Morgan On the Move

The Ruby Slippers have scuff marks

Never thought this day would come……

Been gone for 7 months and even though I had such a great time and was opened to so many new experiences as well as opportunities, I realized that you learn to miss what you have gotten tired of so many times before.

Traveling is probably the hardest part of the trip. Eating lamb shawarmas is probably a close second.

I got to the airport at 3:45am this morning. Planned on leaving the apartment at 4:15, we were just too anxious to get the day started and have a relaxing flight. (Alarm one sounds).

Susie and Leslie have the same flight so they leave me to SpanAir. I begin waiting in the line of nothingness which is about 40 people waiting in a closed line to the check-in counter. The teleprompter moved us to this location but it wasn’t until 5:45 did someone show up at the counter. Two lines formed quickly from the massive large one and of course the ones in the back make it to the second line quicker because of their spunk. This sets off a domino effect of squawking in Spanish; attitudes soaring. At this point, I am just standing in the midst of it; mind you, I have lost my voice on this important traveling day, and wait till the crowd dies down. Moving the lines through the other is the next logical step and is performed twice while I patiently wait.

Traveling fact: When two lines migrate through one another and one is stationary, where does that put you? Make sure you know that anyone that approaches the line hours after you do and run into the line perpendicular, they are automatically in that direct spot.

My turn in line reveals that this was the wrong line but since no one switched on the TV above the line it was easily appointed to my misdirected psychic abilities in the early morning. Moved to line 5 at 6:15 am still leaving me 30 minutes before the plane actually flew away.

Line 5 leaves me astray but line 6 puts my bag in professional hands. For some reason, this is what I believe to be the last time I see that bag….

6:35 am I run to security and run to Gate 59….last one, one floor down; naturally. I get there and of course am ridiculed by the gate operators. 6:45 am they bus (!!!!) me to my plane and I get on at 6:50 am.

No problems on the plane and have a seat open next to me. Creepy guy stands up to watch out my window. Tempted to close the window on the Alps to move him along.

Zurich’s airport offered a mall atmosphere that I missed even though the thought of shopping as well as another denomination of money upset me. I almost got tricked into buying a magazine (English, mind you!!!! Very rare to come by the last 2 months) which was 13 francs aka 9 Euros aka 13.50 U.S. dollars. Really??!! Marie Claire could just wait.

When checking into the flight desk I was informed that they MAY loose my bag. THEY ANNOUCNCED THEY ‘LOST MY BAG’ BEFORE IT WAS ACTUALLY LOST. Reassuring…….

Most of the trip was predictable….I knew I would run across C14 sometime in my life; especially on this trip.

America has treated me well since I have been here. Haven’t had a ‘culture shock’ but still trying to get a good night’s sleep since the time difference is almost opposite. Still looking for my bag……. Hopefully the Cosmopolitan story in Britain’s version doesn’t become too familiar. Glad to be home but ready to pick up my stuff and shift again….back to STL and finish my last 2 semesters of grad school.

Next mission: finish up putting some cliff note pictures of my trips on the blog. Barcelona’s semester was more condensed and the blog was pushed to the side. “Dear Diary……sorry it has been so long…..”

Look forward to some pics in the near future and a new STL address.

Glad to be back!

Many of you have been curious to my mad-patriotism for my journey back to America.

As you know, I put together a play list that would pump me up (ha, like I needed it) for my descent to the motherland. Each song on the play list was hand selected with care as well as placed in an order to mimic my journey as it was taking place. So here it is:

1. Coming to America: Neil Diamond

An old classic that takes me back to the Busch Gardens’ ice show days. With Lyrics suggesting “Everywhere around the world….they coming to America….” I just couldn’t resist this man’s over-loaded sequin personality and place this song at the top of the list. The dramatic entrance warms me up to the fact that I will be coming home; light shows and all.

      2. Leaving on a Jet plane: John Denver

Another oldie but duh; explains my situation perfectly. “I’m leaving on a   jet plane; don’t know when I will be back again.” Ain’t that the truth?!

      3. Been Around the World: Puff Daddy and the Family Feat. The Notorious BIG

                    Had to represent the O.G.

      4. Homecoming: Kanye West ft. Chris Martin

From Kanye’s Graduation recording…..”Do you think about now and then……do you think about me now and again…….now I am coming home again…”

     5. American Baby (Dave Matthews Band)

Probably the least favorite of my songs on the play list but I figured this would be when they would be serving drinks and I would have to turn down the music anyway. 

    6. American Boy (Estelle feat. Kanye West)

                    Head-bopper. Sky Mall magazine music fo’ sho’.

    7. American Idiot (Green Day)

                        Don’t mind being an American idiot…. So let’s sing it!

    8. American Woman (Lenny Kravitz)

                        Oh, Lenny. Got to get back in the mindset of an American Woman.

    9. White America (Eminem)

Despite his hardcore rapping, he is actually a proud American and so am I.   Thought it would be a good balance between Neil Diamond and John Denver. Who knows, Eminem might have sampled from them……

   10. American Pie (Don McLean)

Who really knows what this song means but it had the word ‘America’ in the title so it was a keeper…….not to mention it would take up 8 minutes and 32 seconds of my 2 leg of my 8 hour flight.

   11. A Whole New World (Disney’s Aladdin)

Don’t judge me. This one, reminds me of Florida, the world of Disney and two, the lyrics explain the bridge between the two continents. (Not to worry, there was no video on my iPod and TWO DIFFERENT people sung it!!!)

  12. I Believe I Can Fly (R.Kelly)

HaHa, somewhat of a joke. “I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky……” FIREWORKS. Hopefully at this point, the plane is still up high and on the right track.

  13. Fly Like Me (Chingy ft. Amerie)

“Been around the world and seen a lot of girls but you’ve never seen a girl look so fly like me……” Good beat; Chingy sings it how it is.

14. A Moment Like This (Kelly Clarkson)

Again, not a fan but thought I needed a song for spot 14 and figured I would get a sappy song out of the way. A good fist-pumper. Man!!!!!- I am going HOME!!!

15. Home (Chris Daughtry)

Another sappy, but this one I can handle. “I’m going home, to the place where I belong, where your love has always been enough for me…..”

16. America, F*** Yeah (Team America)

(Earmuffs). Parental advisory but probably the BEST song on the entire play list. From Team America which is a bunch of puppets dancing around. Gets into your head and pumps you up. Singer mentions random stuff that is in America and is answered with “f*** yeah.” They mention everything from Taco Bell to Bed Bath and Beyond. This song is so good it is featured in Guitar Hero.

So that is the “America” play list. The flow is awesome. Listening to it non-stop will only put me at 12 and ¾ times before I make it home…..minus the delays and layovers. If this architecture thing doesn’t work out, I think I can use my DJ abilities to take me places……just as long as I stay in the country.

Barcelona has treated us well so far. However, our studio director mentioned that it never rained and we shouldn’t bring any warm clothes because it is always cold; it of course has been rainy and a little on the cold side.

Our apartment is great; however, there are 3 beds and 4 of us. Do the math. Since I am used to no privacy due to my last rooming situation I am cuddling with Hala in the master bedroom. I look forward to my own bed and bedroom on my return to the States. So don’t ask for any slumber parties. They are only opened to Ruby. Trying to get an additional bed out of our landlord but that might be as possible as pronouncing the roads that are around our area. No dryer. The public knows what kind of underwear we wear. Flushing toilets, turning on the sink, or bathing, we always get an interesting firework sound.

Barcelona reminds me a lot of Paris. Same kind of urban fabric. A large mixture of shops and etc. The food that I have had so far is quite good. Glad to find meat here that I am not scared of like in Helsinki. So far I have had some ‘Doner’ meat. Not sure what that is and please don’t write me about it. I will play dumb until it is a needs-to-know-basis.

Studio started today. It is about a 15-20 minutes walk (aka .8 miles) from our apartment which will get us in shape and walk us by some awesome fresh produce markets. Tried some new fruits but not even sure what their name is. Should be in studio 5 days a week which gives me access to internet since naturally there is no internet connection in the apartment; another wonderful American amenity that holds a place in my heart.

Bike tour on Saturday with the class. I sense many accidents.

Finally found black beans.

    Accepting mail. Please write!!!

Cr. Nou de la Rambla 144, pis 4 pta 3

08004 Barcelona Spain

Helsinki is behind me…….

Meet the group at Paris...with some drama of course.

Day 1

1. Arrived at Paris airport from Copenhagen.
2. Waited to see if Susie’s delayed flight came in.
3. After an hour discovered that Hala’s flight came in at another terminal 20 minutes away.
4. Ham and cheese sandwich.
5. Had no way of finding Hala.
6. Opened a bag of peanut M&Ms and Hala appeared.
7. Headed back to the original terminal to find Susie.
8. Went in circles. Floor 1 not 5. No need to say more.
9. Hotel expected 3 to sleep in a twin. Moved rooms.
10. Saw Piano’s Pompidou Centre- what was he thinking?
11. Ham and Cheese sandwich.
12. Saw Notre Damn and ate the ‘best chocolate crapes’ in Paris via Megan’s suggestion.
13. Explored Paris in the rain.
14. Fell asleep at 9pm.

Day 2

1.   Hackled by hotel staff saying that we were 3 in a room for 2.

2. Opera House.
3. Taxi to Eiffel Tower with mad man.
4. Ham and cheese sandwich.
5. Spent 3 hours in line at the Eiffel Tower.
6. Laid on ground to take artistic pictures. People took pictures of us taking pictures.
7. Man pretends to stick finger in my mouth while I yawned in line.
8. Ham and cheese sandwich.
9. Louve and Arch d’Triumph.
10. Goofy pics.
11. Crossway of death aka arcade Frogger.
12. Ham and cheese sandwich.
13. Bus wrong way. “Scenic route.” 
14. Ate dinner while watching the Eiffel Tower light up.

Day 3

1. Ham and cheese omelet.
2. Metro to Versailles.
3. Lost me, phone less, at the station. Acted as train station monitor. Gained friends.
4. Found the girls. Made history. People brought me up days later when they asked the group if they found their friend.
5. Waited in line at the bathroom for 25 minutes at Versailles.
6. Walked around the gardens and posed like the statues. Obtained many interesting looks.
7. Hotel and went to Eiffel tower at night time.
8. Was hassled by trinket salesmen. Offered to stick the Eiffel tower somewhere.
9. So hungry ham and cheese was an option.
10. Wine.

Day 4

1. Ham and cheese omelet.
2. Saw Hala and Susie off to the Metro.
3. Bloom, Leslie and I walked around Champs Elysees.
4. Watched movies and got Bloom’s infamous ice cream stain that he is still rocking a week later.
5. Started hailing at cab at 7pm.
6. Finally received a cab at 8:45pm.
7. Ham and cheese sandwich at train station.
8. Forced to lie down in a heat trap for 9 hours.
9. Made it to Barcelona during a rainstorm.

(written May 9)

As it usually goes during this time of the semester, I have lost contact with the outside world and begun to concentrate entirely on studio. There is only 12 days left until the final review which is unnerving but also anticipated. My studio project is progressing nicely but at a slow pace because of all of the trips that we keep going on as well as the large May Day Holiday.

Since the last blog entry, the group of us has gone on a 4-day excursion of Central Finland to visit some historic and influential architecture. Cleverly enough, in order to keep track of us all, we counted off using P Mac’s application sentence: “Finnish architecture is well built and well designed. Studying architecture in Finland will make me a better architect.” It was such a successful trip that I wish that we would have taken it at the beginning of the semester however, we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the beautiful weather which gave us our first taste of Finland’s spring. There were a lot of Aalto buildings that we ran across and honestly, not too sure if I am a fan of his work. The layout of some of his designs made sense but when you came across an Aalto, boy did you know it. Italian piazzas curved tiles, mixture of garden and interior and curved forms got old after a while. However, all of the buildings were a good thing to see in person which I didn’t think that I would be able to run across them ever in my lifetime.

May Day, celebrated on April 30^th and May 1^st, was amazing. The weather was beautiful and we celebrated as the Finns do. The 30^th is a day of drinking where most people gather on the steps of Senate Square and wear their jump suits that represent the different academic departments of their colleges. Along with the colorful jump suits, everyone that graduated anytime during their lifetime wore their graduation caps which looked like ‘Popeye’ and sailor-like hats. It was neat to see the different variant colors of the whites: the more yellow ones were obviously from the more distant past while the white ones were fresher out of college. It was adorable seeing older men and woman wearing their hats and strutting around the city. On the first, you are supposed to go out to the park and enjoy a picnic. Fortunately, the weather was perfect and there was a group of us that sat up near the water and enjoyed people watching. This was a pretty big-deal holiday because many of the stores were closed as well as schools. Lucky us. 

Our design/build portion of the semester is also behind us. We just returned from the small island of Utö which we visited back in February for the first time and installed our pavilion projects. Surprisingly enough, without any Building 101 before we got there, they were still standing when we pulled away from the dock and hopefully will stand until they are taken down in the late Fall of this year. Both groups did a great job and we invited the islanders out to celebrate our job well done with a champagne toast. 'Video-ography' was an important part of this trip and between the flip book of the pavilion going up and the rigged up video on the flag pole, being worn out from the manual labor wasn’t enough. Tim has made so many great videos which we can hopefully grab from him. Coming back to Utö gave us another chance to do our marshmallows over the campfire as well as take another look at our site for our sanctuary studio projects.

My plan for the next 12 days is to work non-stop. There are a lot of things that need to be done before I move onto Paris and Barcelona. Designing needs to be wrapped up today or tomorrow, onto sections and elevations, and then of course the dangers of model building will naturally follow. Hopefully I can post some pictures of some trips and projects.