An Invasion of a "STRANGER" Kind.... NEW THREAD IS UP!! Go Thee NOW!

[All7OfUs]

only 2 cups of coffee for $15 euro? what are you drinking????

Kona, for sure! NO, really Magdelena tells me you can get 4 cups for $15. That's a mere $4 per cup. Not too terribly bad. The coffee in our Internatinal Terminal is only about the same.

Liesa....OY!!

I have to admit to laughing a little about your name mix up.....I still use my maiden name for some things...like my ssn, so i have to remember which name to sign on our taxes. It's messed me up several times and left me with the dmv lady looking at me like I must be c razy to not know my own last name.


I can't imagine the crap...sometimes quite litteral, that you have to go through over there to get things done. I guess I'll try not to moan as much next time I'm de3aling with building codes or Ms. Happiness herself at the dmv.

I will definitely be laughing at that debacle AFTER they've punched my ticket, and I'm happily cruising down the tracks at 185 miles an hour on my way to see Bavaria!!! to eat strudel, and schnitzel, and kraut!! and to see castles and old churches, and dungeons. And best of all 2 sweet DISsers!

It was not so bad when we knew we were staying, but now that our hearts and minds have "left" it's harder than ever to deal with.

Good grief! You need a hug! and....a drink! I am SO sorry that you have to go through all this. I just don't know what to say! I've never been in any of your situations...so I don't know how to help!

Just think...soon you'll be at WDW...AWAY from all that!

I did have one. Tim's recipe was right on. That nasty bottle of gin is finally gone, and we can go back to something better tasting now. (Geez, I sound like some lush- hardly, at one cocktail a month!)

Yes, WDW is my dreamland escape that will be a reality in 105 DAYS!!!

 

[that's nice]

Ok, here's the scoop. The old owner was a Communist party member and those people were just generally feared in general. One night, that owner did to our neighbors what they did to us. Simply put up a fence. YOu can either accept it, or go to court. We didn't want to do that.

But come to find out, our houses actually sit on common land. The land was never divided. ANd that's what we're trying to do now. Can't sell the house until that happens.

Got cha!

Hopefully, people you trust can get it taken care of if you are gone by then. Maybe they will actually send or wire you a nice check.

Watch where you walk at night.

I guess it could get a little messy.

yeah, yeah, put my $5 cup of coffee on. ha! you remind me of Cherie's picture of Jordan with his feet up at the show (was it American Adventure?)

$5 isn't horrible...

I miss Jordan...

 

[All7OfUs]

It would be nice to have a gigantic check sent over, Red Rover. We need that to buy a new place.

yeah, I miss Jordan, too. A lot. He was like 25% of my West Coast homies.

 

[All7OfUs]

It's been 6 whole pages, and a lot of muck, since Minnie made an appearance. Her next section is chock full of Souvenir Sensuality.

Here's her cover for this chapter:



I have some ideas for Miscellaneous Souvies that are mostly for others in my family, but you remember, the pearl ring is for me. To match my lovely strand DH bought me a couple years ago.



Next up is the WHOLE list of ideas we had fun putting together for My Shop Around the World! Yeah, it's handwritten. My ink is out in my printer, and from now until the package from my parents arrives, handwritten is all I've got.



I also need to round out my WS Pressed Pennies Collection. Also, if I find the Snow White and 7 Dwarves, I'll get that collection started.

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi Liesa, once again your land story so much reminds me of the course I did during my Masters degree on "law and development" - it was all about how having a working legal basis to your society is necessary for advancement and what the things are you have to provide. Proper land titles are so important!! I hope you will get the issue solved soon. Do you tink the neighbour expects to be paid in order to approve your papers? I could imagine that many people in Blankistan just expect you to be very rich and want to "get their share" of your supposed wealth?

Any news on the return train tickets?

 

[All7OfUs]

Hi Liesa, once again your land story so much reminds me of the course I did during my Masters degree on "law and development" - it was all about how having a working legal basis to your society is necessary for advancement and what the things are you have to provide. Proper land titles are so important!! I hope you will get the issue solved soon. Do you tink the neighbour expects to be paid in order to approve your papers? I could imagine that many people in Blankistan just expect you to be very rich and want to "get their share" of your supposed wealth?

Any news on the return train tickets?

I think up until '91, land "law" was according to who was a Party Member with a "Red Document", or who was richest- which was in all likelihood one and the same.

Yes, we run into the "Rich American Mentality" ALL. THE. TIME. Nevermind our income is 100% based on charitible donations from friends, family, and our church. To be quite frank, there are MANY Blankistanis FAR wealthier than us driving BMWs around and building gigantic new houses. Unfortunately, the wealth gap is a growing chasm. The poor are barely surviving on bread and tea. Charity is unheard of here. Even during the month of Ramadan.

I almost forgot about the job of getting return tix today. Maybe I was just sort of blocking it out of my mind in fear of doing a repeat performance of the last time.

 

[Flossbolna]

Yes, we run into the "Rich American Mentality" ALL. THE. TIME. Nevermind our income is 100% based on charitible donations from friends, family, and our church. To be quite frank, there are MANY Blankistanis FAR wealthier than us driving BMWs around and building gigantic new houses. Unfortunately, the wealth gap is a growing chasm. The poor are barely surviving on bread and tea. Charity is unheard of here. Even during the month of Ramadan.

It is really sad that the oil money isn't providing better standard of living for all... Actually the steroetype of being "poor" or "rich" according to different countries works the other way, too. I remember that our family briefly hosted an exchange student form South Africa who was in Germany for a year and he had to leave his first host family. It turned out that one of the biggest problems was that the host family had expected a "typical" poor African (and black) student whom they could then be very generous to, but he was a white kid from a middle class family. I thought it was very sad that a family who wanted to host someone from a foreign country for a year was then not prepared to accept the diversity of students coming from that country.

I almost forgot about the job of getting return tix today. Maybe I was just sort of blocking it out of my mind in fear of doing a repeat performance of the last time.

It will all work out!! And if you really pay attention, you might figure out how the mishap happened. Better have someone else with you to check that you don't put in your maiden name!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

It's been 6 whole pages, and a lot of muck, since Minnie made an appearance. Her next section is chock full of Souvenir Sensuality.

Here's her cover for this chapter:



I have some ideas for Miscellaneous Souvies that are mostly for others in my family, but you remember, the pearl ring is for me. To match my lovely strand DH bought me a couple years ago.



Next up is the WHOLE list of ideas we had fun putting together for My Shop Around the World! Yeah, it's handwritten. My ink is out in my printer, and from now until the package from my parents arrives, handwritten is all I've got.



I also need to round out my WS Pressed Pennies Collection. Also, if I find the Snow White and 7 Dwarves, I'll get that collection started.

Hi Leisa! The things you learn about people on the DIS - I see you are left-handed. How about your kids? I'm sorry for all the stress - just keep thinking about your happy place - not too long now.

 

[All7OfUs]

Hi Leisa! The things you learn about people on the DIS - I see you are left-handed. How about your kids? I'm sorry for all the stress - just keep thinking about your happy place - not too long now.

You are one perceptive chickie!! I am a lefty, AND to add to my quorked out DNA, I'm also AB+ blood type, and under 5' 1".

Out of 5 kids, 2 are lefties! Cool beans, eh?

I"m already feeling much better; tomorrow's always another day to get better. Can you believe how fast it's all going?? I just bought my return tix for our Germany stint! More on that momentarily....

 

[All7OfUs]

It is really sad that the oil money isn't providing better standard of living for all... Actually the steroetype of being "poor" or "rich" according to different countries works the other way, too. I remember that our family briefly hosted an exchange student form South Africa who was in Germany for a year and he had to leave his first host family. It turned out that one of the biggest problems was that the host family had expected a "typical" poor African (and black) student whom they could then be very generous to, but he was a white kid from a middle class family. I thought it was very sad that a family who wanted to host someone from a foreign country for a year was then not prepared to accept the diversity of students coming from that country.



It will all work out!! And if you really pay attention, you might figure out how the mishap happened. Better have someone else with you to check that you don't put in your maiden name!

No, the oil money is definitely NOT being even remotely distributed. Although, in all fairness, GENERALLY speaking, until the crisis hit, the entire economy was growing and WAY more people had jobs than when we first arrived. Due to a (VERY!) slow embracing of the capitalist modus operandi or something else, it was getting better. Unfortunately, all the oil companies have now been bought out by our VERY large neighbor to the east and they are less likely to be involved in community development initiatives than say the Germans or Canadians who previously owned them.

How odd that that family thought they couldn't learn from and enjoy a "different" kind of student than they were expecting?? Odd, I say! I always thought hosting a student was all about exchanging cultures and what not.

 

[MeMom]

Music is a great souvenir!
I love my Disney CD's. My CD case has disappeared right now, somewhere between here and school I have put it in a sack or box and can't find it, so I am somewhat distraught. I guess someone could have taken it, but I'm sure the music they found inside wasn't what they were after, if they did. Disney, gospel, and Christmas music was all that was in there.

If it doesn't turn up, my souvenir money will be going toward purchasing all new CD's this summer. Gotta have my Disney pick-me-up music in the car!

Pick a pearl will be a nice keepsake.

 

[Lady Lallie]

I love your souvenir ideas. I think my favorite ones are the Pick a Pearl and CDs. I did Pick a Pearl in 2008 and it was a lot of fun. I love the little ceremony, I guess you would call it that the ladies do there. Lots of fun. Then the park music CDs are so great to take home and listen to over and over again. My two favorites that I have are Spectromagic and 4 Parks, 1 World.

 

[All7OfUs]

Music is a great souvenir!
I love my Disney CD's. My CD case has disappeared right now, somewhere between here and school I have put it in a sack or box and can't find it, so I am somewhat distraught. I guess someone could have taken it, but I'm sure the music they found inside wasn't what they were after, if they did. Disney, gospel, and Christmas music was all that was in there.

If it doesn't turn up, my souvenir money will be going toward purchasing all new CD's this summer. Gotta have me Disney pick-me-up music in the car!

Pick a pearl will be a nice keepsake.

I've been downloading as much as I can, and I plan to do a whole series of posts on just the music I've gathered from here and there! Such fun, and REALLY such quality music!! I love it! The only one that actually brings me pain to hear it is the Halloween Party music- as I won't get to hear it live- at least this year. BOO!

What a major bummer about your CD case, MeMom!! That's terrible that it's missing in the first place, but doubly so that you think it may have been stolen. I'm sure they were shocked when they opened it.

I love your souvenir ideas. I think my favorite ones are the Pick a Pearl and CDs. I did Pick a Pearl in 2008 and it was a lot of fun. I love the little ceremony, I guess you would call it that the ladies do there. Lots of fun. Then the park music CDs are so great to take home and listen to over and over again. My two favorites that I have are Spectromagic and 4 Parks, 1 World.

I really don't know if the souvie budget will end up supporting all my habits. But I'll sure try. I'd rather have something that lasts a long time than an extravagant meal that last a couple hours.

I think it was actually Kat Garcia that got me hooked on the pearls. I'm so exicited for this! I know I"ll want to take video, but I'll need GB's help on getting them from video format to still shots for my TR. I think maroo is going to do this too.

I've seen the 4 parks, 1 World on EBay, but will likely buy it there, in the parks, instead. We'll see...

 

[glennbo123]

Hi Leisa! The things you learn about people on the DIS - I see you are left-handed.

Yes, I noticed the "backwards" check marks!

 

[All7OfUs]

Yes, I noticed the "backwards" check marks!

Only the dextrous can make them so perfectly.

 

[maroo]

Gosh, I was just thinking the same thing! I had no idea you were left-handed!

 

[KatMark]

Love your souvenir list. I told Mark I wanted to do Pick a Pearl this trip as we've never done it. And I just love Downtown Disney and the Mickey Mart--such bargains and I can always find great stocking stuffers there for the little ones that we buy for at the holidays.

 

[All7OfUs]

Gosh, I was just thinking the same thing! I had no idea you were left-handed!

They say left-handed people are more accident prone, and therefore statistically die younger- in general. However, I've also heard that tall people live shorter, so I guess I"m all evened out.

Love your souvenir list. I told Mark I wanted to do Pick a Pearl this trip as we've never done it. And I just love Downtown Disney and the Mickey Mart--such bargains and I can always find great stocking stuffers there for the little ones that we buy for at the holidays.

I think you missed this on the 1st thread, but I am really NOT a big shopper. I don't like to really browse and such, ssooooooooooooooooo... I"m going in with a very specific list, so I can be IN and OUT quickly. It's true in my real life too, I loathe clothes shopping!! And trying things on- forget it!

 

[winkers]

After reading your lists the main thing stuck in my brain is....your check marks are backwards.

I think your dh would appreciate a belly dancers scarf or outfit from Morroco more than cymbals....

 

[All7OfUs]

After reading your lists the main thing stuck in my brain is....your check marks are backwards.

I think your dh would appreciate a belly dancers scarf or outfit from Morroco more than cymbals....

You guys are all cracking me up!!!!! They aren't backwards, I photobucket inverted the picture to see if you'd catch it.




OK, not really, you all just make yours backwards.

He got MORE than his fill of belly dancing shenanigans in both Dubai AND at the Marakesh in Disney. We ate there in 2004 with my parents. Anara was with us and getting antsy, so Mom and I took her out and left the guys to pay the check. They walked out a half hour later with giant poop-eating grins, and it didn't take a genious to figure out what exactly kept them so long.