#I wasted three days and 12 euros on that book

[joliackermann]

LMAO my dad just helped me burn a book because a cat died in it 🙂My mom was suprisingly understanding of my choice to burn the book 😁

Then my dad made a joke about how the nazis burned a lot of books, but come on... A CAT DIED THIS BOOK DESERVES IT

#book #The book that must not be named #fuck that book #I wasted three days and 12 euros on that book #censoring the name because the fucking book deserves it #I need warnings for shit like this #like the way its on ao3

[axwalker]

If The World Was Ending: Even if he was wicked

Synopsis: When Bianca leaves her son without looking back, Drake has to live on the streets until he finds a home with Angelica Ortiz--Lexie’s grandmother and a foster mom. With the Ortiz, Drake finds a family and falls madly in love, until a tragic night changes everything, threatening the life Drake fought so hard to get.

To catch up (HERE)

Pairing: Drake Walker x Lexie O’Brien (MC) The Royal Romance.

A/N: This will be a very angsty, full of drama, small town romance.

Words: 4,120

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry, except for Lexie’s grandmother and mother.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Child neglect, abandonment, sexual assault, prison and a very entitled, “evil” Liam

Due to the several trigger warnings and some of the subjects I’ll be dealing with, I will only tag people who actively asked for it. If you want to be tagged in the following chapters --or untagged, please leave a comment. 

Drake

2008

When I was 12 years old, my mother took off with my little sister leaving me in Cordonia with my father's best friend. I reminded her too much of my father, too much of a life she would do anything to forget. That "anything" included abandoning her oldest son. I'd like to say I was surprised, but the truth is I wasn't. Bianca Walker had never been a motherly woman. The only reason she had taken Savannah with her was that my Aunt Leona adored her. I was sure my mother would dump my little sister on her and never look back. I hoped that was the case, Leona despised me, but she was great to Savannah. 

A short time after that, Bastien passed away and my mother was nowhere to be found. That's when I started to go from one home to another. The first year and a half were the hardest ones. I lived with four different families, each one worse than the last. First, the Lockes, where the family barely talked to me. Then, the Ruiz that made me take cold showers and sleep on the floor. The Godwins where the “mother” used the check the state gave her to buy alcohol instead of groceries. And finally the worse, the Fields. They seemed nice enough when I met them. Not kind but polite. The first few weeks everything seemed normal. Then one day, I got in trouble at school, and Mr. Fields --the pastor of his community, beat me up to “teach me some manners.” His punishments became a usual thing after that. 

Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I escaped. Better to be on my own than believe some family was going to love or adopt me. Obviously, there was something very wrong with me. My own mother had left me, and I had never found my place anywhere else. 

I lived on the streets for 6 months. I did all kinds of jobs. Not a lot of them were legal but there were few opportunities for a 14-year-old runaway kid. The most money I got was when I stole car parts that I got to resell to a gang called the Mercy Park Crew. The boss, Mr. Kaneko was fair and paid well enough. I could’ve kept living by myself if something hadn’t got terribly wrong at my last job. One of the boys from a rival gang decided to teach me a lesson and I ended up in the hospital with a concussion. A nurse called social services so here I am in a car with another social worker on the way for another foster home. It doesn’t matter, I know it won’t last anyway. 

When you’ve been in the system as long as I had, you learned to look for certain warning signs when placed in a new home. Drugs, ulterior motives, threatening fathers, drinking mothers. After an hour, we drove through a town looking like something straight out of a movie. Valtoria. I’d heard of it before. The family my dad had been protecting when he died lived there. The house we pulled up to, was a large two-story construction with dark brown siding and an immaculate green lawn. 

Joelle, my new caseworker had popped up out of nowhere in the hospital and told me I was coming with her. Just like that. From the way Joelle talked about the new place, I figured it was some sort of transitional home for rejects like me. Too old to get adopted and too troubled for anyone to voluntarily take on. I didn’t ask her anything else because I knew I didn’t have a fucking choice. Besides, I knew words don’t mean anything. I was a kid in the system. I went where they took me. Sometimes, I hated it. Sometimes, I really hated it. This time was different. In more ways than one. Usually, I was dropped off by my caseworker, and the people receiving me were about as excited as they were about junk mail. No one has ever come out to greet me before. As long as the woman at the door wasn’t sizing me up for a skin suit, it didn’t matter.

The social worker got out of the car as I grabbed the trash bag that I used to carry my shit around. She rang the bell, and a small, older woman opened the door. Joelle had told me in the car that the woman fostered several boys and I knew what that meant. She wanted the money the government gave her for keeping us. Well, I wasn’t going to make it easy for her. If she wanted to cash a check at the end of the month it was going to cost her. I’d make sure of it. 

I had seen it all, but I still was caught by surprise when the tiny woman opened her arms at me and gave me a one-sided hug. A fucking hug. 

“I’m very happy to meet you, mijo,” she said in a strong accent. “My name is Angelica Ortiz but everyone here calls me Abuela. Grandma in Spanish.” 

The woman was deluded if she thought I’d call her grandma. She was obviously trying to impress the social worker with her fake kindness, hugs, and stupid names. I wasn’t going to be fooled that easily. 

I didn’t even answer her as we stepped into the house. Another woman, a younger version of the one staring at me was waiting for us in the living room. 

“Hi, you must be Drake. I’m Elena. Welcome.” She gave me a smile. Fake, I was sure but at least she hadn't tried to hug me. The older woman was talking to Joelle about me. Probably about my problems with authority, anger issues, and lack of communication skills. I knew my file by heart. 

I barely nodded at Elena, and the three women exchanged a look. “Let me take you to your room, Drake. You’ll be sharing it with Maxwell. He’s doing his homework with my daughter in our house across the street. You’ll get to meet all the boys and my daughter Lexie tonight.” 

She walked me to a room on the second floor of the house. It seemed clean and comfortable. Another ploy for the social worker. Two bunker beds with blue blankets and a wooden desk full of books were the biggest pieces of furniture. The left side of the room was covered in posters of who I figured were famous boy bands. There were a few of David Beckham, the only guy I recognized. Other than that there were clothes everywhere. That Maxwell dude was a fucking slob. Great. 

“I told Max to take down some posters so you can decorate half of the room to your liking; This is your room as much as it is his. He's usually much more organized than this." I notice she speaks with a sort of fondness. "It was picture day for the school yearbook and he took hours getting ready. ” 

I shrugged. I wasn’t planning to stay long anyway. I couldn’t care less if that Max kid left his posters on the walls or not. 

She glanced at my garbage bag. “Are those your clothes, mijo?” 

I scowled at her. I knew what mijo meant and I was nobody’s son. “My name is Drake.” 

She smiled. “Of course, Drake. So, are they?”

I didn’t bother with an answer. A nod was enough. 

“I cleared you this part of the closet, so you can keep them there. When you’re ready come downstairs; my mom and I will show you the rest of the house. The boys are out but we’ll all diner together tonight. Do you like Mexican food?”

I shrugged.

The woman smiled. “Shrugging is not an answer, mij- Drake. Either you like it, you don’t, or you haven’t tasted it in which case I can tell you, you’re missing out. Especially when mami cooks.” She winked at me as if we were friends or something. The woman was insane. “So, what is it, Drake?”

I’d never had it before, but she wasn’t going to tell me how to answer a damn question. “I hate it.” 

She frowned --clearly disappointed, and I almost felt bad for her. Almost. “I’m very sorry to hear that. We already made Enchiladas for tonight and we don’t waste food. You can tell us your favorite dish though so we can make it for you.”

I shrugged again. Generally, that's when the person talking to me loses her patience but Elena Ortiz only smiled at me again. “Think about it. Every Sunday night, we pick someone’s favorite and cook it. It’s really fun. Next Sunday will be your first here, so you get to pick. Mami is a great cook and she can make anything from a mean chocolate cake to the best cheese pizza. See you downstairs, honey.” 

Great. I’ve only been in this house for a few minutes, and I already hated it. The only thing worse than a home where you were beaten up as a welcome was a home where people pretended to care. My third foster home had been like that. Ms. Godwin had been all kind and nice at first. I almost felt like she cared about us. A week later, she had gotten drunk. For two days, neither I or the two girls she fostered had anything to eat because she hadn’t bought any groceries. I had to steal a twenty euro bill from her purse to buy food. She got angry and called the social worker who had come for me and taken me to the Fields. The worst home I ever lived in. 

I wasn’t going to go downstairs but I decided that if I wanted a chance to escape it was better if I knew the house. Before I could explore a little, I heard my name from what I assumed was the kitchen. 

Elena was crouching in front of the oven. “Drake has such sad eyes, mami. He’s only 14.” 

The woman that had asked me to call her abuela, answered as she chopped an onion. “This boy has been living in the streets for more than a year. Do you realize it? Pobre angelito. So young and he has already seen more horrors than most people see in a lifetime.” 

“Joelle told me that he had escaped from his last foster home.”

The older woman scoffed. “Home? If that’s how you call people that foster kids only for the money, they get in exchange. I don’t want to imagine why he fled those places." She turned to her daughter who had finished whatever she was doing in the oven and was drinking a bottle of water. "Stop watching me work, Elena and help me with diner, por Dios.”

Why was she pretending she didn’t care about the money? It was obvious. No one did anything for free. There was always a catch. 

“Dónde está mi venadito?”

“Lexie and Max are at our house doing homework, mami. Be careful, though, if Lexie hears you calling her “your little deer” she’ll kill you. The boys called her Bambi for months after they heard you the last time.”

“Nonsense. She’s my venadito and that’s that. You two will come to eat here tonight. I want Drake to meet everyone.”

Elena rolled her eyes but patted her mom on the back. “Yes mami. Lexie is dying to meet him, she and Max made a chocolate cake for him. I’ll call her in a minute. Where are the boys by the way?” 

“Bertie is trying to teach Leo how to drive. Poor boy, I hope he makes it alive.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Leo will be careful. Bertrand will be fine.”

“Oh, it’s not Bertie I’m worried about, it’s Leo. Bartie has no patience with him.” 

I left the kitchen before they said anything else. I was sure I was going to hate this stupid place. I was angry. More than angry. Furious. After a year of successfully running away, I was back in the damn system. Back in yet another home where people seemed to care about me in front of the social worker just to ignore me –or worse, once she left. I had to admit that my new foster “moms” played their part better than most. The old one had hugged me and the other one had given me a smile that seemed real. But I knew better. No one really cared for me. No one gave a shit where I slept, what I ate, or if I was ill or scared. Not that I was ever scared. I had seen everything. 

The front door was locked so I went to the backyard. I saw a small wooden house on top of one of the trees. I decided it was a good place to hide and be myself. 

I sat there for a few moments when I heard someone climbing the tree. 

“Hi!”

I looked up and saw a girl a couple of years younger than me. She had the biggest pair of brown eyes I’ve ever seen and was smiling at me as if I was her best friend. 

“I’m Lexie! I live across the street. I’m Angelica’s granddaughter. You’re Drake, right?” I didn’t think it was possible to smile more but the girl proved me wrong when her grin widened. I simply nodded. 

“Welcome! I know that it must be hard for you to feel at home because you like just arrived but you’ll love it here. I promise. Valtoria is great. We have lakes and the mountains and when it’s warm enough we can go camping all night. You’ll love the house too. I mean between you and me the boys are kind of a pain in the ass but they’re pretty great when they want to. Or when they're not teasing me. Especially Leo and Maxie. Bertrand is a know-it-all. He thinks because he’s sixteen he knows everything." She rolled her eyes clearly offended by the idea that someone could know more than her. "Abuela, that how we all call her because she’s Mexican and would murder us if we call her grandma, is amazing. I mean don’t get me wrong, she's super strict, and as my mom says the woman is never wrong but she’s the best person I know.” 

I blinked. I didn’t know a person could talk that much without taking a single breath. 

“Do you camp?” She asked as she folded her legs in front of her.

I did before. Before my dad died and my whole life blew up in a million pieces. Not that I would explain any of that to the chatty girl, so I just nodded again. 

“Great! It’s getting warmer and Leo wants to go to a new camping site next weekend. Don’t tell him I said this but he’s like the worst camper ever. I have to double-check everything he does but I don’t tell him anymore because my mom said it wasn’t nice.” 

I wondered how could someone carry a whole conversation by herself. I hadn’t pronounced a single word since the girl had shown up. 

“I want to be your friend but I can see we’re about to have our first fight.” She told me in a teasing tone. “You’re wearing a Liverpool t-shirt. We worship Barcelona in this house. Well, Abuela, Leo and I do. The others couldn’t care less about soccer.” 

I looked at the shirt she was wearing. It read "If they don't have soccer in heaven, I'm not going." 

She noticed I was looking at her shirt and beamed. "Abue said my shirt was disrespectful to God but mom thought that was dumb and bought it for me anyway." 

"Do you like soccer?" I finally asked. 

“Like it? I love it! Did abuela saw your shirt? She hates European teams. She thinks Tigres is the best.”

“Tirgues?”

She laughed, and the sound of it did something weird to my stomach. “Tigres. It’s a Mexican team. She goes crazy when they play.”

“What team you like?”

“Barcelona, obviously.”

“Liverpool made it to the finals of the last Champion’s league.” I pointed out. 

She shrugged. “They lost so it doesn’t count. Do you play?”

“Sometimes.” I tried not to show how much I loved it. It was something else my dad and I shared that had stopped when he died. 

“I play too. How old are you?”

“Fourteen.”

“I'm twelve. Well, almost thirteen, my birthday is in May.”

I frowned. “It’s November.” 

“I know. I’m almost there.” She beamed. "I'm almost closer to thirteen than twelve anyway." 

“Do you always talk this much?”

She laughed and my belly did that weird thing again. “My mom says I was a parrot in another life. I talk more when I’m nervous.”

“You're nervous?” I liked that I could make her nervous but I didn't know why. 

She blushed and I liked it too. “A little. What happened to your eye?” 

“I got into a fight.”

“Wow. You can’t do that here. Leo is always getting into fights and abuela has to ground him.”

She sure mentioned that Leo guy a lot. “Is Leo your boyfriend?”

“Gross!! Leo’s is like my brother. He, Bertie, and Max live with abuela. We’re a family. You’re family too.”

Fuck that. No matter if the girl was sort of cute. I didn’t have a family. “No, I’m not. I’m not staying.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I don’t belong here.”

“Yes, you do; I swear. Plus, I need someone to coach me, so I can get into the school team next year. Leo promised he would, but he never has time.” 

“I suck.”

She shook her head and smiled at me again. “Somehow I don’t think you do.” Then she gave me a conspiratorial look as she pulled out something from her jacket pocket. "You can't tell my mom about this but I took this from her room." It was a white iPod. After scrolling a little through the screen she settled on The Beach Boys. She couldn't possibly know it but they were my dad's favorites. She passed me an earbud and we didn’t talk after that. We just sat together for a while hearing music until we heard our names being called. 

“That’s abuela. We should go. She hates to wait. Plus, I'm starving and we're having enchiladas. You'll love them.” 

Lexie ran to her house to --as she put it-- 'hide the evidence.' I went back to her grandma's house and stepped into the kitchen. 

“Drake, pass me the salt, mijo. It’s next to you on the counter,” Angelica said as she kept on turning the sauce she was making. “You like enchiladas?” 

What was with all these women asking me what I liked to eat? I leaned against the black counter while she opened the lid of another steaming pot on the stove, and stirred its contents with a long wooden spoon. I shrugged. I didn’t know if I liked it. But it smelled better than anything I ever tasted, so it couldn’t be all that bad. My mouth started watering, and my stomach growled. Come to think of it, it had been a while since I’d last eaten.

“You know, I know you feel weird now. And you don’t like to talk a lot. Soon, you’ll learn that this is a safe place. We aren’t gonna judge a single word that comes out of your mouth or any of them that don’t.” 

I suddenly felt like I owed her a verbal response in exchange for her kindness. Fake or not. Besides, I just knew the chatty girl I’ve just met wouldn’t be happy if I was rude to her grandmother. “Yes, ma’am.”

She smiled at my verbal response. “But just so you know. We do have a few rules in this house.” 

Here it comes. The catch. Angelica put the lid back on the pot and leaned over the counter on her elbows. “You just need to go to school, find a hobby or sport you like, don't swear, respect the curfew and keep your room clean. Every child in this house has chores but it’s too soon to figure out yours. For now, you only have to get to know us.” Her eyes crinkled as she smiled at me. At that moment the timer of the oven rang and Angelica took a huge dish out of it. She covered it with more steamy, tomato sauce, sour cream, and grated cheese and put it back in the oven. At least, I might get some good food while I figured what I was going to do next. Because no matter how nice and kind everybody acted, I was not going back to school. I used to be good at it without much effort; I had friends and a soccer team. But I had missed a lot in the last two years. I felt dumb and stupid. 

Suddenly, the front door slammed open. “Cuidado muchachos! Be careful with that door against the wall, or you’re going be spackling and repainting this entire house,” Angelica yelled out. Three teenage boys filed into the house, followed by just as many apologies. 

“Sorry.” “Oops.” “It was Max’s fault.” “

“These are Maxwell, Leo and Bertie,” Angelica introduced. “Boys, this is Drake.” 

“Hi, man!” The blond one said with a shit-eating grin. “Abuela, Lena, you guys didn’t tell me you were buying a Liverpool fan.” 

“Adoption is not a purchase of people, Leo” the oldest one --Bertrand, corrected. 

“Yeah, cause if it was, then you got Leo from the clearance rack,” the youngest one joked, checking his reflection in the hallway mirror, smoothing back an out-of-place dark hair. “I hope you kept your receipt.” 

“Fuck, off,” the blond one replied with a middle finger. 

“Watch it, Leo,” Angelica warned. “Boys.” 

Max kissed her on the cheek. “Sorry, abue.” She forgave him with a smile, then swatted at his hand with her spoon when he dipped his finger into the pot. 

“I’m glad you’re here, bro” Leo said. I stood, and he gave me a fist bump without touching my hand. 

“Me too! And we’re going to be roomies,” the kid named Max said. He grabbed a stack of plates from the counter. I followed him over to the long dining room table and helped set the table for seven people.

2020

I lost count of how many days I’ve been in the hole. It wasn’t my first time in here and it sure as hell it wouldn’t be the last. It was always the same routine. Days and nights blended into one making it impossible to know what day it was or how much time I had been in here. 

I have been in jail for six excrutiating years. I had known from the day I heard the sentencing that the only way I was going to survive was if I didn’t think about her. It was the hardest thing I had to do but after a while, my routine was running smoothly and when my head hit the pillow at night, I was too fucking exhausted. She haunted my dreams and my nightmares, but I didn’t think of her beyond that. Except for the hole. Locked up there, cold, hungry, and utterly alone her face, my memories of her were the only thing that helped me go on. 

I replayed in my head our first encounter, our first kiss, our first time. I obsessed about her full lips, her expressive brown eyes, her gorgeous smile. I could spend hours picturing every single corner of her soft delicate curves. Sometimes, I wondered if --maybe, I didn’t start fights in the hope of being sent to the hole where I could spend my time fantasizing about her. It was pure torture, but I couldn’t help myself. The memories I had of her, of us and our short time together were the only light in my otherwise bleak life. 

She still wrote me every week but I hadn’t open any single one of her letters. I didn’t want to know if she was moving on with her life or worst if she was waiting for me. Because that was what Lexie didn’t understand. Even if nothing happened and I was released in one year, I would never be that boy again. The Drake Walker she had known and loved was dead and she wasn’t going to like the man that had been left in his place. I was damn sure about that. 

Tagging:

@mskaneko

@burnsoslow

@kingliam2019

@kat-tia801

@petiteboheme

@tinkie1973

@twinkle-320

@thegreentwin

@forallthatitsworth

@marshmallowsandfire

@marshmallowsaremyfavorite

@princessleac1

@lilacsandwhiskey

@lovingchoices14​

@lovingchoices14​

@nomadics-stuff​

#tw child neglect #tw child abandonment #tw children #tw child labor #axwalker writes #drake walker #drake walker fanfic #drake x mc #drake x lexie #trr fanfic #trr au fanfic

[ctpfinal2018]

Lingue Senza Frontiere - A Guide

 When I first auditioned to work with this company, there was little information on the roles and responsibilities, or even what to expect and bring. So, I have decided to make a post based off of my experience to help guide those who are considering working for this company.

 For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Lingue Senza Frontiere (or LSF as I will call them from now on) are an Italian Educational Theatre Company that gets groups of actors to tour the north of Italy. The actors perform a variety of plays to a variety of schools as well as running workshops after shows. They also run summer camps. If you want to check them out, I’ll link their website but it is in Italian so you might wanna get google translate on it:- https://www.linguesenzafrontiere.com/

Tip 1:- Check your journey price and time frame  LSF offer 100 euros for your first travel over to Italy. They will not pay you for any other trips in and out of the country you may make during your contract with them. So look at how much it’s going to cost you to get from where you live to the Sanremo station in Italy, as that is where the company picks you up to take you to the accommodation. The nearest airport is Nice and there’s normally buses and trains that can take you from there. But also be aware of how long the journey will take. There may not be a direct flight from your local airport to the Nice airport, or your arrival time may not work out for getting a train to Sanremo. The company will want you to be at Sanremo station by 6pm European Time at the latest, since they close their office at 6pm and might not offer to collect you should you need to arrive later than that. But also think about your own health in the journey. You don’t want to be taking two planes, a train and a bus all in one day just so you don’t have to pay to sleep overnight somewhere. Consider what’s going to be the best route, work out the cost including luggage and if it comes to over 100 euros see if you can speak with LSF about covering the extra charges so you can meet their required arrival time.

Tip 2:- Don’t over pack  So you’re going to another country for possibly 8 months without returning home. You’re not sure what weather you could be facing, so you should probably bring a lot of stuff, right? Wrong. You’re only staying in Sanremo during your rehearsal period so when you go off to act you need to fit your suitcase, as well as the suitcases of the other actors and all of the props and costumes for the shows into a Peugeot car, maybe a small Peugeot van at best. You won’t have time to wear your beautiful summer clothes or fashionable winter jeans. Pack black trousers, leggings and jeans. You have to wear black for the shows, so make sure you have a few pairs in case any get damaged during performances. It does get cold at winter and we all heard how hot Europe was this summer so yeah make sure you have a variety, just a variety of black, with a few bits for weekends and potential evening meals out. Maybe pack one of them thingies for checking the weight of your case for your journey back. There are launderettes at both flats, both of which don’t require washing powder. And as someone who uses non-bio washing powder, I never had an issue with itchy clothes.

Tip 3:- Take a rucksack and a microwaveable food box  Speaking of keeping things light, take a rucksack. After you move from Sanremo, you settle in a flat in Capriate San Gervasio where you’ll spend most of your weekends. You can leave your suitcase there. Most of your accommodation during the week will be in hotels, flats and airbnb’s. Not all of them will have lifts. Not all of them will have cooking facilities. Trust me, you don’t want to be lugging an entire suitcase into a hotel you are staying in for one night. Take a rucksack with a weeks worth of essential clothes and toiletries. Make yourself some pasta for lunch and store it for the car journey.

Tip 4:- Bring an Italian adaptor  Yeah, that title’s right. Not a European adaptor, an Italian adaptor. One with three, thin prongs rather than the two fat ones European adaptors have. Both company accommodations only use Italian adaptors and most flats also use the same plug system. Here’s one for reference:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/ADAPTOO-ADV-12-ADAPTOR-UK-ITALY/dp/B002YKNTUM/ref=asc_df_B002YKNTUM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=311075391090&hvpos=1o8&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13891911048839537870&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006679&hvtargid=pla-562449714173&psc=1

Tip 5:- Learn some basic Italian  LSF will tell you that you don’t need to know Italian to do your job. They’re lying. Not only does most of the accommodation not understand basic English (which, let’s face it some little town that never gets tourists aren’t going to bother learning a language they’ll never use in day-to-day life) but sometimes the teachers who had requested the performance didn’t understand English. Part of the job is calling accommodation to confirm the time you will arrive, and calling the teachers to confirm what they’ve paid for. So here’s a bit of Italian that will save your skin:- Ciao, siamo LSF. Abbiamo una prenotazione/ un spettacolo con te domani. Posso parlare Inglese? This means:- Hello, we are LSF. We have a reservation/ a show with you tomorrow. Can I speak English? A good way to learn is through Duolingo, though you’re bound to pick up things the longer you’re in the country and practising the language.

Tip 6:- Learn the scripts and songs before you arrive  You have two weeks to block out and rehearse like, 5 plays as well as learn how to run the workshops and practice driving. You don’t want to shove learning lines and songs on top of that too. Though be prepared for the company to add in audience interaction into the script.

Tip 7:- Make sure to read the contract in detail before signing  The company will try to guilt you into doing more for the company, such as working over the weekend to learn new workshop styles. They will state that it is in the contract for you to do these things. Whilst this is kind of true, sometimes the company will try to spring things on you last minute such as last minute bookings. Make sure to communicate your concerns with the company about any issues that may rise with their expectations from you in the role.

Tip 8:- Have a phone plan that provides lots of data  The company provides a WiFi router for the Capriate flat, but it only has 30G of data per month for the 10 people who are living in the flat. That’s 3G of data per month per person. Plus the SatNav the company provides tends to take you down narrow roads and dead ends so it is always good to make sure you can use your own google maps to look for a safer route. 

Tip 9:- Look after the company car and your locations  The company will provide you with a car to get from place to place, as well as funds for petrol and emergency funds for washing costumes, cleaning facilities for flats etc. The company base your potential bonus at the end of the contract on the maintenance of the car and the flats. If you receive a speeding ticket, it is taken off of your bonus. Even if you weren’t the one driving, as the company states that everyone in the group is responsible for the car regardless of if they drive or not. If you do damage the car, make sure to contact the company immediately to ask them what to do. Little scratches and bumps are inevitable but communication is key when making sure you are covered for any damage caused. The same with the flats. If you do not recycle your waste correctly, the flat could be fined. If the flat is unclean or the toilets and drains become blocked, the company may need to pay for these fixing and thus your bonus deducting for said fixes.

Tip 10:- Make the most of your free time  Be aware of how long it will take you to journey from one accommodation to the next. Ask the accommodation owners when the earliest and latest times are to arrive. Look at how many shows you will be performing and take time to enjoy your surroundings. If you are performing near to Verona and you have 3 hours free before you need to leave, take some time to go and sight-see. Italy is a beautiful country and there’s lots to experience. So enjoy the time you have out there. Treat yourself to a Michelin star restaurant. Stuff your face at an all-you-can-eat Chinese. Experience the towns people pay hundreds of pounds to visit for a weekend and you get to see simply by performing to a school nearby. Visit the neighbour at the Capriate flat and learn to play a card game in Italian.

 In conclusion, working for LSF was an experience I was proud to obtain. Sure, sometimes the other actors drove me a little crazy. But that is inevitable when you’re basically spending 24/7 with the same people. Sharing rooms and sometimes even beds wasn’t exactly what I expected but it wasn’t too bad. Most stuff you learn as you go, growing stronger with each new challenge the role brings your way. You’ll learn how to be smart with both the company’s money and your own money. You’ll learn when and where the best place to wash and dry your clothes is. You’ll learn to balance your work relationship with your friendships with your fellow actors, and when sometimes you just need a few minutes to yourself. You’ll learn to balance the company’s duties amongst the group and work together to bring joy to the children you perform to.

 If you have any more questions about what to expect, don’t be afraid to ask the company, or even ask me.

#acting #review #tips and tricks #lsf #lingue sensa frontiere

[awesomebrazilianprincess]

It's Neymar's Time to Complete His Rise to Royalty

If Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi has anything in common with Crash Davis—if there’s any sort of cultural crossover between the archetypes of global sports glitz and minor league baseball grime—it’ll show itself when the tape recorder starts rolling. That’s when the icons in their posh private jets heed the wisdom Davis imparted on a bumpy bus, whether they’ve seen Bull Durham or not. “You’re gonna have to learn your clichés,” Crash says in the 1988 classic. “They’re your friends.”

The galácticos have little choice but to follow this advice. Combine the fanaticism surrounding global soccer with the minimal access afforded the media covering it, and you have an environment where every crumb becomes content, where innuendo is louder than insight, where the tiniest spark can become a bombshell. In short: The less said the better; be safe, not sorry. So it’s significant, then, that in the middle of what should be the most relaxing summer of his adult life, Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. is willing to let you in, share his concerns and maybe even make a headline. He can’t hide from who he is, nor from the momentous, legacy-defining season to come.

The quiet but charismatic 25-year-old Brazilian forward has never won a World Cup. He has never been named FIFA’s player of the year. And if he remains at FC Barcelona (which was up in the air as of Monday; if he’s not in Paris a week from now, it will be a surprise), he will have to wait a bit longer until he’s even considered his own team’s centerpiece. But he’s universally deemed soccer’s best player after Ronaldo and Messi, and he’s beloved in a way that neither of them ever will be. And a big reason for that is his indifference to the Book of Crash.

Neymar can’t fake it. He’s not packaged, and he’s not a ­product—and as a result, he sells lots of them: Nike, Gillette, Panasonic, Beats by Dre. In 2013 he was named the most marketable athlete in the world by SportsPro and Eurosport. In January he was ranked the most valuable player on the Euro­pean transfer market by Switzerland’s CIES Football Observatory. And in April he was the only footballer on TIME’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people. (“I’ve always been struck by his humility,” David Beckham wrote for TIME. “He’s respectful and wants to learn...He lives to play the game, and I imagine he approaches it now the same way he did as a boy.”)

Neymar says he can’t explain his inclusion on that list—and then he tries to do just that: “Maybe because I’m an athlete or maybe because I do a lot of things on social media. But I don’t know. I don’t like to talk about myself. I try to be a good role model for my son, my family, my friends, and then I try to be a good role model for the rest of the people, too. ... I try to be myself without being anything different. I’m only one Neymar—for my family, for the public. I’m always the same person.”

When Neymar acknowledges that, yes, the next 12 months, climaxing with the World Cup in Russia, will probably be “the toughest season of my life,” he believes it. The world will read those words and discuss and dissect them, and then they’ll become even more true. The spotlight is about to get even brighter, and Neymar, who’s been soccer’s next big thing for nearly a decade, will have to confront his destiny.

This was Neymar’s first summer without a national-team commitment since 2010, when his exclusion from Brazil’s ill-fated World Cup squad caused an uproar at home. Brazil has already qualified for Russia, so he’s had the chance to indulge. He hit Oracle Arena for Game 2 of the NBA Finals, sitting courtside with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton and posing afterward with Odell Beckham Jr. and Kevin Durant. Neymar wasn’t at all concerned about whether the Warriors’ megastar was a fan; this was no ego trip. “I don’t know if he’s seen me play,” Neymar told SI, “but I had the pleasure to meet him.”

In another photo the 5' 9" Brazilian stood on a chair and playfully lorded over 6' 7" Draymond Green. Neymar enjoys being around famous and accomplished people—he reunited with Green in Ibiza last month—not because of how it reflects on him but because he’s a fan, genuinely in awe of what they can do.

In the last year he performed a short, silly scene in which he juggles a napkin holder in Vin Diesel’s most recent Xander Cage movie—a role only for the athlete who doesn’t take himself too seriously—and kicked a ball across Hollywood Boulevard on Jimmy Kimmel Live! He’s joined musicians onstage, singing and dancing at concerts back home.

Neymar has a piano at his house in Spain—it was there when he moved in, he says, and he has been teaching himself to play with YouTube ­videos—but at an L.A. photo shoot for this story it takes some convincing to get the man watched by tens of millions every weekend to tap out even a simple a tune on a rented grand. He sits, gets up and wanders a bit before settling back in. Songs are suggested. How about Barcelona’s club anthem, “El Cant del Barça”? A Nike marketing rep asks that the studio’s ambient music be turned up, not down, so Neymar might feel a bit less scrutinized. He’s not an action figure to be played with. He’s human; he gets nervous. He says he felt it when he met Michael Jordan in Las Vegas and when he lined up to take what would be the winning penalty kick in the Olympic gold medal game last summer in Rio. Before the confidence bubbled up at the penalty spot, he admits, he endured the “worst sensation—all of the responsibility is on you.”

The Olympics play a distant second fiddle to the World Cup, but that U-23 tournament stubbornly remained the one international competition Brazil hadn’t won. And with the 2016 Games being contested on home soil two years after World Cup humiliation (also at home), Brazil named Neymar one of its three over-age players. He delivered, scoring four goals in six matches and converting that gilded penalty against Germany. Neymar was in tears almost immediately. For him, delivering the final piece of Brazil’s trophy puzzle was an immense achievement. For the public that adores him, however, it’s still not enough.

“It was like the Yankees finishing with the best record in the regular season: O.K., that’s kind of cool, but they measure everything around here by World Cup championships,” says Brian Winter, a Texan who co-wrote Pelé’s 2014 autobiography and who now runs Americas Quarterly, a political, business and cultural journal covering Latin America. As Reuters’ chief correspondent in Brazil for five years, he knows well how the nation’s sports, economics and politics intersect; he was living in São Paulo when Germany dismantled the hosts 7–1 in the ’14 Cup semifinals. That game in Belo Horizonte, he says, marked “the start of a long descent into hell for Brazil,” which has been reeling from financial and political crises since.

Neymar’s penalty and Olympic gold offered only temporary respite. “It was cool for, like, a day,” says Winter. “It created the sensation that hosting the Games hadn’t been a total waste. But once the lights went off, it was so clear that all of the promises linked to the ­Olympics—improved policing, infrastructure—had fallen short.” Brazilians, he says, are “desperately hoping for a reason to be happy in 2018. And so often—maybe too often—Brazilian soccer and politics mix.”

So the nation turns to Neymar. Four years after the misery of the so-called Mineirazodrubbing by ­Germany, which Neymar missed with a fractured vertebra suffered in a quarterfinal Thunderdome match against Colombia, Brazil has a viable shot at redemption in Russia. The 7–1 stain will never go away, but this World Cup will feature Neymar in his prime, shouldering the hopes of a country desperate for a reversal in fortune. This is the season in which it all could turn around. The season in which Neymar might finally fulfill his promise.

"Everybody wants that Neymar be the protagonist in the World Cup,” says Ricardo Kaká, the Orlando City midfielder who was part of Brazil’s 2002 title-winning team (and who, incredibly, is the last man other than Ronaldo or Messi to be crowned world player of the year—10 years ago). “This is unfair sometimes, but it’s also because of who he is as a player, for his potential, how he can decide a game, how he’s a protagonist in Barcelona. There is going to be pressure on him.”

Kaká is certainly familiar with scrutiny, but as good as he was, he never became the long-term, tactical focal point of the Seleção. Nevertheless, Neymar looks up to the former Brazil number 10, who’s 10 years his elder. Neymar admires Kaká’s piety, and Kaká appreciates Neymar’s willingness to listen and learn. They’re both part of a text-message group reserved for Brazilian national team veterans, making it one of the most exclusive clubs in the world: Kaká, Roberto Carlos, Denílson, Elano...–Neymar joined recently, and he employed the group’s advice during the Olympics.

Kaká explains: “The first games, Brazil didn’t play so good, everyone was criticizing Brazil—and he was the most important player. He tried speaking with the press, and then I said to him, ‘Now as a player we have a very good opportunity to answer without saying; we have the field to [show that] we care and that the situation is important to us.’ In the end he won the Olympics, and that was the best answer he could give.”

The members of the group, Kaká says, believe Neymar is “very smart to understand that these guys can give him something different, something that could help.”

Brazil needs Neymar because, increasingly, Brazil is Neymar. Though rocked by recessions and political scandals, the nation has seen massive gains made by the nascent middle class over the past couple of decades. For years, socioeconomic classes “often resembled castes,” Winter says. There were five—A through E—and it’s the C that’s been on the rise.

C is roughly where you would have found a young Neymar. The son of a journeyman pro player, he wasn’t impoverished growing up on the southern fringe of the São Paulo megalopolis, but his family didn’t have much either, and making ends meet was a chore. Now Neymar takes in some $37 million per year (more of it from endorsement deals than from Barcelona), according to Forbes. He’s living the modern Brazilian dream.

“Neymar has the deepest connection with the people of Brazil of any soccer player of this generation, particularly with the rising middle class,” Winter says. “The way he talks, his street-wise charm—he appeals to that segment. He’s the best pitchman in a generation.”

That appeal also dovetails with the millennial generation. Neymar is a master of social media. His image isn’t meticulously crafted or self-celebratory like Ronaldo’s; it’s not homey or reticent like Messi’s. That video of Neymar playing soccer in a backyard with Justin Bieber is more effective than anything a consultant might stage. It’s organic and honest, a window into Neymar’s effortless cool.

He’s fashionable. And he’s got a wonderfully wry sense of humor. “Social media tends to ferret out the phonies,” Winter says. “People love watching for their idols to show a glimpse of insincere behavior—but you really don’t see it from him.”

There’s a 2011 video of a 19-year-old Neymar in the locker room at his old Brazilian club, Santos, in which he dances and sings and thrusts along to Michel Teló’s cover of “Ai Se Eu Te Pego.” The more sighs and eye rolls Neymar gets from teammates in the video, the more committed he becomes.

He’s comfortable, unvarnished and fearless in the moment—the sort of person anyone with spunk or spirit would like to be around. The clip has more than 25 million views, and Neymar has 78 million followers on Instagram, making his account the 14th-most popular in the world, a hair above Messi’s.

Ronaldo has more, but Google “CR7 dancing” and among the first few hits are clips of the Portuguese star gyrating in a pink bathing suit in front of a crowd in Ibiza and another of him cavorting on a private plane. Search “Messi dancing” and you’ll find videos of the Argentine and his wife. There’s no better illustration of the differences among the three men.

Kaká certainly sees it. “Neymar just tries to be himself,” he says. “What’s in your character [takes] you where you want to go. Messi is a little bit shy, so he wants to be more out of the light. Cristiano wants to be not just a soccer player, but also a celebrity. There’s not a rightway, it’s just a choice. Neymar is the nice guy who wants to be everywhere, but he’s humble and simple. When he takes a picture with Kevin Durant, it’s: ‘This is the man, not me.’”

The soccer-loving world may worship now at the feet of Messi and Ronaldo, but that’s humanity’s appreciation for the divine and incomprehensible. Messi plays as if there are fireworks attached to his boots—the ball moves so quickly from one side of his foot to the other that it seems to occupy two places simultaneously. He’s all controlled chaos, staccato soccer. He is a savant, essentially, who doesn’t seem to be truly comfortable anywhere but on a field, and he’s been the driving force behind a three-time European champion that’s arguably the greatest side the sport has ever seen.

If Messi is from Mars, then Ronaldo hails from Mount Olympus. He’s like one of us but better, perfected. He plays like the physical specimen he is: with strength, power and panache. He’s more attractive than the statues of him. If Neymar markets to the C class, Ronaldo aims his CR7 brand, with its underwear and fragrances, at those in the A+. The guy has not only an airport but a galaxy named after him.

Yet for all their supernatural prowess, neither Messi nor Ronaldo is as adored in his homeland as Neymar is in Brazil. Argentines and Portuguese may look up to their respective icons, but Neymar prefers to look you in the eye.

Asked if he’s a little bit Ronaldo and a little bit Messi, Neymar says, “I think I’m like that. Sometimes I’m a little flamboyant, an extrovert. Sometimes I’m quiet.”

Whether he’s their peer is less important to the soccer world than whether he’s their successor. The Messi-Ronaldo duopoly has combined to win six FIFA Club World Cups, eight Champions League titles and a boatload of other honors. But Messi is 30, Ronaldo 32. Next summer’s World Cup will be the last for each man in his prime. At some point, it must be Neymar’s turn.

The Brazilian says that FIFA’s player of the year award is “very important” (Crash Davis wouldn’t like that answer), but he shrugs when asked if and when he’ll break through. “Everything happens in the right time,” he says. “The main focus is to keep playing well, keep winning games, and when the time is right, I’ll get mine.” (I’ll get mine—that wouldn’t pass the Crash test either.)

Back in June, when Ronaldo celebrated Real Madrid’s second consecutive Champions League crown with fans at the Plaza de Cibeles, he made his case for a second straight world player of the year award with a micro­phone and a chant. The thought of it—of using a team event to tout his case for an individual honor—makes Neymar squirm. “No, I wouldn’t do that,” he says.

He attracts attention in other ways. His play, like his demeanor, borrows a bit from both Messi and Ronaldo. But whereas Messi slices and Ronaldo surges, Neymar glides. He’s smoother and more efficient than either, outstanding with both feet and blessed with the creativity and vision of his great Brazilian predecessors. But his game, like his personality, is more accessible. Train long enough and hard enough, and maybe you, too, could play like Neymar. He’s human, mortal, and he speaks with a voice the next generation understands.

This is where Paris Saint-Germain enters the picture. The powerhouse French club was always going to feature in Neymar’s story, thanks to an astonishing Champions League round-of-16 series that will live forever in the lore of both PSG and FCB. Last season was a tough one by Barcelona’s standards, and its puzzling lack of ruthlessness was exposed in a 4–0 first-leg Valentine’s Day massacre at the Parc des Princes. Neymar says he was embarrassed by the performance, and he corroborates the story that he promised friends he’d net two goals in the March 8 decider at the Camp Nou—which he ultimately did, in the 88th and 91st minutes, before setting up Sergi Roberto’s clincher in a 6–1 thriller.

On a team as loaded as Barça, there aren’t many moments when a player can and must take command. But with his European season on the line Neymar was unstoppable, and for many it seemed like a turning point on his climb to soccer’s summit. In TIME, Beckham wrote that it would “be remembered as the moment he stepped up to take on the mantle of best player in the world. Neymar is ready to make his move.

But as July came to a close, it appeared more and more likely that move might take him away from Messi and back to Paris, where PSG was looking for a way to finance the payment of his record $261 million release clause. Yes, Neymar would have to wait for Barcelona to become his team—but if and when it did, then his team would be Barcelona. If he leaves for PSG, he will join a lesser league and a club that has the cash but not the chemistry to make a deep Champions League run. In NBA terms he’d be moving from the Warriors to the Clippers. And instead of Durant, whose desire to win trumped his need to be the man—as Neymar’s did when he left Santos for Barcelona in 2013—the Brazilian would be channeling Kyrie Irving, itching to get out from under LeBron James’s shadow.

Asked which of his two favorite NBA players he identifies with more—James, who was raised in the spotlight, or Steph Curry, who came up quietly at Davidson, mirroring Neymar’s lower-profile beginnings—­Neymar chooses LeBron. Let us not forget, then, James’s ultimate decision to break from the Big Three after winning superteam trophies in Miami. In order to be soccer’s biggest name, perhaps Neymar has to shine further away from Messi, Luis Suárez and Barcelona’s band of superstars.

If he ultimately stays in Spain, Neymar must launch his assault on Messi and Ronaldo while improving on his own 13-goal La Liga campaign and helping steer Barça back to the top under new coach Ernesto Valverde. Last season’s results and the upcoming World Cup apply pressure from both sides. But Messi and Suárez relieve it, at least on the club side. Neymar doesn’t have to be the best player every time he steps onto the Camp Nou field. He’ll have to be more impactful, but he can do so while remaining true to himself. He’ll have some leeway.

If he goes to PSG, he’ll be paid like a king and expected to inspire a desperate club that hasn’t advanced beyond the Champions League quarterfinals since 1995. He’ll have the headlines and the billboards to himself. When those are shared, knocking a ball around with Bieber endears you to fans. When they’re yours alone, a Bieber moment may raise questions of focus, maturity or leadership. There will be no outlets at PSG, no excuses. Either way, he’ll also have to prepare mentally and physically for the rigors of a must-win World Cup.

But it’s all manageable. It always has been—so believes the man with LIFE IS A JOKE tattooed across his left biceps. He was Brazil’s Olympic talisman, and he was thriving at the 2014 World Cup before getting hurt. “We only have one life, so we have to figure out a way to be happy,” Neymar says. “Don’t take it so seriously. That’s pretty much it. Enjoy your life.”

Neymar’s relationship with his homeland remains strong. Not even the court cases concerning his controversial 2013 transfer to Barcelona have dented his reputation. In July, he was cleared of tax evasion in Brazil; a Spanish investigation is ongoing. (“Tax evasion,” Winter points out, “is next to soccer as the national sport in Brazil.”) Neymar’s countrymen, meanwhile, remain grateful for the gold medal and for his staying with Santos as long as he did. His Q rating is unscathed.

The only thing that could hurt him at home is, of course, failure to win in Russia. After he was forced to watch the semifinal rout by Germany while recuperating, Neymar told his fellow Brazilians, “We are going to do all we can so that I can fulfill my dream. My dream is to be the champion of the world.”

Three years later he’s asking for help. “I want to win a World Cup,” he says, “but it’s not only me, you know? There are other factors. There are teammates. There are a lot of things going on.” He’s certainly right, if the Mineirazo was any indication. But then he concludes, “I think you can be a legend without winning a World Cup.”

Maybe, but not in Brazil. Sócrates and Zico, for example, were great players and remain well respected. Many pundits think their 1982 squad, which lost to eventual champion Italy in the second round, was better than the ’94 side, which won it all. But on a team with five stars on its jersey, the bar is so much higher. “If Neymar doesn’t win at least one World Cup, as much as people love him today, he will be forgotten,” says Winter. “Brazil isn’t short of epic personalities who’ve won World Cups.”

Neymar tries to make light of the pressure. “It’s very normal,” he says. “The thing is, if you win a World Cup, they’ll tell you that if you want to be the best, you have to win anotherWorld Cup! When you’re one of the top players, this is going to happen all the time.”

Perhaps it has all felt routine until now. But the next 12 months, whether he’s in Barcelona or Paris, will be anything but ordinary. A new chapter is beginning, and while the end is uncertain, it’s sure to be blessedly free of clichés.

#the whole article #neymar #jr #ney #neymarjr #si #cover #photoshoot #interview

[sportticketexchange]

Euro 2021 - Premier League must contest UEFA's agenda because domestic seasons are the primacy

At the moment, it seems like UEFA are calling the shots because of the Euro 2021. So Premier League chief executive Richard Masters needs to put pressure on them. Euro 2021 fans can book England Vs Czech Republic Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

I don’t get this outcry to abandon the ­Premier League season and call it null and void. What the hell is the rush?

I keep hearing people saying, “But you’re ­putting lives at risk”.

Yet no one is saying play games right now. The only thought is to finish the season WHEN it is safe to do so. That is not a debate. It’s a fact. The advice will be there from health experts, so follow it. That is not being alarmist. Every single expert, every single specialist, even virtually every single government is saying there will be a second wave – and it is a question of how to deal with it.

So, let’s look at how football deals with it. If we void this season, start next ­season in ­August, and then a second wave hits in the ­autumn or winter, what do we do then? Void that season too?

The only reason anyone is even considering canceling the season now is that UEFA is applying pressure to do so… presumably, because they still anticipate their Euros going ahead next ­summer and they want the way clear for that.

So what happens if the second wave comes next February, like the initial outbreak? To me, it is obvious. There’s no rush, get the league done this year, then play with what you have. It’s like being a poker player: work with the hand you have, not what you hope you may get in the future.

I know UEFA is powerful and I know this will be controversial, but the fact is that domestic football is more important than national teams. Without club sides, there would be no national teams. At the moment, it seems like UEFA are calling the shots because of the Euro 2021.

So Premier League chief executive Richard Masters needs to put pressure on them. How does the English game do that? Well, if the TV companies say they want to wait, to see leagues finished and they’re happy to wait, it could apply some pressure.

I know the Premier League ­reiterated on Friday that they want to wait because they see completing the season important for the integrity of the competition – and I agree. Again, no one is saying put lives at risk. That is not even part of the agenda.

And, with economies crashing globally, there will be financial arguments about when it is safe to go back to work, mixed in with the medical. If the Government pull their funding for ­furloughs, etc (which, I suspect, they can’t sustain forever), then will people say they’re not going back to work?

I honestly believe that, if the ­Premier League does return, the players will be far safer than we are as the general public. They will be in a full “biosphere bubble”, as Formula One has deemed it, with typical jargon b**t.

What that means is they will be tested every few days, and won’t come into ­contact with anyone who isn’t also tested every three days. They won’t have to go on public transport, go into supermarkets, do all the things that everyone else has to do to put them at risk.

And if they do contract the virus, it will be found ­incredibly early – because, apart from testing, they will have heart checks, oxygen checks, health checks every single day. Euro 2021 fans can book England Euro Cup Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

It doesn’t half protect you when you wear a heart monitor in your daily job and have a team of fitness experts tracking your every heartbeat, your every bead of sweat. They will be a damn sight safer than anyone. They won’t be at risk like frontline NHS staff, care workers, bus drivers, shop workers, and so many others.

Who all get paid a ridiculously low wage to put their lives on the line every single day. They will only go back to work when it is safe to do so! I am not saying they need to put ­themselves on the line for the country. I’m saying, with all the resources the Premier League and clubs have to throw at it, safety will be ­paramount and relatively easy to deliver.

And one thing I know, if the Germans are ­coming back shortly to play football, then you can bet it is safe to do so there. So don’t tell me the season has to be null and void. That is a ridiculous argument. Euro 2021 fans can book the Czech Republic Euro Cup Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

There is a second Covid-19 wave coming, so let’s finish this season and then see what hand we have to play with for next season.

When I hear this null-and-void argument put forward, I always think one thing: will the virus respect null and void? Nope. It’s not going to suddenly ­disappear to allow next season to be played in full and without complication, just because this season has been scrapped.

No one is talking about the second wave in all the opinions wasted on what should and shouldn’t happen. You can bet, though, that clubs are already factoring that into their financial and operational deliberations for the next 12 to 24 months. So maybe we should start factoring it in too.

We are offering Euro Cup Tickets so Football fans can get Euro 2021 Tickets through our trusted online ticketing market place. SportTicketExchange.com is the most reliable source to book Euro Cup 2021 tickets.

#EnglandvsCzechRepublicTickets #EnglandEuro2021Tickets #CzechRepublicEuro2021Tickets #Euro2021Tickets

[eurotraveltales-blog]

Day 15: Munich

Last day in Munich was pretty eventful. We left the hostel at 11 and went to Back Werk to get breakfast to go. I got a blueberry muffin, a croissant, and one of those Berliners, which was essentially a jelly-filled doughnut covered in powdered sugar. It was really good. Apriet got a chocolate muffin and one of those spinach strudels that I got yesterday.

We decided to go to the concentration camp memorial first, and then be back in Munich in time to see the characters on the Marienplatz clock do their 17:00 dance. The clock moves twice a day, at 11:00 and 17:00, but we weren’t going to make the 11:00 one. So we walked to the Munich Central Station, which was where we arrived from, and we purchased an “XXL” all-day ticket for the two of us that covered the train ride from Munich to Dachau, as well as the bus ride from Dachau station to the concentration camp memorial site. Turns out we didn’t need them because nobody checked them on any of the trains and buses we rode today. So we’re just going to stop wasting money on them.

When we got there, we found out audio tours were 4.00 euro and guided tours were only 3.50 euro per person, so we paid 7 euro for a guided tour that started at 13:00, and checked out the gift shop while we waited the 20 minutes until 13:00. The gift shop had a lot of books about the Holocaust - survivors telling their stories and historians writing about the political climate at the time, as well as the facts that have been uncovered from research that’s been done on the Holocaust since the late 1940s. At 13:00, we gathered at the lobby to meet the tour guide. Her name was Nikola and she was very nice and seemed super knowledgeable about the subject matter. She had grown up in Munich, studied history in school, and spoke fluent English. Most of the others in our 30-people tour group were also Americans. Buckle up and settle in, folks - this was a 2.5 hour tour.

Anyway, the first stop was just outside the gate that says “Arbeit macht frei,” which is German for “Work will set you free.” This phrase is displayed at the entrance to many Nazi concentration camps. Nikola told us a story about how the current gate is a copy of the original because the original gate was stolen one night. They installed the copy to replace the stolen original for the memorial site, since the survivors said the gate needed to be there. The original gate was found one year later when someone called the Dachau police to report that they saw it in a junkyard in Norway, and now the original gate is securely displayed inside the museum. I should note that many of the buildings in the memorial site have been reconstructed for the site, and are not the original buildings that stood during the time of the concentration camps. Though some, such as the crematorium, were original. Nikola also pointed out how there were people living right outside the borders of the camp, so they had to know about it, despite them pretending they didn’t know anything about it. In addition, there was no direct train line leading to the camp, so prisoners had to get off at Dachau station and walk to the camp, meaning the citizens of Dachau had to know what was going on. The camp was huge and ran for 12 years.

We only made several stops at notable exhibits in the museum, as there were far too many for us to stop at every single one. As Nikola said, the tour would take five hours if she were to talk about each exhibit. The first stop was a big map of Germany showing the location and names of all the concentration camps that existed across the country. The larger camps were shown more prominently on the map, but the map also showed all the smaller sub-camps that many people don’t know existed. Nikola explained the difference between some of the camps. Auschwitz was by far the largest camp, and Birkenau (near Auschwitz) was were prisoners would be transported from other camps to be killed. I think she said 85% of prisoners arriving at Birkenau would be killed, versus the 20% arriving in Dachau. Nikola also mentioned how some large private companies, such as BMW, hired prisoners to do some of their manufacturing work since it was cheaper labor than hiring regular workers. Some of the companies noticed that the prisoners were starving and would try to help them out by giving them food, if only to increase their productivity.

After the map, we came to a room with desks where the SS would keep records of all the prisoners on notecards locked away in the desks. This was the first stop for prisoners, as it was where they were assigned their prisoner number. The notecards contained basic information about each prisoner - name, age, place of birth, place of residence, occupation, whether they had been transferred from another camp, etc. Many of the prisoners were from Poland and didn’t speak any German, but the few who did speak fluent German and had neat handwriting were chosen to work in prisoner recordkeeping. They were the more privileged among the prisoners, as they were able to work indoors, avoid hard, physical labor, and they were much better fed than other prisoners because the prisoners who arrived at the camp had to turn over any food they had with them to these workers, who would then eat the food. Prisoners were also forced to memorize their number and be able to recite it to SS officers in German, so you can imagine how difficult this was for those who did not speak German. There was also a poster showing the number of prisoners that arrived in Dachau each year during the 12-year period that the concentration camp was in operation. The vast majority of prisoners came from Poland, followed by Germany itself. But note that prisoners really did come from all over Europe.

After that, we came to a display that showed the different triangular symbols prisoners had on their uniforms and what they represented. Nikola said this system was very SS-like, putting a label on everywhere to keep them in neat boxes. Red triangles marked political prisoners, Black triangles marked people who were consistently unemployed (perhaps due to some disability or otherwise), purple triangles marked Jehovah’s witnesses who were pacifists and refused to be conscripted into the Nazi war effort, blue triangles marked immigrants, pink triangles marked homosexuals, and green triangles marked “professional criminals,” or people who had been in and out of the penal system more than three times. Jews were distinguished by a yellow triangle underneath the other one, forming the Star of David.

Then we were taken to an area where prisoners were infrequently allowed to take showers. Nikola said that one survivor she had spoken to had told her about their experience having body lice due to wearing the same clothes for weeks on end without showering. The lice would live on clothing, but would bite prisoners’ skin, causing intense itching and spreading diseases like Typhus from one prisoner to the next. The SS could have stopped the spread of infection by spraying the clothes with DDT, a chemical to which they had access, but they just didn’t care enough to do it. Instead, just quarantined the people who got sick and let the disease run its course.

After that, we saw a wooden trestle that was used for corporal punishment on prisoners. Prisoners would be forced to bend over the trestle and count out loud in German for each hit they received. If they messed up the count or didn’t know the number in German, the punishment would start again from one. It was more a method of torture than of punishment. The SS loved to use fear and humiliation to keep prisoners in line. It’s disgusting.

Next, we went inside a bunker where prisoners were kept, including priests and other members of the clergy and “special” prisoners who usually received better treatment than others. Prisoners were also interrogated and beaten in these rooms inside the bunker, where screams could not be heard from outside. Nikola told us the story of Georg Elser, a German cabinetmaker who had carried out an attempt to assassinate Hitler but planting a time bomb next to the area where Hitler was scheduled to make a speech. However, due to bad weather, Hitler, Goring, and Goebbels had all left the stage a half hour early, and the bomb went off without hitting any of them. Elser was arrested that same night when he was caught trying to cross the border to Switzerland. He was kept in a special cell in the bunker where he was ordered to remake the same bomb in order to prove that he was working on his own rather than with help from the British police. He was in fact working on his own, and after he successfully recreated the bomb, Heinrich Himmler had Elser killed in Dachau three weeks before it was liberated by US soldiers. Pretty damn tragic. Imagine how the course of history would have been changed had Elser been successful.

We then visited a recovered barracks where prisoners slept and washed up in the morning before having to line up in the courtyard outside to be counted. Prisoners would be punished for the most trivial things, like an unmade bed or the smallest spot or mark on a table or floor. They were also not given nearly enough time for everyone to wash up before starting their 12-hour work day. They were given about 1000 calories worth of food a day and just enough sleep to keep them going in this way for about 6 months, when they would be replaced by new prisoners. This was deliberately planned by the SS, it was no accident. Nikola also mentioned that in Germany, people do not display the German flag on their property. Rather than being seen as patriotic, it is seen as nationalistic, and only far-right or neo-Nazis would do such a thing. Pretty much the only place you’ll see the German flag on display is on big government buildings, and I have noticed that this has so far been true. She pointed out too that were Germany to adopt a slogan like “make America great again,” but replace America with Germany, it would not go over so well. This was a good point, as I’ve always found America to be a little too nationalistic for its own good. We too have a long history of slavery, genocide, and colonialism, so what makes it okay for us to say things like that? Why don’t we learn from our history?

We stopped briefly near a big bell that started chiming literally the second after Nikola said the sentence, “behind that building is a bell.” I still don’t know how she timed that so well because she had been talking about other stuff before it too. She says the bell starts ringing every day at 14:52 because that was the exact minute Dachau was liberated in on April 29, 1945. We stopped again near a recreation of the fence that was in place during the camp to keep prisoners from escaping. 

After the bell, we visited the crematorium. There were two - one was originally the only one in the camp, but when the SS found they had more corpses than they could handle, they built another larger one attached to the gas chambers. Nikola told us how the ashes would be scattered in a grassy area closed off to the public so that people aren’t walking all over them. She said one survivor described it to her as a cemetery without tombstones.

The last stop was the gas chambers. It started with a disrobing chamber, followed by the gas chamber, followed by the corpse chamber, followed finally by the crematorium. Prisoners would also be hanged right there in the crematorium in front of the furnaces. Talk about gruesome. As I walked through those rooms, my heart was so heavy thinking about all the lives that had been lost in this very place where I was walking. My mind kept playing the same thoughts over and over. Many of the prisoners really thought it was just a normal shower, and I keep thinking about the state of panic that must have filled that room when people started to realize it was gas instead of water. I also kept thinking about how many of the prisoners, especially the Jews, were uprooted from their families and their very successful lives, and how only some remains were returned to their families after liberation while others were just lost forever.

Nikola ended the tour by telling us that approximately 44,000 of the 200,000 prisoners held in Dachau had died right here in the concentration camp throughout the 12 years.

Wow. I did warn you this post would be heavy, didn’t I? After the tour, we took the bus and train back to Munich and walked to Marienplatz to see the clock. It was very cool - the characters revolved around and told a little story. At one point, there were two men jousting on horseback and one clearly won because the other one learned back on his horse. This went on for about nine minutes.

Afterwards, we went to a beer garden for dinner. I ordered a Bavarian dark beer and a vegetable pie. Apriet got asparagus with hollandaise sauce and potatoes. The beer was the size of my head. Larger, actually. It was ridiculous. I couldn’t even make it through half the thing. I did finish my vegetable pie though. It was delicious and I was super glad to have a meatless meal. Apriet’s asparagus was white, which was pretty interesting, but they were very sweet and juicy. Yum. A band started playing towards the end of our meal, and they played some traditional German tunes in traditional German style.

After dinner, we tried to go to an antiquarium, but it closed at 18:00, which we didn’t know because it wasn’t posted online anywhere. So we checked out the garden, which had a big gazebo type thing in the middle with a dome, which was cool. There were little water wells along the walls, and a catfish covered in actual shells was sculpted on the walls above the wells. The flowers and shrubs in the garden were very neatly kept, and there were also fountains in the garden. We strolled through the garden for a bit, then took the tram home.

It’s been a long day. We leave for Dresden tomorrow!

#day15 #munich

[fortunatelydeepestfan-blog]

Hiking Support Bromo - A new Travel Manual

When contemplating a vacation in Indonesia, Bali is frequently what 1st comes to mind. Persistently voted among the best hawaiian islands in the world, the isle is a top contender for heavenly honeymoons and comforting holidays in a year-round tropical environment. And while yes, it is a beautiful tropical isle, when exploring all that method it would be a new waste to go back home with out crossed the particular Bali Strait to go to its more substantial brother: Coffee. Home to Jakarta, Indonesia’s funds, Java is easily the most populated tropical isle in the world and it is probably most common in the traveller’s community for being the place of Yogyakarta and the Borobudur temple. Regrettably, the japanese part of Espresso mostly remains out of the spot light, even though it provides some of the most beautiful scenery associated with not only South east Asia, however arguably the entire world. The reason for this kind of underappreciation lies in the truth that the visitor infrastructure on this part of Espresso is not as developed and as such, is usually a bit hard visit the National Parks, especially when exploring on a cord budget. Nevertheless, having just attended Eastern Caffeine this summer, I’m the following to give you current, trustworthy, and also step-by-step instructions involving visiting the absolute highlight in the region: Attach Bromo. Following Yogyakarta Bromo Ijen Tour , you’ll be able to accomplish Bromo on a budget * even with your pound with its existing rate. How to Get to Mount Bromo So how do you get to Attach Bromo? Or more especially, how does one get to Cemoro Lawang, the mountain village that’s close to the edge in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park? Essentially, you’ve got 2 options: sometimes hire a automobile and car owner to take you there as well as take trains and. Using a exclusive transfer The most popular routes leave either Surabaya or perhaps Malang to arrive inside Bromo in the afternoon, then go let's move on to the Ijen Crater around the second day time, and get to Bali for the third day. Naturally, this kind of trip can even be done in change. As our travelling friends this summer had been respectively 62 and Sixty nine years of age, we chose for comfort more than public transport, and hired a car with a motorist to take people to the Banyuwangi ferry boat terminal within three days time for 3,400,000 Indonesian rupiah (IDR). It appears like a lot of dough, however it’s actually a rather sweet deal when you’re going as a small group of 3 or 4 men and women. Divided through three, it had been just £65/€75 every person such as taxes, insurance policy, gas and also transportation for several days (or £22/€25 per man or woman per day). In addition long-distance rental cars inside Indonesia are typically of rather high quality, ours had been always very comfortable and spacious, and that we could even participate in our own tunes on the vehicle stereo using the Bluetooth link! What more could you wish for during a road trip, correct? While this selection requires a number of advance arranging, as the auto has to be earmarked at least a couple weeks ahead of your trip, it also comes with a added bonus: the possibility of coming to the Madikarapura waterfalls! The actual falls are only a slight detour through Surabaya to Bromo, certainly not reachable by public transport, however very much worth a visit. Through the car park at the falls you can walk 3 miles to the actual front door to the is catagorized or consider an exciting ojek (motorbike taxi) ride down into the particular valley, that is only 12,000IDR (£0.60/€0.70) one of the ways. The access tickets for your falls cost similarly, plus your only various other added expense will be tipping your guide after your Twice 45 instant hike through the entrance on the actual drops and again. And yes, you do actually need a guide, and you accomplish actually want to choose the ponchos that they’re offering along the way, because the walk underneath the falls will be both dangerous and very, very wet. Nevertheless oh consequently stunning! Or trains to Mount Bromo If, nonetheless, you’ve seen your fair share regarding waterfalls as well as feel that after Niagara or Iguazu these relatively small Javanese jungle drops just aren’t worth the extra money, and then taking public transport directly to Bromo feels like the right choice in your case. In this case, you’ll need to start from Surabaya, because there just isn’t a fantastic connection from Malang to the Park. The closest section to Cemoro Lawang is Probolinggo, which is reachable from Surabaya upon several immediate trains each day. It’s a 2-hour interconnection for which the cheapest second-class seat will cost you only 62,000IDR (£3.65/€4.25). Talking from expertise, however, it's worth taking on 50% more to the AC within first class (eksekutif). Though please brain that Indonesians don’t alter AC: when it’s on, it’s In, and you will need a sweater as well as a scarf to help keep from obtaining cold! The particular trains usually run on period, and even whenever they do not, don’t be concerned too much, because the subsequent transport to Bromo does not run to a fixed schedule, but only when they’re entire to make it much more feasible. Until you’re from South east Asia oneself, you will immediately be accepted as a visitor upon showing up in Probolinggo and folks will offer to take you to your Bayuangga bus airport terminal which is Some miles / nearly Several kilometres absent. The official price tag for a bemo (contributed taxi) must be 5,000IDR for each person, which in turn amounts to effectively under fifty percent a pound as well as euro. Holidaymakers tend to be overcharged as well as scammed * so pay attention: if there’s correspondence D around the Bemo, that shows that it is an formal one as well as chances of receiving ripped off are usually substantially less. Upon coming to the bus critical, prepare yourself in your mind for the last and quite a few difficult part of the backpacker-budget friendly journey to Install Bromo. No, certainly not the 2-hour journey up in the mountains themselves, but locating a driver whom won’t rip you off. Local people will tell you the long-distance bemo, sometimes called buffalo, to Cemoro Lawang, no more exists, currently left, or is full. Don't fall for this till you’ve inspected each and every corner with the terminal at least 2 times over the course of half an hour! Fact is when you’re arriving right after 4pm, the last bemo may possibly indeed have gone already, and achieving another one might not be possible. Therefore, your best bet is to take a exclusive car, which in turn charges about 200,000IDR (£12/€14) per man or woman. So along with with this in mind, try and arrive at the Probolinggo place before 3pm, since sharing the bemo to Cemoro Lawang is only 35,000IDR (£2.10/€2.Fortyfive) per man or woman, meaning that you are able to travel through Surabaya to Install Bromo for properly under a tenner! Front door to the community, by the way, is 10,000IDR (£0.60/€0.Seventy) per individual. Where to Snooze I usually usher in Booking.net as the penultimate hotel website in the world, having reserved hotel rooms there from the metropolis centre associated with Leeds to outlying Romania and through the south of Spain to eastern Azerbaijan. Even so, it really isn’t the best option when attempting to discover accommodation around Bromo. The website doesn’t actually recognise Cemoro Lawang like an actual small town and only offers hotel rooms for Probolinggo, which is the name of the town. Granted, some hotels are in reality in Cemoro Lawang, quite a few them are the same 2-hour drive from the park front door that you just had taken, and you don’t want to risk that. Agoda.com is a touch better, but also in truth, most of the accommodation in Cemoro Lawang is found in private-run homestays that aren't reservable online. Just walk approximately one of them on your own day of arrival and most likely they’ll have a opening at a reasonable cost. If you want a extra peace of mind beforehand, however, there’s yet another valid finances option for a person: Cafe Lava Hostel. Located right behind the actual Cemara Indah Hotel, it’s the second-closest accommodation towards the park access and it provides very basic private rooms through 150,000IDR per double place in reduced season. That’s approximately 5 quid for every person! You'll have to share your bathrooms though along with the room is literally nothing more than any bed, power, a lamp fixture and a desk, but you’ll have stunning opinions of the clouds over the mountain village. You'll be able to sit inside the restaurant for warmth, where a hearty morning meal only costs 45,000IDR (£2.40/€2.80), along with dinner is achievable from just double that will. Although the web site looks fairly professional, they’re not really as high-tech as they make out to get, as you have to call them to make a reservation. Yes, all the way to Belgium, across Six or seven time zones. And also to make concerns even worse regarding nervous tourists, they don’t publish anything down but your name, date of arrival, time of departure, and your place preference. Simply no confirmation, absolutely no contact information, charge card or passport number, nothing! Still, this kind of very basic technique seems to hold. Even so, become very clear in stating that you’d such as the Economy Double! If you get through the hotel with out a reservation, they will be sure to tell you just how all Economic climate rooms are sold out and your only option is to stay at a Standard Space, which is virtually three times while expensive (however includes breakfast every day). And even if you have booked an Economy place beforehand, they may tell you that they’re just about all full, while they did when camping, but if you only remain quite insistent that you’ve earmarked it on the phone months ago you’ll see that like magic a vacancy opens up. Consider travelling within Indonesia as a possible exciting journey, a perpetual haggle where you’re consistently trying to find the check between exactly what you’re willing to devote and what believe that you’ve got in your pocketbook! How to Start to see the National Park For Free So here’s the thing… Entrance fees to the National Park were significantly raised with regard to foreigners a few years ago, now waiting on 217,500IDR (£13/€15) on mondays to fridays and a monstrous 320,000IDR (£19/€22) in weekends and also holidays. Beside that, you must take a 4x4 into the recreation area and into the caldera, which costs around 300,000IDR (£24/€28) regardless of the number of passengers. Doesn’t quite sound thus budget-friendly anymore, currently does it? But wait… There’s another way. Virtually. The most famous dawn photographs of Mount Bromo are taken from among the many vantage vista points in Mount Penanjakan, your mountain looking over the volcano. Hiking up the mountain is always no cost, as it is not an official section of the National Park, staying just outside in the border. So here’s my massive tip: when you’ve reached the viewpoint and seen the incredibly stunning dawn from there, you can walk a lttle bit further, for the road exactly where all the jeeps are parked, and walk into the caldera as well as the National Park after that. Without passing any check points. Congratulations, you’ve only circumvented the entrance price AND the fee for a truck! How to Ascend Mount Penanjakan And also Bromo The night before, eat an early on bird dinner and try to get ready for the night time around 8-10 or 9pm, due to the fact you’ll have to set a 2.30am alarm system if you want to hike up the huge batch. Dress warmly! Even though you’re inside the tropics, you’re also over a mountain dealing with the night, and so the temperature will likely be just over freezing. Even though you’ll be hot as you’re trekking, the chilly will drain through to your current bones after you stop, so bring those mittens and that loath for the view at the top! Ultimately, you should abandon your accommodation in time to be at the Cemara Indah Hotel about 3am to start the hike way up. You won’t be the only one right now there, so if you’re hiking solo just like me (my aged family members each wisely chosen the offroad), you’ll definitely manage to find some business. Straight across from the resort, there is a paved asphalt road that goes the mountain. Start off walking on the perimeters of that street and just maintain following the idea until you get to a viewpoint after some house and several lighting. Sleep if you want to, however keep on heading. After about an hour of trekking in total, most still carried out on the same twisting asphalt road, you’ll reach the official #2 viewpoint. It is going to get quite busy there later on, while it’s directly accessible by automobile, so to stay away from the crowds, double back a couple of meters and take the concrete stairs increasing. After a while the steps will are a trail which can be pretty unsafe at times, because volcanic ash makes all the ground a bit slippery. If you keep using the torch on your phone and so are wearing trekking boots you’ll end up being fine although. Do take plenty of sleep, once each and every few minutes ideally, just to catch your breath and to beverage plenty of fluids while rising. At a particular point, you’ll encounter side monitors off the path, or even a separating where you’re no more sure which usually path may be the main one particular. We just retained choosing the pathways on behavioral instinct the entire time making it it to the top seemingly with no detours. We were walking in the other of what we're able to make out to be the Bromo for a while, however i presume that's just the all-natural curve in the path across the mountain. I personally presume that every paths lead to the panorama level as it’s the main reason everyone outdoor hikes up Attach Penanjakan. We ultimately reached the viewpoint, called King Kong Slope, after 60 minutes and Forty-five minutes of hiking, and we counseled me just relatively experienced backpackers. We could get actually still left half an hour later and still have had the experience to grab a great spot before the crowds arrived, so if you’re a real mountaineering lover, you could leave as overdue as Three.45 yet still be on period. While you’re trembling in the chilly, waiting for the sun's rays to rise, you can aquire a coffee or even a snack from one of the residents selling this there. After you’ve blissfully stared at the view of the most gorgeous sunrise of your life (most likely), it’s time to follow a flat walkway for the main path, which is just about a 5-10 instant walk with no incline. There, you can either opt to hike down again and further into the caldera, which may take 2 to 3 hours depending on your fitness level. What you could in addition do, that is what we did, is method one of the many ojeks drive an automobile you lower, cutting concerning 1.Five - Couple of hours off the travel. We paid 100,Thousand per cycle, but there are two people for each new driver, so that averaged to about £3 or perhaps €3.50 per person. Worth the energy and time saved! It was about a 20-minute ride along, long enough on your legs to get started on cramping, but the views manufactured everything worth the cost! Crossing over the incredible Seashore of Fine sand we were influenced all the way to the particular parking position for the jeeps. From that point, it’s about a Fortyfive minute stroll to get up to the rim in the crater. If you’ve obtained breathing difficulties, deliver a surgery mask, and again, put on proper walking boots as it could get very slippery about the stairs up towards the crater and so on the side itself! The particular sound originating from the crater quickly increases the closer you get, and also the minute you look into it anyone can’t help nevertheless be amazed and scared as well. It is definitely a really, very energetic volcano: thick plumes associated with white smoke cigarettes come out consistently and the extreme, thunderous roar of Mother Nature is strong adequate to make grown men leak. If you’re sensible, you’ll start getting friendly to the people while you’re about Mount Bromo, to be able to convince these phones give you a journey in their leased jeep look out onto Cemoro Lawang…. Otherwise, you can just hike rear for an hour and you will still be back for your accommodation prior to a 9am breakfast time. After morning meal, find a bemo to look at you time for Probolinggo, and be in your merry approach again! Great job, you did Bromo on a tight budget!

[clefspeare99]

Answer all! 200-1

Oh man, haven’t done one of these in ages, well here you go!

200: My crush’s name is: Savannah199: Iwas born in: 1995198: Iam really: Caring197: Mycellphone company is: T-Mobile196: Myeye color is: Brown195: Myshoe size is: 13, sometimes 13 ½ depending on the brand194: Myring size is: Umm, 7 I think? My class ring is a 6 ½, but only fits on mypointer finger193: Myheight is: 6’2192: Iam allergic to: Nothing I’m aware of191: My1st car was: 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan190: My1st job was: Chuck E Cheese189: Lastbook you read: Dragons in Our Midst, Circles of Seven188: Mybed is: A Queen, and feels too large, have been used to a twin all my life187: Mypet: 2 dogs, Gizmo and Stitch186: Mybest friend: Hmm, don’t really have one right now if I’m being honest. Havesort of grown away from most everyone, nothing against anyone, just atransition phase right now, and I’ve always been bad at keeping in touch orjust hanging out with people.185: Myfavorite shampoo is: I use Head & Shoulders, all I’ve ever used, wouldn’tsay favorite, it’s just a good brand.184: Xboxor ps3: Nintendo Switch183: Piggybanks are: Cute, but kind of useless182: Inmy pockets: Nothing currently181: Onmy calendar: Don’t have one180: Marriageis: Very sweet and special179: Spongebobcan: Be very strange178: Mymom: Is a wonderful woman177: Thelast three songs I bought were? I don’t know what song I actually lost bought,I just get my music on youtube.176: LastYouTube video watched: 2017 League of Legends World Championships175: Howmany cousins do you have? A lot, um like 17 I can think of off the top of myhead?174: Doyou have any siblings? Yep, 2, a brother and a sister, both younger than me173: Areyour parents divorced? Nope172: Areyou taller than your mom? Yes, quite a bit taller171: Doyou play an instrument? Nope, did drums in elementary school, stopped in middleschool because I would have no other electives all year if I did band andchoir.170: Whatdid you do yesterday? Work, and saw Kingsman The Golden Circle[ I Believe In ]169: Loveat first sight: Lust yes, love no, you build love with someone, not somethingyou can immediately have in my opinion168: Luck:Yeah, occasionally167: Fate:I believe God has a fate for all of us, something we will learn eventually166: Yourself:Definitely165: Aliens:It’s possible with how many millions of stars and planets are out there.164: Heaven:Yep163: Hell:Yep162: God:Yep161: Horoscopes:They are fun and interesting, though I don’t put any faith in them160: Soulmates: Yeah, why not159: Ghosts:Meh, never really have.158: GayMarriage: Yeah, why stop 2 people from being happy together?157: War:Is something that shouldn’t be needed ever.156: Orbs:Not sure what this is referring to, so I guess no?155: Magic:There is illusion magic, but no actual magic like in fire emblem or other videogames.[ This or That ]154: Hugsor Kisses: Why not both?153: Drunkor High: Neither152: Phoneor Online: Online151: Redheads or Black haired: Red head all day150: Blondesor Brunettes: Brunettes149: Hotor cold: Hot148: Summeror winter: Summer147: Autumnor Spring: Colorado Autumn, Spring most anywhere else though146: Chocolateor vanilla: Vanilla145: Nightor Day: Night144: Orangesor Apples: Apples143: Curlyor Straight hair: Curly142: McDonaldsor Burger King: Mc Donald’s fries, Burger King burger141: WhiteChocolate or Milk Chocolate: White Chocolate140: Macor PC: PC139: Flipflops or high heels: Neither, always wears tennis shoes138: Uglyand rich OR sweet and poor: Sweet and poor, you can stop being poor, it’s a lotharder to stop being an ugly person(I’m referring to personality)137: Cokeor Pepsi: Pepsi136: Hillaryor Obama: Obama I guess, though I’m not big on politics135: Burriedor cremated: Never really thought about it, whatever’s cheaper? Don’t need myfamily pouring out money after I’m dead XD134: Singingor Dancing: Singing, have always loved choir, and I suck at dancing133: Coachor Chanel: Not sure what either of these are, clothes or something?132: KatMcPhee or Taylor Hicks: Also not sure what either of these are, guessingsingers of some sort131: Smalltown or Big city: Small town, though able to drive to the big city130: Wal-Martor Target: Target129: BenStiller or Adam Sandler: I only recognize the name Adam Sandler, so him Iguess?128: Manicureor Pedicure: Have never had either, so don’t know.127: EastCoast or West Coast: West Coast, because Disneyland, which is better thanDisneyworld because it has Walt’s personal touch.126: YourBirthday or Christmas: Both are close in timing, but have to go with Christmassince everyone is just generally in a better mood125: Chocolateor Flowers: Chocolate124: Disneyor Six Flags: Disney 100% not even close123: Yankeesor Red Sox: I’m not big on sports, don’t really care either way[ Here’s What I Think About ]122: War:Was sort of asked earlier, still think the same, it should never be needed121: GeorgeBush: I don’t know enough to have an actual opinion on him120: GayMarriage: Why not let people be happy together, it doesn’t hurt you.119: Thepresidential election: Is clearly broken after out last election, how can thismonster be given power at such a high level when he is clearly hateful anddoesn’t understand the general populous?118: Abortion:Mothers choice ultimately117: MySpace:Does this site even still exist? I never personally used it116: RealityTV: It so fake it’s not even funny115: Parents:Do their best for their kids114: Backstabbers: Are some of the lowest people113: Ebay:Is slowly getting eaten alive by Amazon112: Facebook:Is just sort of a time waste, but also lets you connect from so far apart111: Work:Should be fun, not something that you hate doing110: MyNeighbors: Don’t know them, just moved here109: GasPrices: Are nice and low currently, still kind of high in California though,but can’t complain much108: DesignerClothes: Are over rated107: College:Is a money suck unless you know for sure what you want to do, otherwise youwill be in debt with something you don’t want106: Sports:Are kind of fun to watch, but generally very, and I mean very over paid105: Myfamily: Are always there and rather supportive104: Thefuture: Is looking good, have an interview at Disneyland on Tuesday![ Last time I ]103: Huggedsomeone: If all the kids at Chuck E Cheese count while I was in the Chuck Esuit, then tonight, otherwise then it would be about a week ago when my grandmaand grandpa came out102: Lasttime you ate: Had some pizza at work tonight101: Sawsomeone I haven’t seen in a while: This week, hadn’t seen these grandparents inabout 8 years.100: Criedin front of someone: It’s been a while, can’t remember99: Wentto a movie theater: On Saturday, saw Kingsman: Golden Circle98: Tooka vacation: Back at the end of June, went with my family to Paris for a week,go to go to Euro Disney, was a lot of fun.97: Swamin a pool: A week or two ago, have one in my backyard now so can go whenever Iwant, so long as it’s not too cold out.96: Changeda diaper: about a month and a half when I was with Aubri95: Gotmy nails done: Never have94: Wentto a wedding: Not sure, maybe my Uncle’s weeding like gosh 9 years ago?93: Brokea bone: Well I fractured my arm when I was 12 or so, haven’t actually broken abone though92: Gota peircing: Never have, no real plans to91: Brokethe law: Minus going a bit over the speed limit I can’t think of a timehonestly90: Texted:A few days ago with support at Uber trying to figure out an issue with myaccount[ MISC ]89: Whomakes you laugh the most: Savannah used to, after moving no one in particular theselast 2 months88: SomethingI will really miss when I leave home is: Solitarity, is that a word?87: Thelast movie I saw: Kingsman: Golden Circle86: Thething that I’m looking forward to the most: Job interview on Tuesday85: Thething im not looking forward to: Job interview on Tuesday84: Peoplecall me: Josiah, Siah, Clef(gaming friends)83: Themost difficult thing to do is: be genuinely honest with everyone82: Ihave gotten a speeding ticket: Nope, got a warning once since I was 9 over in a45. It was 2 am, and one of my headlights was out, only reason he pulled meover with a warning81: Myzodiac sign is: Sagittarius80: Thefirst person I talked to today was: Danny, they woke me up cause I was supposedto drop her off at the mall79: Firsttime you had a crush: First crush was probably Megan Conrad, had a crush on herin 3rd grade, never told her about it before she moved. Was going togive her a valentines card, but her family moved like the week before, oh well.78: Theone person who I can’t hide things from: No one currently, used to be Sam, butright now there really isn’t anyone that I’m close enough to that can tellsomething is off77: Lasttime someone said something you were thinking: Can’t remember76: Rightnow I am talking to: No body, just up late as I do, watching League75: Whatare you going to do when you grow up: Am a young adult now, so am starting togrow up more, still working on getting into Disney, want to one day help editand voice over in movies.74: Ihave/will get a job: Currently work at Chuck E Cheese, first thing I could getafter moving out to California, hopefully soon will be at Disneyland, alsodrive for Uber every now and then if I’m bored and have some time73: Tomorrow:Is actually going to be Tuesday now since it’s 1am and so therefore technicallyis the next day. Going to be a big day, fingers crossed all goes well.72: Today:Is just another day, nothing to out of the ordinary71: NextSummer: Not sure, I think my mom is working on getting some sort of familyreunion together70: NextWeekend: Will be working, don’t do much on weekends normally69: Ihave these pets: 2 dogs, Gizmo and Stitch, both mutts68: Theworst sound in the world: nails on a chalkboard67: Theperson that makes me cry the most is: Not sure right now, probably myself66: Peoplethat make you happy: Those that are friendly and enjoyable to be around65: Lasttime I cried: Can’t recall64: Myfriends are: A very strange group of gamers63: Mycomputer is: Pretty good, would like to upgrade again here in the next year ortwo, just don’t have the money right now.62: MySchool: Is not existent currently, not a priority currently, will probably belater after work at Disney can give me more of a specific direction to gorather than throwing money at it and hoping for the best.61: MyCar: Is a good van, and has come in rather handy60: Ilose all respect for people who: Put others down behind their backs59: Themovie I cried at was: Nothing jumps out right now, only one that comes to mindof late was Force Awakens, yes it sounds silly, but every time I saw it and theoriginal theme played when Han got on the Falcon I couldn’t help but get tearyeyed, and each time Rey pulls the lightsaber too herself right past Kylo’sface.58: Yourhair color is: Dark Brown57: TVshows you watch: Arrow, Game of Thrones, Flash, Star Wars Rebels56: Favoriteweb site: Youtube probably55: Yourdream vacation: A couple weeks going to every Disney location with someone close54: Theworst pain I was ever in was: I mean breaking my arm hurt a lot physically, butemotionally there have been a few moments years ago when I learned things thatclose friends went through that I wish didn’t have to be so. Some things youjust can’t explain the real effect of how it messed with your mind and makesyou think differently each day.53: Howdo you like your steak cooked: Well done52: Myroom is: Neat and organized51: Myfavorite celebrity is: Liam Neeson50: Wherewould you like to be: Holding her in my arms49: Doyou want children: Have a beautiful daughter, will likely have more in thefuture once I actually settle down.48: Everbeen in love: Have been a few times47: Who’syour best friend: I know I said earlier that I don’t have one, but my mindinstantly went to Michael when I read this again, even though we haven’t beenclose in years now, but I still hope he is doing great and love seeing where heis going on facebook. He was pretty much a second brother growing up.46: Moreguy friends or girl friends: Guys from gaming, though in person would generallybe girls45: Onething that makes you feel great is: A tight warm hug44: Oneperson that you wish you could see right now: Savannah43: Doyou have a 5 year plan: Not particularly, barely have a 5 day plan42: Haveyou made a list of things to do before you die: Not written it down anywhere,but I want to get to every Disney park location, 3 down so far.41: Haveyou pre-named your children: Nope, have some ideas but nothing for sure,especially since my wife will of course have her own desired names too.40: Lastperson I got mad at: No one outwardly, but a few people in my head, and that’show it stays 99% of the time. I bottle stuff in too much.39: Iwould like to move to: It’s always been California, because that’s whereDisneyland is, but honestly wish I could have Disney in Colorado, am alreadykind of missing it far more than I thought I would.38: Iwish I was a professional: Voice actor, and may someday be.[ My Favorites ]37: Candy:Snickers or Laffy Taffy36: Vehicle:Was a Hummer growing up, but that thing is a gas guzzler, honestly whatever has4 wheels and gets me from point a to point b is good, preferably orange.35: President:Abraham Lincoln, because he was a pretty good guy34: Statevisited: Colorado33: Cellphoneprovider: T-Mobile works, haven’t tried anyone else, am grandfathered into myparents plan32: Athlete:Michael Phelps, or Pele31: Actor:Liam Neeson30: Actress:Cara Delevingne29: Singer:There are so many youtubers I follow, I couldn’t pick just one, impossible.Kurt Hugo Schneider, Sam Tsui, Agaisnt The Current, Pentatonix, ChristinaGrimmie(You are missed), Tiffany Alvord, Peter Hollens, Boyce Avenue, and manymore28: Band:Oh, well I kind of mixed some bands into Singers, um just a band, maybe Skilletor Matt Kearney27: Clothingstore: Nothing in particular, most of my shirts are from t-shirt daily dealwebsites26: Grocerystore: Probably Target, just my go to place25: TVshow: Close between Arrow and Game of Thrones24: Movie:Over The Hedge23: Website:This was asked earlier, but YouTube still22: Animal:Dragons, if you want something non-mythical then Guinea Pigs21: Themepark: Disneyland20: Holiday:Thanksgiving because it’s just about being thankful and spending time withfamily and loved ones. It’s not about getting anything or spending money forgifts, it’s about being there and being thankful.19: Sportto watch: League of Legends, E-sports totally count, if you disagree then youare wrong, and then Soccer would be my answer.18: Sportto play: Ultimate Frisbee, a lot of fun, especially with my good long distancethrows.17: Magazine:Don’t read magazines ever16: Book:The whole Dragons In Our Midst series, if I had to pick one then it would beRaising Dragons, the very first book.15: Dayof the week: None of them are special right now, so they just sort of flowtogether now, Friday I guess since it’s payday?14: Beach:Is nice to walk along on, though am not a fan of swimming in the ocean13: Concertattended: Last one I remember going to was an Audio Adrenaline concert with mydad, but that was ages ago, have never been big on concerts.12: Thingto cook: I suck at cooking, the best food I can make is French toast, is prettygood.11: Food:Cheeseburger. You can’t beat a good burger, 90% of the time at any restaurantit’s what I get.10: Restaurant:In-N-Out for fast food style, Red Lobster for sit down, used to be OliveGarden, but they got rid of their Fettuccini Alfredo Pizza9: Radiostation: K-Love8: Yankeecandle scent: Not sure, Cantaloupe maybe?7: Perfume:I don’t wear any, so don’t have much of an opinion on it, just something sweetsmelling is generally nice6: Flower:Never really thought about it actually, Roses look pretty, though it’s kind ofa generic answer, yeah don’t really have one I guess.5: Color:Orange, always has been, always will be.4: Talkshow host: I don’t watch any talk shows, so not sure who any are.3: Comedian:Jeff Dunham, I think he counts right? Great ventriloquist and comedian2: Dogbreed: Husky, such beautiful dogs, thought they do need a lot of attention totake care of.1: Didyou answer all these truthfully? To the best of my knowledge, yes.

[zerowastehome]

Zero Waste Talks and Bulk (…lots of it!)

I often feel as if I am pedaling against the wind, but giving talks about the zero waste lifestyle during the holiday season feels more like pedaling in a hurricane

My carry-on packed (with my whole wardrobe),

   I set out to undertake my fifth international tour: 20 events over 10 days.

http://ift.tt/2tOikDe

  First stop upon landing was a place close to my heart, DaybyDay in Lille. Three years ago, Alice was inspired by my book to open a bulk store. Last time I came to the store was for the opening: I cried like a baby and could barely deliver the inauguration speech that I had prepared (Canal+ filmed the whole thing!).  So this time, we celebrated our reunion with a live Facebook event.

  While they were setting up, I took pictures of the store for you: 700 products in bulk -that’s way way more than is available to me!…

    That night I also gave two talks, including one at the Catholic University of Lille -And for the first time, I spoke about how zero waste has reaffirmed my faith (it even made me teary!)

  The next morning, I took a train to Luxembourg for a speech at the European Union (Court of Auditors) – wearing a wrinkled silk top

  Then, it was onto a stop at the United Nations in Geneva, for a talk…

  and book signings.

  -And yes, I do realize that I am extremely blessed to have being given the opportunity to share my lifestyle there -especially given that I had take a 2 hr, 565 euros Uber ride to make it there on time because of train strikes! (ah France, will you even change?)

  That same day, I went to Munich for a gathering and book signings of the German version of my book, at Ohne. It was a delight meeting the founders of this beautiful bulk store, especially since Hannah (on my left) told me that its reading my book that inspired them to open it!

photo credit: Conny Mirbach

  But wait! there is more to the portrait above than meets the eye…  let’s take a closer look:

  To stay true to my book’s philosophy, they made the store as plastic-free as possible. Carlo designed the dispensers himself, out of glass, metal and wood.

  These are truly genius. If you plan on opening an un-packaged store, I highly recommend that you check out his website and get in touch with him. He’ll custom-make them for you!

  They also use metal containers throughout the store, like these cans:

  These liquid dispensers:

  and this peanut butter grinder:

  Carlo even made this nifty bulk bar -I wish my husband were this crafty!

  The next day, I took a train to Prague. I gave a radio interview upon my arrival.

  And then headed to a Live Facebook event organized by my publisher and Bezobalu,

photo credit: Nikola Bruncova

  … for the launch of the Czech version of my book!

http://ift.tt/2tOqagi

  and book signings of course.

photo credit: Nikola Bruncova

  On my way out of town, I was reminded that bulk is everywhere, i.e, even at the Prague train station!

  In Berlin I spoke in two locations, one hosted by Original Unverpackt, the other by Markishe Grundshule, a French-German school, where my talk was translated from French to German and then German to sign language.

    What I did not expect to take away from my visit to Berlin, is the beautiful story behind the recent publication of the German translation of my book… After reading the french version of Zero Waste Home, Marie Delapierre decided to open Unverpackt Kiel, Germany’s first bulk store. Last year, she contacted me to have me come to Kiel for a speech and I gladly accepted. In the meantime, a 12 yr old girl was writing a school report on plastic pollution… When she found out that I was coming to her town for a talk, she asked her dad to bring her. But the night of the event, the dad was exhausted from work and told his daughter that it would not be possible. She insisted, finally dragging him to the event. The dad ended up loving my speech and was surprised to find out that my book had not yet been translated to German. He happened to be a publisher… and a year later, he would publish Glucklich Leben Ohne Mull! 

    The following morning, I took a long train ride for Warsaw (my first time in Poland!). I gave a talk and attended a panel organized by Little Greenfinity. The unforeseen size and enthusiasm of my audience -random people jumped into our selfie ;-), showed that the zero waste lifestyle is about to take over the country!

  Back in Switzerland the next day, I made a stop for book signings at a very special store. Remember the couple that was inspired by my book to open Chez Mamie, in Switzerland? Well, they’ve now become a franchise! These two moms opened a branch in Lausanne, and Christelle (on my left) confided in me that my segment on Les Maternelles (on French TV program) is what inspired her to open the store!

  That night, I also took part in a talk show at La Dimension Mobiliere (my segment starts at 59’45”)

  I give them kuddos for the zero waste buffet that followed the event: All was served in reusables, which included these nifty bamboo trays.

  In the morning, I made a stop at a high school (Ecole de Culture Générale Henry Dunant) in Geneva, 

  and then in Arbaz,(right across the valley from Nax, where I spoke last June). Waking up to this is something I could get used… I can’t get enough of this scenery so I’ll be back in the region in March for another talk!

  Then I had a full day of book signings in three different bulk stores.

A Tout Vrac

  La Portion Magique

  And another recently launched branch of Chez Mamie, in Bagnes

  As you’ll find looking at these pictures, a background in Interior Design has been most useful in creating a fantasy land of bulk: If these displays don’t draw you into buying unpackaged, I don’t know what will!

  I went from one fantasy to another that day, ending my day in Bern, with a talk here:

  I preach about the zero waste lifestyle all over the world, but I never expected to do so in an actual church! 

  Walking to my train’s platform the next morning, I was again reminded that bulk is everywhere -and Bern’s main station is no exception.

  Oh, and being in Switzerland, there is loose chocolate everywhere…

  even sheets of it!

  A beautiful winterland unfolded from my train window,

  as I enjoyed my tea and sandwich on the last leg of my tour.

  What I did not know is that I’d be about to face one of my most delicate refusals yet. That night, at the end of my talk in Sollies-Pont, the mayor came to the microphone. As he reached in his pocket, I knew that he was about to hand me a something. I quickly jumped in to say that I do not accept material gifts. This is not the first time that I refuse a gift in public, but the tough part here was making a top elected official uncomfortable in front of his people, and turning something down that’s considered a sign of honor in a political setting. 

(the medal reads: Warm thank you’s from the mayor of Sollies Pont to Bea Johnson, international ambassador of the zero waste movement)

  I went on to explain that my gift is “to be able to share my lifestyle in such a beautiful part of the world; that no material gift could possibly be better”.

What made this tour so special are the stories I collected, the people I met, the work of the those that organized my talks, translated and published my book, opened bulk stores… moments.

I now realize that the awkward situation made for the perfect conclusion to my tour, for the essence of the message that I try to convey through my work, travels and speaking engagements, is this: what makes life rich are not the things that surrounded us, but the simple pleasures and the human connections that fill our living hours… moments.

So may you enjoy a holiday season and a new year, filled with… moments.

Cheers!

from Zero Waste Talks and Bulk (…lots of it!)

#Zero Waste Talks and Bulk (…lots of it!)

[zerowastehome]

Zero Waste Talks and Bulk (…lots of it!)

I often feel as if I am pedaling against the wind, but giving talks about the zero waste lifestyle during the holiday season feels more like pedaling in a hurricane

My carry-on packed (with my whole wardrobe),

   I set out to undertake my fifth international tour: 20 events over 10 days.

http://ift.tt/2ss0alO

  First stop upon landing was a place close to my heart, DaybyDay in Lille. Three years ago, Alice was inspired by my book to open a bulk store. Last time I came to the store was for the opening: I cried like a baby and could barely deliver the inauguration speech that I had prepared (Canal+ filmed the whole thing!).  So this time, we celebrated our reunion with a live Facebook event.

  While they were setting up, I took pictures of the store for you: 700 products in bulk -that’s way way more than is available to me!…

    That night I also gave two talks, including one at the Catholic University of Lille -And for the first time, I spoke about how zero waste has reaffirmed my faith (it even made me teary!)

  The next morning, I took a train to Luxembourg for a speech at the European Union (Court of Auditors) – wearing a wrinkled silk top

  Then, it was onto a stop at the United Nations in Geneva, for a talk…

  and book signings.

  -And yes, I do realize that I am extremely blessed to have being given the opportunity to share my lifestyle there -especially given that I had take a 2 hr, 565 euros Uber ride to make it there on time because of train strikes! (ah France, will you even change?)

  That same day, I went to Munich for a gathering and book signings of the German version of my book, at Ohne. It was a delight meeting the founders of this beautiful bulk store, especially since Hannah (on my left) told me that its reading my book that inspired them to open it!

photo credit: Conny Mirbach

  But wait! there is more to the portrait above than meets the eye…  let’s take a closer look:

  To stay true to my book’s philosophy, they made the store as plastic-free as possible. Carlo designed the dispensers himself, out of glass, metal and wood.

  These are truly genius. If you plan on opening an un-packaged store, I highly recommend that you check out his website and get in touch with him. He’ll custom-make them for you!

  They also use metal containers throughout the store, like these cans:

  These liquid dispensers:

  and this peanut butter grinder:

  Carlo even made this nifty bulk bar -I wish my husband were this crafty!

  The next day, I took a train to Prague. I gave a radio interview upon my arrival.

  And then headed to a Live Facebook event organized by my publisher and Bezobalu,

photo credit: Nikola Bruncova

  … for the launch of the Czech version of my book!

http://ift.tt/2ss1Ko9

  and book signings of course.

photo credit: Nikola Bruncova

  On my way out of town, I was reminded that bulk is everywhere, i.e, even at the Prague train station!

  In Berlin I spoke in two locations, one hosted by Original Unverpackt, the other by Markishe Grundshule, a French-German school, where my talk was translated from French to German and then German to sign language.

    What I did not expect to take away from my visit to Berlin, is the beautiful story behind the recent publication of the German translation of my book… After reading the french version of Zero Waste Home, Marie Delapierre decided to open Unverpackt Kiel, Germany’s first bulk store. Last year, she contacted me to have me come to Kiel for a speech and I gladly accepted. In the meantime, a 12 yr old girl was writing a school report on plastic pollution… When she found out that I was coming to her town for a talk, she asked her dad to bring her. But the night of the event, the dad was exhausted from work and told his daughter that it would not be possible. She insisted, finally dragging him to the event. The dad ended up loving my speech and was surprised to find out that my book had not yet been translated to German. He happened to be a publisher… and a year later, he would publish Glucklich Leben Ohne Mull! 

    The following morning, I took a long train ride for Warsaw (my first time in Poland!). I gave a talk and attended a panel organized by Little Greenfinity. The unforeseen size and enthusiasm of my audience -random people jumped into our selfie ;-), showed that the zero waste lifestyle is about to take over the country!

  Back in Switzerland the next day, I made a stop for book signings at a very special store. Remember the couple that was inspired by my book to open Chez Mamie, in Switzerland? Well, they’ve now become a franchise! These two moms opened a branch in Lausanne, and Christelle (on my left) confided in me that my segment on Les Maternelles (on French TV program) is what inspired her to open the store!

  That night, I also took part in a talk show at La Dimension Mobiliere (my segment starts at 59’45”)

  I give them kuddos for the zero waste buffet that followed the event: All was served in reusables, which included these nifty bamboo trays.

  In the morning, I made a stop at a high school (Ecole de Culture Générale Henry Dunant) in Geneva, 

  and then in Arbaz,(right across the valley from Nax, where I spoke last June). Waking up to this is something I could get used… I can’t get enough of this scenery so I’ll be back in the region in March for another talk!

  Then I had a full day of book signings in three different bulk stores.

A Tout Vrac

  La Portion Magique

  And another recently launched branch of Chez Mamie, in Bagnes

  As you’ll find looking at these pictures, a background in Interior Design has been most useful in creating a fantasy land of bulk: If these displays don’t draw you into buying unpackaged, I don’t know what will!

  I went from one fantasy to another that day, ending my day in Bern, with a talk here:

  I preach about the zero waste lifestyle all over the world, but I never expected to do so in an actual church! 

  Walking to my train’s platform the next morning, I was again reminded that bulk is everywhere -and Bern’s main station is no exception.

  Oh, and being in Switzerland, there is loose chocolate everywhere…

  even sheets of it!

  A beautiful winterland unfolded from my train window,

  as I enjoyed my tea and sandwich on the last leg of my tour.

  What I did not know is that I’d be about to face one of my most delicate refusals yet. That night, at the end of my talk in Sollies-Pont, the mayor came to the microphone. As he reached in his pocket, I knew that he was about to hand me a something. I quickly jumped in to say that I do not accept material gifts. This is not the first time that I refuse a gift in public, but the tough part here was making a top elected official uncomfortable in front of his people, and turning something down that’s considered a sign of honor in a political setting. 

(the medal reads: Warm thank you’s from the mayor of Sollies Pont to Bea Johnson, international ambassador of the zero waste movement)

  I went on to explain that my gift is “to be able to share my lifestyle in such a beautiful part of the world; that no material gift could possibly be better”.

What made this tour so special are the stories I collected, the people I met, the work of the those that organized my talks, translated and published my book, opened bulk stores… moments.

I now realize that the awkward situation made for the perfect conclusion to my tour, for the essence of the message that I try to convey through my work, travels and speaking engagements, is this: what makes life rich are not the things that surrounded us, but the simple pleasures and the human connections that fill our living hours… moments.

So may you enjoy a holiday season and a new year, filled with… moments.

Cheers!

from Zero Waste Talks and Bulk (…lots of it!)

#Zero Waste Talks and Bulk (…lots of it!)