Brian and Brooke vs. the WorldBrian and Brooke vs. the WorldBrian and Brooke vs. the World brings you one couple who, after planning a multi-year RTW, had to switch gears when Brian accepted an expat job offer, and Brooke accepted traveling on her own. See how this couple handles the excitement, and stress, o Articles
Things that make you go hmm?
2008-05-24 11:19:00 I feel like I’ve gotten a pretty solid, normal routine down in Bishkek with classes, friends, and family dinners. But, really, when I stop and think about it, life isn’t so normal here. I’ve put together a list of a few weird occurences that are bound to leave someone scratching their head. ... More About: Make , Things
Thirty days of cold showers in the dark.
2008-05-20 12:44:00 After going days without showering in Guatemala because the water was too cold, I knew it was going to be bad when I found out that Bishkek turns the hot water off in the entire city for an entire 30 days! I thought it was some sort of joke when another student said he ... More About: Cold , Dark , The Dark , Days , Showers
Marshrutka Mayhem
2008-05-07 12:45:00 The marshrutka is the main mode of public transport here in Bishkek, and like a bad metal concert in Peoria, it?s cheap, hot, overcrowded, and sometimes filled with drunk people. Mentioned in earlier Bishkek posts, I despise these little beasts, and yet often find myself stamping my foot for the next one to come. ... More About: Mayhem
Meet the family.
2008-05-01 13:17:00 I bet you have been wondering what life with my Kyrgyz family is like, right? I have purposely put off talking a lot about this because for the first week and a half, my host dad was away for work. Well, he finally arrived back home this past weekend and home life has ... More About: Family , Meet , The Family
Food, Vodka, and More Vodka
2008-04-28 07:48:00 One of the perks of being involved with a language school is meeting all the interesting people that come and go. We have a nice little community of people to hang out with, which also opens the door for meeting other Kyrgyz families. This week, Ryan and I were invited over to Jamie?s ... More About: Food , Vodka
Feeling great in Bishkek.
2008-04-26 07:32:00 Bishkek is a happy, happy place. It is the perfect combination of big and small city ? much like Peoria on a much more interesting level. After living here for almost 3 weeks, it still almost seems like a dream. When am I going to get bored? When am I going ... More About: Great , Feeling
Overcoming Fears – AKA Taste Testing Shoro
2008-04-21 12:52:00 I hate to admit it, but I would have to say I’m a difficult person. I’m stubborn, have an insane amount of pet-peeves, and have a sometimes irrational germ phobia. When another student found out that I hate the idea of drinking or eating off random people, he responded with a shocked, “And you came here?!” Yes, I did come here, and I am happily working on my germ phobia. The kids in the family I am living with spit and cough on everything. We double-dip our teaspoons, use our hands to divvy out green onions, and eat our bread off the table top. In light of all this “letting my guard down” behavior, I decided to conquer yet another fear – taste testing Shoro. Shoro is this crazy little drink that the Kyrgyz love. It is sold on nearly every street corner. On a normal day, you will see children, adults, and grandparents standing around these jugs chugging down some of the good stuff. The only problem is that it kind of smells like rotten food, or as I put it, old... More About: Testing , Taste , Fears
Rocking out in a bomb shelter.
2008-04-19 13:27:00 Bishkek is chock full of surprises! When I planned this trip a few months back, I had no idea how truly interesting this city would be. From learning Russian to jam-packed marshrutka rides, my weekdays are pretty much booked, but the weekends tell a whole different story. Last weekend I was enticed into attending ... More About: Bomb , A-Bomb , Shelter
Ukraine Myths: You won?t believe these!
2008-04-09 13:02:00 Yes, I?m no longer in Ukraine , but I needed to get these little myths out in the open before I start divulging all my Bishkek related goods. This post is definitely a little slow in the making because I was trying to search for some place in town that has some sort of wireless ... More About: Myths
A bird pooped on me in YkpaiHa.
2008-04-06 11:44:00 Ukraine (YkpaiHa) exudes all characteristics stereotypical of a former Soviet republic. The buildings, big and grand with gold domes, consume the otherwise stark landscape. The statues stand tall with bold features and some forceful pose. And the people? The people in Ukraine are such badasses! They drink a lot, smoke ... More About: Bird
1 Broken Ipod, a 20 Hour Bus Ride, and 6 Esperanto Speakers
2008-04-04 19:33:00 Traveling in 2nd and 3rd world countries the past couple of months made me realize how much I love a good transportation system ? you know, where a 20 minute flight doesn?t translate into a 12 hour drive. The few treacherously long journeys in southern Mexico left me feeling hot, tired, and nauseous, and ... More About: Ipod , Poland , Ride , Speakers , Broken
Polish Hospitality Denied
2008-04-03 18:38:00 I?ve always heard it?s the people you meet that make traveling great. Wroclaw is a town that, unless you?re a college student looking to go out, doesn?t have much to offer the casual tourist, such as myself. Beyond the few hours I spent between the Panorama of Raclawicka (very interesting/controversial circular/3D painting) and the national ... More About: Hospitality , Polish
Hot wine, anyone?
2008-03-30 19:36:00 Normally, if I heard that someone was serving HOT wine, I would run away as fast as I can. The same goes with hot beer, or hot soda, for that matter. Ew, right? However, when you see something on every menu in town, you start to get a little curious. ?Give ... More About: Wine , Poland
Polish Hospitality
2008-03-29 18:21:00 After the horror that was my two days in Lublin, Krakow appeared as nothing more than a peaceful dream. Ok, maybe not too peaceful. There were those EIGHT Spanish guys in my room, and there were those two girls who were happy that some guy randomly spiked their drinks in Hungary (really?! ... More About: Hospitality , Polish
Please sign up!
2008-03-27 23:33:00 Sometimes, things just make so much sense. After I realize what makes sense, it becomes hard to ignore that things aren’t as they should be. My mild OCD kicks in, and I can’t stop until the task is completed. I realized I made a big boo-boo by keeping brookevstheworld on the same ... More About: Sign
Last Change! I swear!
2008-03-27 23:28:00 Sometimes, things just make so much sense. After I realize what makes sense, it becomes hard to ignore that things aren’t as they should be. My mild OCD kicks in, and I can’t stop until the task is completed. I realized I made a big boo-boo by keeping brookevstheworld on the same ... More About: Change , I Swear
Filling my Easter basket in Krakow.
2008-03-23 20:54:00 Arriving in Krakow was no other than a joyous occassion. After dealing with the feeling of being a lonely outsider in Lublin, the familiar sound of the English word on every street corner in Krakow was oh-so-sweet. Seriously, the only word I got in English from the 2 days prior was “5 o’clock” when I got this mysterious “5 o’clock. Tak.” phone call at 4:45 am the day I had to get to the train at the crack of dawn. I didn’t quite know if he was giving me a wake up call, or if he had already called a taxi for me. I had to book it down the stairs only to find out he hadn’t yet called a taxi. Dude, get a watch. It seems that anyone I talked to before my trip that knew about Poland ranted and raved about Krakow. “You will love it,” they said, and after being here for only a day I can in fact say, “Yes, I love it.” Krakow is more than just a major tourist stop… It is a big city full of life. The town center is full and fe... More About: Easter , Basket
Filling my Easter basket in Krakow.
2008-03-23 20:54:00 Arriving in Krakow was no other than a joyous occassion. After dealing with the feeling of being a lonely outsider in Lublin, the familiar sound of the English word on every street corner in Krakow was oh-so-sweet. Seriously, the only word I got in English from the 2 days prior was “5 o’clock” ... More About: Poland , Easter , Basket
Amazing Mystery Pastries No. 1 & 2
2008-03-23 20:17:00 Note: If anyone needs a mime in their next movie or play, sign me up! I have now mastered the art of pointing and gesturing for things I need to survive while in Poland. The other day in Lublin, I went to a delikatessy and pointed to a random pastry in the window. It reminded me of something that would be fruity and sweet. I ran back to my hotel room so I could explore this awesome little Polish treat. I took a sniff, but that’s not sweet I smell! That’s garlic and spice! Taken aback, I didn’t quite know how to feel. It’s like asking for a birthday cake, but getting a savory quiche instead. I broke it up to find some greenish stringy pieces filling the flaky dough – maybe cabbage? Finally, convincing myself that even though it was not sweet, it could still be delicious, I took a bite. My eyes lit up with excitement. It was absolutely fantastic. And why wouldn’t I like it? It was garlic and pastry dough, together as one, just as they were always meant to b... More About: Pastries , Amazing , Mystery
Amazing Mystery Pastries No. 1 & 2
2008-03-23 20:17:00 Note: If anyone needs a mime in their next movie or play, sign me up! I have now mastered the art of pointing and gesturing for things I need to survive while in Poland . The other day in Lublin, I went to a delikatessy and pointed to a random pastry in the ... More About: Drink , Pastries , Amazing , Mystery
Seeing people I know… everywhere.
2008-03-21 20:09:00 It all started in the airport in Dublin. I turned the corner and there was this guy, that from afar, had the same facial shape, skin tone, and body structure as Brian. It was one of those things where you have to take a second look to know it is in fact not that person. There was also a spotting of someone resembling an old friend from school. Then, on the plane, one of the flight attendants looked just like Megan, and finally, I saw my brother in a German guy in Warsaw (from across the room in dim lighting). And, let’s not forget the Polish Lindsay Lohan strutting her stuff down the street. It is like I get all excited at first to see a familiar face, just to be let down (I don’t think that applies to Lindsay Lohan). I started wondering why I was getting flashes of random people throughout my day, when (duh), it hit me - I’m in Europe where many Americans’ ancestors come from! When you’re in the States, everyone is mixed together from all over, ... More About: People
Seeing people I know? everywhere.
2008-03-21 20:09:00 It all started in the airport in Dublin. I turned the corner and there was this guy, that from afar, had the same facial shape, skin tone, and body structure as Brian. It was one of those things where you have to take a second look to know it is in fact not ... More About: People , Poland
Warsaw Diary
2008-03-19 23:50:00 Dear Diary , You should have seen the sea of green I flew in on. Unknowingly, I picked to fly into Warsaw on Aer Lingus with a stopover in Dublin on none other than St. Paddy?s Day. Sometimes I couldn?t even tell if there was a person in the seat because their clothes were green, ... More About: Poland
Warsaw Diary
2008-03-19 23:50:00 Dear Diary , You should have seen the sea of green I flew in on. Unknowingly, I picked to fly into Warsaw on Aer Lingus with a stopover in Dublin on none other than St. Paddy?s Day. Sometimes I couldn?t even tell if there was a person in the seat because their clothes were green, ...
What have you been up to?
2008-03-16 18:22:00 Funny you should ask. I have been very, very busy as of the last 2 weeks. Brian and I drove all the way to New York, strategically calculating how best to avoid the approaching winter storms. Luckily, we stayed ahead of the fronts the entire journey. After laughing at state advertising, ... More About: Poland
What have you been up to?
2008-03-16 18:22:00 Funny you should ask. I have been very, very busy as of the last 2 weeks. Brian and I drove all the way to New York, strategically calculating how best to avoid the approaching winter storms. Luckily, we stayed ahead of the fronts the entire journey. After laughing at state advertising, ... More About: Poland
What have you been up to?
2008-03-16 18:22:00 Funny you should ask. I have been very, very busy as of the last 2 weeks. Brian and I drove all the way to New York, strategically calculating how best to avoid the approaching winter storms. Luckily, we stayed ahead of the fronts the entire journey. After laughing at state advertising, ... More About: Poland
Ok, just give me a coke.
2008-03-14 14:45:00 There are a few things in life that make me immediately happy, and drinking a nice diet cola is one of them. I don?t know what it is exactly, but when I get a taste of that carbonated fake-sweetened water, I feel as though my frown turns upside down. But, what?s a girl ... More About: Drink , Guatemala , Give , Coke
Ok, just give me a coke.
2008-03-14 14:45:00 There are a few things in life that make me immediately happy, and drinking a nice diet cola is one of them. I don?t know what it is exactly, but when I get a taste of that carbonated fake-sweetened water, I feel as though my frown turns upside down. But, what?s a girl ... More About: Drink , Give , Coke
Ok, just give me a coke.
More articles from this author:2008-03-14 14:45:00 There are a few things in life that make me immediately happy, and drinking a nice diet cola is one of them. I don?t know what it is exactly, but when I get a taste of that carbonated fake-sweetened water, I feel as though my frown turns upside down. But, what?s a girl ... More About: Drink , Give , Coke 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
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