, the guy then takes off running towards the back of the train. Everyone is looking to see where he is going. All of sudden, he makes himself known. He is on our train! The guy took off running from his side of the tracks to our side and jumped on our train just as we were riding off. Everyone on the train starts to tense up as he paces from the back to the front of the train. As he does this, he seems to be looking either at us or looking at a seat. But this was hard to tell because one of his eyes was really off. Thus, we did not know what he was looking at!

He then proceeds to march to the back of the bus and sits in between a woman and man who are clearly together. And he just stares at them! This makes them extremely uncomfortable so they just get off at the next stop. We don’t even think this was there stop. The guy then proceeds to do the same thing to some women at the very back of the train. At the next stop, they immediately get off. This was not their stop either! He then marches his way back up towards the front of the train and just walks by staring at us and everyone else. All of us were very uncomfortable. Cynthia got a little scared so we switched seats so that she could sit on the inside. My mom, being the “bout it” person that she is, has a glass bottle in hand ready to strike when he reaches that “level.” My grandma and I just laughed because we are silly. As we approached the Paradeplatz, which is one of the main train stops in Mannheim, roughly everyone on the train got off. As the train rode off, the guy was just standing in the door way looking at us and the sky.

We would have taken a picture of him, but we didn’t know how he would react to that and I am under the impression that you do not mess with people like him. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that my brief recollection of this memorable event has painted a video in your mind.

Now, this incident was funny to me because I tend to think most things that individuals do are funny. But there is a larger health issue which should be addressed (Sorry for my sociological epithet, but I believe this is an important issue and I should take time to briefly say something). Mental illness is a serious issue. If you know someone who you think is effected by mental illness, it is not a time to poke fun. Rather, you should aim to get them some assistance to keep them safe, as well as the individuals around them safe.

Marquinta, Brandon, & Abby in Germany

Outings, Tours, & Welcome Party

Prague, Czech Republic 2008

My Experiences in Germany with a Hebamme

Concentration Camp Tour

On April 27 we toured a Nazi Concentration Camp in Sandhofen, which is about 15 minutes from Mannheim. VISUM sponsored this tour. Christi Smith and Steffi Horn translated very well for us during the tour. Steffi is a student in my course and is highly involved in organizations which aim to provide sociohistorical accounts of the Holocaust by touring Europe ensuring that historical sites are well preserved and individual legacies live on. Currently, the Concentration Camp is an elementary school with the museum of the camp in the basement of the school. The museum is very well representative of the camp. This particular camp housed about 2,000 boys and men from Poland. Interestingly, this camp was owned and operated by the Germany company Daimler-Benz, which is more commonly known to us as Mercedes-Benz. As most individuals know, this conglomerate is one of the most lucrative auto companies owning Mercedes, Maybach, Chrysler, Smart, and holdings in many truck, bus, and diesel companies. This was quite shocking to me. More interesting is that Daimler-Benz was founding in 1926. Think about how much this company benefited from the slave labor of Jews during the 1930s and 1940s. Another interesting fact is that the first car was driven around the Mannheim city center. This car was a Benz. The owner drove the car around while his son ran beside the car putting more gasoline into the automobile. Collectively, the historical consequences of slave labor during tragic genocides such as the Holocaust (which murdered an estimated 5.7 million Jews) and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (which murdered over 20 million Africans) not only have marginalized effects but also privileged effects. In this context, one of the most lucrative auto companies is still reaping the benefits of its participation in the Holocaust. We must never, ever forget and always educate those around us including the generations to come about these human atrocities which have institutional and social consequences rooted in racial prejudice and discrimination.

Czech it Out!

On April 18-20 Cynthia and I traveled to Prague, Czech Republic with VISUM, which is an international student organization at the University of Mannheim. VISUM is great! They are always hosting a wide array of events for international students including Brewery tours, Pub Crawls, and tours of businesses and museums around Germany. With VISUM, we also toured BASF, which is the largest chemical manufacturer in products made and geographical space. BASF is located in Ludwigshafen, which is just on the other side of the Rhine River. You can see Ludwigshafen in some of the pics from my office window.

Overall, our trip to Prague was superb and very cost efficient! The entire trip only cost $85 Euros per person and this price included the bus, hostel, breakfast at the hostel, tour of the city, a brewery tour, and a dinner at a traditional Czech restaurant. You can see pics of Prague here. The area speaks for itself. Prague is a very nice city. Despite it being a focal point of World War II and the Cold War, Prague remained relatively intact so you can still see the historical features from the Roman Empire.

We went on a three hour tour of Prague, which was in English. Our tour guide was very well adept with Czech culture. He was older and could not only provide historical references but personal references. His insights were invaluable. To see the place where the Czechs announced their move to a republic and then right down the street one of the first Jewish ghettos were Jews were discriminated and persecuted because of their religious and ethnic background was truly astonishing. We then walked up to the Czech castle where we could see all of Prague. We also toured the Museum of Communism, which was very eye-opening regarding the interworkings of communism and how it gained the support of individuals through propaganda tactics.

The brewery tour and traditional Czech dinner were also fun. Although the Czech Republic is known around the world for its beer, Cynthia and I were not at all impressed with the Czech Budweiser. Europeans say there are not many links between American Budweiser and Czech Budweiser, but I do not believe it. In fact, the Czech Budweiser tasted very similar to the American Budweiser, which is to say not good! However, we had some great beer at the Czech restaurant and in the hostel so that made up for it. The Czech beer reputation is restored.

This was the first time Cynthia and I stayed in the hostel so we really did not know what to expect and did not want the movie Hostel to influence our expectations and experiences. We stayed in a room with four bunk beds. Cynthia was on the top and I was on the bottom and we had six other international students in the room with us. Everyone was basically from another country including France, Italy, Sweden, Norway, and Germany. It was really neat so we hung out with them most of the trip. Room 127 in the house! Or should I say, in the hostel! I also went to two very hip, trendy clubs. The first club was on the 6th floor of a building. You could see all of Prague from the club. The music was techno and the crowd was a bit older. Everyone was really trying to dance, which was pretty funny. I think this guy was getting married because his friends were just a little too old to be jumping around like that on a regular basis. Although if they are anything like the older people in LA, they may do that every weekend. The second club was advertised as the largest club in Europe and I may have to concur. It was five stories with a club and lounge on each side of the floor with its own decor, music, theme, and drink menu. It was a lot of fun because you had ten separate spaces the size of a regular club to enjoy.
On the way to the club, we had an incident. We took a taxi van and we had been warned that the taxi drivers try to get over on tourist. We asked him how much it was cost and he told us 300 Crowns (100 Czech dollars equal about 4 Euros). I was sitting up front and as we traveled to the club the meter was increasing every second! By the time we arrived to the club, the price was 900 Crowns! So the tourists books say to challenge the taxi drivers and waiters and waitresses when they over charge. So we told the guy he said it would cost 300 Crowns. He began getting very upset. We told him we would only pay 500 Crowns. Needless to say, an altercation ensues and he pulls out a screw driver on us. Cynthia thought I was ring leader of this incident, but I was just sitting back watching the French, Swedish, and Italian guys handle it. It was pretty funny to me. We only ended up paying 500. Heeehee.

The aforementioned, however, is not the funniest part of the trip. The bus driver made the trip. He gets his own profile on the site (see below). First, he showed up an hour late so we were out in the cold at 1am to leave and his slow tail showed up late. Then, his GPS did not work in the Czech Republic, and wouldn’t you know he didn’t have a map. What kind of bus driver does not have a map?! It was supposed to take us 7 hours to get there, but it took us 11. Then, when we got to Prague, the only maps we had were the Lonely Planet maps so he proceeds to drive on the tourist walking routes. Of course the bus could not fit down the small tourist roads so he had traffic backed up for a kilometer as we proceeded to turn around in circles! Foolishness! As stated above, we went with an international student group so it was people from all over the world talking about him in several languages. One Australian student said that I could understand stated, “You bloody dumb a*$, stupid a*$, bus driver! You can’t drive!” The French, Italians, Germans, Americans, Canadians, Swedish, and Finnish were all cursing him out in their native language. It was hilarious!

Below you see the bus driver in the breakfast. Everyone was like why is he eating breakfast he doesn't deserve breakfast. On the two pics with the bus, you see the bus driver asking another bus driver for directions on how to get us back to Mannheim from Karlsbad (a bath house city in Czech Republic). The last pic is my fav. Look how far traffic is backed up down that little road. Foolishness!

Oh, did you ask us what have we been up for the past month?

So we got scolded by Evie Perry for not posting any new blogs in a while. It is good to know we are not boring you guys with the adventures of the International Rays. I actually have to do some work while I am here so I have been grinding on two Revise and Resubmit papers for Men & Masculinities and the International Journal of Sociology of the Family and two other papers which I submitted to the DuBois Review and Gender & Society. Now, I have to direct my attention to my MZES presentation for the Social Science Colloquium on May 20. And of course this is in the midst of our beloved visitors. Life is hectic and chaotic, but dog gone it, it is great!

While I have been grinding away in my office, Cynthia has been spending time with Silke Becker, who is a hebamme (midwife). Midwifery is very common in Germany and Silke is not just any midwife but one of the best! Her midwife practice just won the best newspaper advertisement of the year for all of Germany! Congrats Silke! So for all of you nurse and health care professionals, Cynthia has been working with one of the best. Cynthia has spent time at the University Klinikum (University Hospital) and Silke’s, and her colleague Barbara’s, Midwifery Surgery (Office) in Mannheim.

During this time, we have also welcomed Christi Smith, who is one of my colleagues from IU. Christi is a Visiting Scholar and Lecturer at the University of Mannheim as well. She is teaching Historical Research Methods. Not only is Christi a very clever and smart scholar, she also speaks seven languages (e.g. German)! Now, we are patiently awaiting the arrival of Brandon and Marquinta Harvey and Abigail Sewell. I call Brandon and Marquinta QB. Get it Queens Bridge…. well… anyway, this was my ode to Nas. Marquinta is my best childhood female friend since like the 7th or 8th grade. Brandon and I stayed together for a month while I was teaching at the University of Michigan and he was doing an internship on urban planning. Abigail Sewell is one of my colleagues from IU. Her brain is the envy of all who interact with her because she processes information like a PC.

Peace out!

Cynthia as Amy Winehouse: heehee...

SpoOoOoOky Elevator...

So as Cynthia has discussed, we live by a witch. We joke about stuff all the time because it is funny, but she is really a witch. And her kids are a little weird also and they have a blank, grayish look in their eyes. To add more credibility to this story, look at what we saw a few days ago. This is the elevator in our apartment building.... SpoOoOoOoky!

*Wicked*

Okay, all jokes aside…today was no doubt the scariest of my 20 something years. My once fascination with the “dark” side was taken to unexpected, unwanting new levels. 2 nights ago, Ray asked, “Did you not sleep well?” This question was contributed to my tumultuous tossing, turning, flipping of sheets, and just plain unrest. I found myself waking at 6 or 7ish to the voice of the little girl “next door” dressing for school. And once again, this morning, I found myself mysteriously waking very early plagued by extreme thirst…then followed the school girl’s voice. Strange perhaps, but no worries, right?

That is until friend Amber writes on my Facebook wall…
Amber Floyd wroteat 4:13pm
Hey chica!! Just wanted to check on ya. I had the craziest dream about u last night. Me and Keke came to visit u and Ray in Germany and ya'll lived in a farm house with hay floors and we had to fight some big German women b/c they were being mean 2 u...it was sooo crazy.

Followed only by this AIM conversation with my cousin Jackie…
mzcutie772 (4:24:30 PM): What's up??
RDAISIA (4:25:09 PM): Hiya!
mzcutie772 (4:26:52 PM): Hello..I had a dream about you the other day..it wasa crazy
mzcutie772 (4:27:03 PM): Stay away from crazy people ok
RDAISIA (4:29:36 PM): OMG!
RDAISIA (4:29:49 PM): Please be kidding, read my FB Wall, Amber just sent me a message too!
RDAISIA (4:29:51 PM): OMG!
RDAISIA (4:29:56 PM): What was the dream about?!
mzcutie772 (4:32:10 PM): It was crazy.you had met this women and you took the whole family to like this zoo/farm thing with animals..everyone was excited..but when we got in it was like wild animals like anancondas and buffalos running around and gigantic lizzards
RDAISIA (4:32:30 PM): You are lying!
RDAISIA (4:32:36 PM): Please say you are lying!
RDAISIA (4:32:40 PM): Check my FB page!
RDAISIA (4:33:05 PM): I'm nervous!
mzcutie772 (4:33:34 PM): OH my gosh..that is SSSSSOO freakin weird
RDAISIA (4:33:58 PM): Did you read it?
mzcutie772 (4:34:19 PM): Well the women was like a devil or witch..it was scary..I woke up sweating..and yea I just read it
mzcutie772 (4:34:25 PM): That's very weird
mzcutie772 (4:34:58 PM): That makes me nervous
mzcutie772 (4:36:59 PM): She threw gasoline on you and lit you on fire I didn't wanna tell you that part...
RDAISIA (4:42:26 PM): Imma bout to call
RDAISIA (4:42:32 PM): What is your number
mzcutie772 (4:42:48 PM): 6158981116
RDAISIA (4:52:03 PM): k...im so scared i am about to leave so ttyl
mzcutie772 (4:52:40 PM): Lol...ok ! Be careful

“Freaky” one might think, but guys I was/am/and will continue to be “HORRIFIED!” A little more behind the scenes that will add more shock to this “real life” saga, is that the mother of the little girl “next door” is here at the University doing intense research on the history, practice, and ways of “Wicka” a.k.a. “Witchcraft”. Ray & I (previously) often jokingly referred to her as “The Witch” and attributed strange and uncanny noises to her practices. “Oh…but no more!” I am truly scared! Mind you that Amber and Jackie had NO previous knowledge of our neighbor next door.

Do you think that each morning I woke up at the EXACT same time they were dreaming? Do you think I was extremely thirsty because I was being burned on a stake? Unsure. But I am definitely going to be keenfully aware of my surroundings. If this was yesterday, I may would chalk it up to some cruel & unusual April Fools joke…but it’s APRIL 2nd!

Thanks Mom for the LIVE on-the-phone support! Thanks Ray for leaving your office, walking to our apartment, only minutes before your class started because I was too scared to leave. Here I am ignorantly fearing the re-rise of the Nazi regime during our stay in Germany. Unbeknownst to me, I should in actuality be concerned with the workings of some spell or curses being cast upon me.

So I end with this…”Do you fight evil with evil?” or “Do you fight evil with good?” I choose the latter. Keep sending your prayers of protection this way.

-I LOVE YOU ALL-

And P.S. These are not some writings of a delirious “house wife”…it is truly occult existence.

Frankfurt & The Rape of Lucretia (An Opera)

Hallo Freunds!
Rashawn & I were fortunate to be visited by Altovise & Tabbetha during their Spring Break from the states. We decided to spend Ostern (Easter) weekend in Frankfurt, the main city of Germany. Frankfurt is a.k.a. "Main-Hattan" because of it large urban similarity to that of a U.S. city. After the II World War, most of Frankfurt, and most of Germany! was destroyed. The city of Frankfurt decided to take a different approach involving modernity versus the recreation of its once "old & historic" city.
While in Frankfurt, we all took part in our first ever Opera, The Rape of Lucretia, yes Lucretia!. And while this was the English version of the opera, we all still feel that translation was needed. This particular Opera takes place at the time of the tyrant Tarquinius, yes Tarquinius! Talk is amidst about roman wives infidelities and Tarquinius decides he will attempt to seduce Lucretia, the wife of General Collatinus, as it is said that she alone is resistant to mens advances. So begins a tragedy...Lucretia is unable to live with herself after Tarquinius rapes her and takes her life in the presence of her husband. Intersestingly mournful. Nice experience. Will go it again...an opera.

Enjoy the pictures we have posted for you. Also, make note of the lovely & contemporarily stylish hotel we stayed in. I must mention that the junkies DO come out at night everywhere, Frankfurt included! Being the nurse that I am, I spotted a syringe...and a few feet down an empty needle package...and a few feet down, another needle! Hmpf...You will find it interesting to know that Frankfurt was among one of the first cities to establish a Needle Exchange Program. This program allows for druggies to get nice clean needles before they shoot up! Interested? Read more here...
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2000/05/byo_heroin.html

Frohne Ostern! Happy Easter!

Friends Altovise & Tabbetha come to visit in Germany! We spent time in Frankfurt & Mannheim! Enjoy looking at our adventures...

http://picasaweb.google.com/InternationalRays/Gemany2008PartII

Paris 2008

Paris really IS all that!

http://picasaweb.google.com/InternationalRays/Paris2008

Paris really IS all that!

Paris is absolutely amazing! The city is romantic, gothic, and intriguing...all in one! I fell in love with the Notre Dame Cathedral...this medieval architecture invades your mind with what once was, what still is, and what is to come! It is riveting and impossible to catch in one photo. The Louvre museum is spectacular, as it is also almost impossible to see in one visit. The Mona Lisa, which millions flock to see, is housed in The Louvre. Oh I could go on & on about the Arc de Triumph, the Champs-Elyses, & the bare nakedness of the Moulin Rouge, but I cannot properly end this blog without leaving you with a taste of the Eiffel. Towering over Paris, with Gypsies begging for your change, with shimmering lights by night, stands the magnificent Tour de Eiffel (The Eiffel Tower). Breathtakingly, we went to the Top of The Eiffel, had lunch at the Eiffel, and concluded our day's journey with down the winding stairs of the Eiffel! The pictures and views were exhilarating! Thanks Rashawn, Stephanie, and Daphne for sharing this amazing adventure with me! We shall not be sad to have left Paris, for we know we will return...sometime, sometime soon!

Until next time...and until the next country...and until the next visitors!

Paris, the French Nina Sky, and the Nosiest Man in the World!

So Paris is the most spectacular city I have ever been to! There is so much history and culture. Additionally, Daphne and Stephanie are so much fun! They made this trip one of the best I have ever had the privilege to go on. Below are some pics from the trip that do not do Paris any justice, but hopefully you will see the beauty and elegance of the area nonetheless. The pics are from the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Moulin Rouge, and a few tours we went out. I would give a detailed account of what we did and place captions below the pics, but I am sure Cynthia will do that. Here pics are so much better than mine. However, I did get some decent pics from all angles of the Eiffel Tower (bottom, top, middle, off the edge). And Daphne and I saw Mos Def walking to the top of the Eiffel as we were walking down. Who can say that?! We were on the Eiffel with Mos Def! What!

Still, I must come with the funniness! As stated above, Stephanie and Daphne are really fun. They are also really funny! Daphne makes some statements that will have you cracking up laughing. Stephanie reminds me so much of my mother it is uncanny. I just laugh at some of the stuff she does. Taken together, below are some of the famous phrases from their time in Europe. Enjoy!

"This cake so good it make your tongue slap your brains out. That's how I feel."-Daphne
Daphne's comment after eating some dessert.

"The dog look better than him. The dog need to be walking him."-Daphne and Stephanie Comments after seeing a man walking a gorgeous white husky looking dog. Unfortunately, the owner did not live up to his dog...

"Hello, Mercie, Bitte Schun"-Stephanie
Stephanie's general convo when meeting someone. Hello (English); Mercie (Thank you in French); Bitte Schun (Your welcome in German)

"Well why he over there talking to himself then."-Cynthia
Cynthia's comment after asking me if something was wrong with one of our new Paris tour friends. Initially, I responded, "No, I think he is ok." After further inspection of him doing what Cynthia proposed above, I retracted my statement.

"I laughed at that last night in my sleep all night."-Daphne
Daphne's response after recalling something funny from the day before.

"I grew on Munchken and he grew on me... Munchken Dickerson."-Daphne
Daphne's epic story about her Grandmother's dog and how her and the dog grew into each other...

"The dreams caught up with me in my mind."-Daphne
I don't even know what made Daphne say that, but it was hilarious at the time... And still is... heehee

"This the closest I want to be to Jesus!"-Stephanie
Stephanie's comment on the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

"You got the menus of the FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. You know the ones that DELIVER. TAKE OUT"-Stephanie
Stephanie stressing her words to the hotel attendant who spoke English fine... Note she was asking for menus... We just walked into the hotel str8 out the cab... lol

"He look like a baby making machine"...5 minutes later... "He look like a baby making machine"-Daphne
Daphne's comment after seeing Mos Def and me saying that he supposedly has several children.

Below is a video from when we scared Daphne and Stephanie. They are already paranoid. We got them pretty good. If Stephanie was in front, I am sure she would have screamed. Daphne didn't know what to do. She was getting ready to dream about Munchkin in her mind at night.

Now, I proceed to two classic incidents that are sure to go down in RayHistory as two of the funniest things we have ever witnessed in life. First, we were on the subway returning to our hotel when we heard 50 Cent's music blasting from the subway platform. Then, we noticed that the music found it's way onto our train. As we gazed to the other side of our train, we saw this... Hilarious I know... Watch the man try to get away and almost fall. We don't even think that was his stop. He just wanted to get away from them. The French Nina Sky! Be on the look out for them. Remember you saw them first here on InternationalRays.

Second, we were on the train returning from Paris back to Mannheim when Cynthia looked over and said, "What does this man keep looking at?" I look over and this is what I saw... Hilarious! He is hands down the nosiest man in the world! Granted what are we called since we were laughing at his expense and video taping him but anyway don't dwell on that. Simply note that nothing was happening on the train. It was super quiet. He was just looking just to be looking. The Nosiest Man in the World! I really think he felt like the song, "I always feel like, somebody's watching me! I ain't got no privacy!"

Scaring Stephanie and Daphne

The French Nina Sky

Nosiest Man in the World I

Nosiest Man in the World II

Nosiest Man in the World III

Germany 2008

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Recycling, Kids, Sporting Waves, and the Protest Continues

So Cynthia and I are getting adjusted. My class is going really well and I am enjoying my time in the social science department. We are making new friends and the food is great! We travel to Paris next week for Cynthia's bday. It should be fun! But on the funny stuff. :)

So we are getting a handle on grocery shopping at the LIDL store. For those who have been to our house, you know that the Rays love to recycle for the environment. Germany has a great recycling system. In Germany, we can take our plastic bottles to a store and receive money back. Of course this benefits us because we drink so much distilles wasser. Interestingly, the machine does not like all of the bottles so it spits out the ones it does not like. I should have recorded it, but the pics are still funny.
You should have seen Cynthia as the bottles were popping back out at her. heehee

On to the next topic; today we were walking back to the apartment from Cynthia's fav bread spot, Back Factory, when I saw an old woman talking to two young boys. The two boys where eating some fries on the side of the street and they were being extremely messy with the fries. Ketchup and mayo were everywhere! So the old woman told the boys that they needed to clean up after themselves. They laughed in her face. I did not think that was nice so I decided to take some pics of them and put them on blast. One of the girls who was with the boys saw me taking pics and thought I had some authoratative power. So they took off running. Bad azz kids.

So for all of you Fabolous lovers, we walked by his spot today and I couldn't resist. heehee. Next to Fabs' place is an African hair store and several other non-German establishments. Racial/ethnic segregation is alive and well in Germany, but I digress from my sociological anecdote. The point is that when visitors come and forget their hair care products, Mannheim got you covered!

They got your ultra sheen and your sporting waves including Nu Nile and Murray's!

So the protest is still occuring. It is quite sad to see the kindergarten children go to school and then cry because they cannot stay. What is funny are the upset parents becuase they have to decided what to do with their children. I am curious to see how long the protest will continue and what form of agreement will commence. I just hope we get to register at immigration before the middle of March before we get deported!

And of course it is always one who wants to be all up in the camera.

Today I Fell In Love...

Today I fell in love...with Crepes. Ahh, an appetizer to Heaven! Until next time...

Class, German, Immigration, Friends, and Fabulous

I had my first class last Wednesday. It went well. I have 9 German students, 2 students from Finland, 1 student from the US, and 1 student from Peru. Two of the students attend the University of Miami. It is a nice group. Besides the standard mishaps (technology did not work so we had to move rooms and I got chalk all on my blazer) everything was pretty smooth. In addition to the class, I have been very busy meeting with professors and graduate students. Everyone is really friendly.

Cynthia and I also have a German language teacher named Teresa. We have individual sessions so hopefully we will learn the language quickly. Well, I hope to at least be able to function in the city and across Germany.

As stated in a previous blog, there are many different places we have to go to fill out paper work. I can only imagine how much we would have to do if we were applying for permanent citizenship. And I can only imagine how difficult it would be if we did not have German friends to assist us (Just a sociological thought for what Mexican and other immigrants go through in America). But I digress. So immigration is one of the last places we have to go to fill out paperwork. Upon arrival, we noticed that no one was there and there were several posters on the door.

So several government entities including the residence office, sanitation, and kindergarden, went on strike to receive an 8% raise in pay. The state is offering 5%, but these government entities still want 3% more. This did not bother us, but it really seemed to annoy our new friend Yvonne. Yvonne is a Politics major so she is very aware of the interworkings of the government in Germany. I should have took a picture of Yvonne because she was very annoyed at the protest.

I also have an international buddy named Vladamir, who is originally from Katzakstan but has been living in Germany since he was nine. We went to a restaurant with one of his other international buddies Alex, who is from Russia and has been in Germay for a year and a half. Vladamir spent a year in Philadelphia and traveled throughout the US. Alex plans to study in the US in the fall. He also plans to obtain his MBA in the US.

Cynthia and I also have a favorite beer-bananaweizer! It is great!

Now, on to the funny stuff. So getting a haircut seems to be working itself out. I am unsure what Cynthia will ever do... I do not think she is as open to I am in regards to letting someone touch her head. After my almost Color Purple incident, I may not be as open either. So I brought my clippers because I was thinking of going bald while here to save me the strain of getting of a haircut here. But as in all places, you can always find an African shop that does braids, and subsequently a bootleg barber in the back of the shop. Mannheim, Germany is no different.

As Cynthia went out into the world, she found a few hair shops that seemed promising. I knew we were at home when the barber's name was Fabulous and he does not come to work until 3pm.

So we went back to the African shop around 6pm and sure enough Fabulous was sitting on the stool watching an African gospel video. He is from the Cango and works at BSF, which is a chemical factory across the Rhein River by Mannheim. It is one of the largest industrial areas in the world. He is actually a fairly decent barber; definitely better than what I get in Bloomington...

But on to the funny part; so I wanted FABliO to shape up my facial hair. He goes to the back and comes back with one of those sharp razor knives like Celie used to shave Mister on the Color Purple. This is where I drew the line! I was not letting a man named Fabuous shave my face with that! I told him "Ich bin gut! Danke!" (I am good! Thank you!) Cynthia and I bolted up out of there. Still, I will go back to FaBliO because he only charges 8 Euros and does a decent job.

And of course while Cynthia was taking pics, she had to take a couple of herself.

Wie der suBe!Whata cutie!

"Meet Me @ The Club"...Even In Germany, "It's Going Down"

Yes, you read the Title of this blog entry right! Yung Joc, @ The Orange Club, in Mannheim, This Saturday! Will our face be in the place? Undetermined. But trust, we'll keep you "posted"!

Today's Menu: Butter Croissants & Cappucino in Cafe Soleil' (will post pics later), This cafe is a hip spot located just down from Rashawn's office. So, I wake up, get dressed (as if I am going to work), walk to work with Ray, and veer off to the right where I read Karrine Steffans 'The Vixen Diaries', observe, and try something new off the menu each day until lunchtime @ the Mensa. I ALMOST made a friend yesterday as a woman politely sat down at the same tall table I was sitting at, but no conversation commenced, maybe next time. Just an FYI I later learned · When dining in some restaurants, if there are empty seats at your table and no other free tables, the maitr d’hotel may seat others with you. This is quite common in Germany—in fact, you can do the same if you arrive and there are no single free tables. There should be no obligation to carry on a conversation with others at the table unless both parties seem so inclined. Well there you have it! Thanks Steph!

Yesterday I saw the cutest Puma socks ever, ever. I'm not leaving Germany without a pair in every color. However, so many numbers (sizes) and such a lack of translation. So I found an essential website for shoe size conversion http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/shoes.html#adult If you plan on visiting, you'll definintely want to know your size!

Ever used sugar tablets instead of granualted sugar? We'll it is very common here. The tablets are these potent little pills about the size of a "mini" mint. You drop 1, 2, 3,...or 4 in your beverage & BOOM it's sweet! Anywho, guess I am signing out for now! Until next time...

German Beer and Berliner's!

Ahhh...Settling in for the evening with a nice cold German Beer! Yes, I am drinking beer! German Beer! Rashawn will never believe it when he gets home! Not sure which kind for there is writing all over the bottle that I cannot translate. It's not so bad I must admit, although I am looking forward to trying a couple of others.
Yesterday, I discovered a Berliner. It is a jelly-filled pastry that is incredibly delicioso! Today, I saw where you can get 4 for a Euro! I'm all over it! I took my daily trek around the circle (area of hustle & bustle) today and discovered mani/pedi & massage parlors and more restaurants, of course!
As I write, Rashawn is beginning to teach his 1st class here at the Universitat Mannheim! Knock 'em out Bud!
And shouts out to all of those who have been reading the blog! Feel free to post your comments! And Alto, remember what we talked about ;) We're counting on you...the answer is Yes!

Lost Books, Office, and Stuff

Similar to Cynthia, I lost some things very dear to me... zwei bucker! (Two Books). I left two of my favorite books on the airplane. While there is still a slim chance I may recover them, I am extremely disheartened. I guess it happens, but das kotzt mich an! (That sucks!)

Nonetheless, our stay thus far has been great. Cynthia is exploring and eating pastries so she is happy. This then means I am happy. My office is great and the department is really nice. I will be able to get some good work done there. I want to share a few pics from our stay thus far. This is a pic from the Castle at the University of Mannheim, which is the largest castle in all of Europe. It is huge and has some historic features and art as well as some really high-tech gadgets for students. I will definitely do some work there from time to time. Additionally, it is right across the street from our apartment. Gute Absicht? (Great view huh)


Here is my office sign!














Ich bin angeregt! (I am excited)
















Here is the view from my office. It over looks the Rhein River and a large industrial area.







As we were out exploring, we noticed some intriguing things. There will always be people singing for Jesus!














And homeless people singing for the Lord too! (Look on the right of the pics)

Mom, while we didn't find Nonee's, Naana's African Market will have to do. I bet we can find some good stuff there!









And I couldn't help it. This was from the plane. Doo rags are everywhere and will forever be in style. It was a long plane ride. hee hee! Until next time jungen und manchen (boys and girls). Tschus! (Talk to you later)

I'm On My Way (Gleich)

Ahhh...This morning I went out for the first time on my own. Had to leave the nest at some point. Our sleep/wake cycle seems to be finally coming to. I woke early, did some travel planning, sent some emails, chatted on Skype with my cousin as she unsuccessfully tried to get her WebCam to work, dressed, and headed out into the world! I went in & out of the trillion of pastry shops and settled for a Berliner (similar to a donut pastry with jelly inside), it was amazing! The smell of food was all around. I was taken aback as I wanted it all! So many restaurants, so much good food! I am in heaven! Besides, you walk it all off anyway, justification! In & out of stores, in & out of stores I went. I think it is beginning to soak in...I am in another country...I am on another continent! Whew! Mannheim is very neat, as it has so much to offer...food that is, and other things! Shops, culture, the university with its castle...and ONLY CNN & MTV in English :) Until next time...Tschus! (Bye) Cynthia ;)

Such Is Life! (So ist das Leben!)

Yesterday was a sad day as I mourned the loss of my beloved, prized HAI Ceramic Flatiron. Knowingly, but unknowingly, I plugged it in without the converter needed for the large amount of wattage it used. POP! And it was gone...Oh well services will be held upon return to the states, but it will be replaced...Soon!

On Monday, we also met with our German Language Teacher, Teresa! We will have 15 private 90 munite sessions with her beginning this Friday at 2:30PM in our apartments common area! What fun! I'll keep you posted...afterwards Ray & I went to a nice French Cafe for Gelato. It was amazing! Visitors look forward... Among other things we went on a visit to the Central Train Station, had lunch at the Mensa (the university cafe), which has AMAZING FOOD @ GREAT PRICES! Most importantly, Ray got his OFFICE! Very nice, spacious, great view! Loved it! Will post pics soon. I left my CAMERA BATTERY CHARGER in the states! Go figure...

Cynthia

Germany Update!

Hallo!

I bring you greetings from Mannheim! For those of you traveling this way soon, you may want to create a folder to save the information to refer to in preparation for your upcoming travel!

A great German to English translation website is http://dict.leo.org/ Just in case you wanted to brush up on some German words before your journey!

Please bring very comfortable shoes as we will be walking A LOT! Stephanie & Daphne it is COLD, COLD, COLD! Please bring clothing that may be layered. For example, yesterday I wore a tank, t-shirt, sweatshirt, furry animal jacket, peacoat, scarf & gloves...I was great, comfortable, and warm! My legs were a little cold because I just had on blue jeans and snow boats. If any one wants to send a pair of long johns my way...I wear a S/M! Danke! (Thanks!) Tabby, hopefully the weather will be just a tad bit warmer when you come. Rashawn has become "One of Them"...He runs at 0600 in the morning. Craziness! Oh ya, Germany uses military time, nurses you shouldn't have any problem with that, huh?
Interestingly, our aparmtent is heated by the long distance heating system of the city. A temperature of 19 Celsius is guaranteed (from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.). The temperature is REDUCED at night. We have made up a song for this. Please sing to the tune of "The Freaks Come Out At Night" Here goes..."The Heat Goes Out At Night", And The Air Don't Come On At All!" HeeHee

As far as communication, your cell phones WILL NOT work in Europe unless you have AT&T. I recommend buying a calling card when you arrive in Europe. If possible, have your family/friends download SKYPE, get it set up, and then you can talk for FREE on Skype to Skype! This is how we talk to Ray's family & Tabby! Also AIM is great! You can send text messages to ANY phone, ANYwhere for free! This is how I talk to my sister and cousin. FREE communication is great! The internet is absolutely amazing!

As far as $$$, the EURO is the currency used across Europe. The US $1.33 = Euro $1, so yeah, we get jipped! Darn war and minirecession! Europe is a bit more expensive than America. At the airport, you can get money exchanged, you may also pick up a $5, $10, or $20 calling cards at the same location if you wish. There is a one-time exchange fee of $4.50 or $4.99. You may also use your Visa/Mastercard Check Card at most locations. However, please check with your bank or card company to see if International fees apply. That is important!

It is cool just walking around, stumbling upon restaurants, and saying, "Let's try here!" Fortunately, we have had nothing but GREAT food! And fortunately for you, our visitors, many restaurants in our area (Mannheim) will have been pre-screened for you! There are lots and lots of pastry shops! Yummy to my Tummy! Germans eat lots of bread and really good potatoes of all sorts (fried, mashed, you name it) You should know that most beverages are served cool, WITHOUT ICE! So we must be sure to say Cola WITH ICE in order to have Ice! Ha! Germany is KNOWN WELL for their BEERS! Beer is cheaper than water! Can you believe that? I have yet to try any, but there are two light light beers that have been recommended, one with a little sweet additive, the other with some type of banana flavor! I'll keep you updated! Most drinks are sparkly (fizzy, carbonated, such as Pellegrino) including water, apple juice, etc. However, it is possible to get water without fizz! Ask for Stilles Wasser!

So to all my girlfriends, many many of the chicks wear tight, tight skinny jeans. So, feel free to pack yours and "You'll fit right in!" (Hopefully in the jeans too) HeHe If you re interested in shopping, there are cute clothing shops everywhere in Mannheim! The prices don't look that bad either!

Talk to ya soon!

Airport Video Part II

Travel, City, and More

Now it is time for the funny stuff; well... At least I think it is funny, particularly after the fact. Our original flight to Franfurt via Chicago got cancelled. As a result, we were rerouted to Washington DC. This flight was then delayed three times and we figured there was no way to make our connecting flight. For those who have traveled through Dulles Airport, you know that you must take the old buses to go from section to section.

Upon arrival, we saw that our plane was still at the gate. We get off the plane running with luggage and all to the gate! The door to the plane was already closed (which usually means the flight is about to take off). There were a few other individuals waiting as well. They informed us that several flights were delayed so the plane to Frankfurt was waiting on us. They stated that the pilot flashed his light, which they said meant someone was coming to open the gate. Cynthia and I thought this sounded fishy, but we went along with it anyway. Surely the plane that was sitting outside for almost two hours will open and let the 15 or so individuals waiting get on. Wrong! So we go to the international customer service desk to see how we can proceed with our travels. As we are waiting in the extremely long line (flights were also cancelled to Brazil and other places), our flight popped up on the depature screen as boarding. We take off running back to the gate along with a few more travelers. We got dooped again! The gate did not open! Several of the passengers who we came to know over the course of 24 hours at the airport start wildin! Check out the videos!

It was too classic not to video tape! So the white woman was the Exchange Mom of the Japanese exchange student. They were going backpacking across Europe. The Japanese exchange student is behind the counter wildin cause she saw her Exchange Mom wildin! Then, here comes Uncle Pierre with his family. They just wanted to go home so badly. Still, I think Pierre, Exchange Mom, and Japanese exchange student could have went to jail for what they did. The Black guy knew this. Look at where he was sitting. heehee!

Once we saw the flight leave, we were extremely disappointed that we could not get on a plane that was sitting in front of us for almost 2 hours. Nonetheless, we proceeded back to customer service. The workers were really nice despite the unruliness of travelers. We were not one of these people... lol. Seriously! After hours of searching for a hotel room with the help of Keon, we finally got a place to stay for the night at 4am! The weather was really bad in DC. Our cab driver was swerving in the road when nothing was there. Then he went the wrong way to the hotel and tried to charge us for it. While there are plenty more classic stories I could tell, I feel this one was by far the best.

We finally arrived in Frankfurt and were greeted by Christian and Sabastian. It was nice to see them. They took us to our apartment, which is directly across the street from the University of Mannheim. Collectively, everything is great! We are trying to learn German. Currently, we are coming familiar with food (go figure, lol).

Thanks!

We are having a great time in Mannheim. I want to briefly thank those who are making our transition an enjoyable one. First, I want to thank our family and friends. We look forward to seeing you soon and you are the reason opportunities such as these are possible. Because of your love, guidance, and support throughout the years, we continue to pursue our goals and dreams. To my IU colleagues including those who are not in Bloomington any longer, all of the conversations, meetings, and books are extremely useful. We have all of the books displayed in our apartment and use them daily for additional information. To my Mannheim friends and colleagues (Christian, Sabastian, Daniel, Yvonne, and Sladjana) danke, danke, danke! Without you, I am unsure how we would figure out some of the formalities of Germany. We look forward to spending time with you while we are here.

Peace out!

We are Here!

Hey Family & Friends,

We have finally arrived in Germany! We are settling in really nice. We completed paperwork and registration activities today! We arrived on Wednesday after we missed our connecting flight and were stuck in Washington DC for the night. We had quite a bit of luggage, but I must say that we packed well for 5 MONTHS and 3 SEASONS. The luggage carriers in the airport are FREE so we definitely utilized them. 2 of Rashawn's friends (Christian and Sabastion) that did the exchange program at Indiana picked us up from the airport. Everyone pretty much drives a BMW, VW, or Mercedes here. It is the standard. Guess it is not a luxury car to them! It is what our Altima, Saturn, and Buick cars are to us.

The flight was very nice except for the little turbulence here and there. Plenty of pillows, plenty of blankets! We were on a huge plane, a Boeing 757, 10 ppl across, 30 rows! Capacity was 300+, however there were only 200+ on our flight. We ended up changing seats to have more room. Dinner was served shortly after take-off! Choices were Beef or Pasta :) We both had pasta! Yum! Yum! They showed a total of 3 movies on the flight! Also, United Airlines provided headphones, but I have heard some airlines charge about $3, so for those of you traveling here, you might want to bring a pair if you have them. Also a type of XM radio is available.

For those of you who plan on visiting, I will send you periodic updates as I think of things! Oh ya, our information! Here goes:

Rashawn and Cynthia Ray
L-2, 2-4 / Apt 32
68161 Mannheim, Germany

Telephone: # 49-621-181-3238

Talk to ya soon!
Danke (My favorite German word, which means Thank You )