architecture in luzern 08:29

One is treated to a marvelous facade immediately after exiting the current railway station in Luzern (below). The facade is the only part of the original station (left) that is left standing after a fire broke out in February of 1971. It now serves as both a memorial to the old building and Luzern's version of a triumphal arch.

Right across the Reuss River sits the Hauptpost (main post office) of Luzern.

Connecting the two banks is the Kappellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). It is Europe's oldest bridge with a cover and Switzerland's most photographed landmark. The bridge was first constructed in 1333 to help protect Luzern from attacks. In 1993, large parts of the bridge burnt down but fortunately was reconstructed. The Wasserturm (Water Tower) is an octagonal brick tower that was formerly used as watchtower, treasury, torture chamber, and prison. Currently it is a guild hall used by the Artillery Association.

Luzern has predominantly been a Catholic town in a predominantly Protestant Switzerland and as a result, one can find this rare instance of a Catholic church. The Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church) was built in 1666 at the order of Christoph Volger and dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier. It is one of a few examples of architecture in Switzerland that is in the Baroque style. 

august 3, 2010. bern. 01:34

It had been two weeks since Iwan and I had moved back to Busswil and now my time in Switzerland was nearing its end. Iwan had left for work early in the morning and I slept in. I assumed that Iwan's mother had left for work as well. Once awake, I plodded into the kitchen and saw that Iwan's mother had laid out a plate of golden peaches and a loaf of bread. She had placed each slice perfectly in its place and the sweetness of the fruit was even more exceptional because of it. I thought of her kindness and smiled. The bread that she regularly bought had easily become a favorite. I am quite sure that such marvelously aromatic loaves of breads do not exist in America and if money were not the issue, I would go back to Switzerland for just a tiny morsel. During breakfast I recalled everyone's hospitality and thought of things I wanted to do for them. Not that I needed to but it would be the way I could tangibly show that I cared about them. That subsequently lead me to think of the sadness that I and others will perhaps have to cope with when I fly back home.

After a bittersweet breakfast, I went online and chatted with Iwan about our plans for the day. We decided that I would take the train down to Bern and meet Flo and Janina and do something with them until Iwan could meet up with us. I packed my things and walked to the train station.

In Bern, Janina, Flo, and I walked along the Aare River and wandered into a zoo. Iwan had told me that this zoo was divided into a free and not so free zone. None of us wanted to pay so we did the best to entertain ourselves with the free things. It actually turned out to be an interesting afternoon. Flo told us stories of her childhood visits to this very zoo and which animals were her favorites. Janina on the other had learned the English word for 'Ibex.' I learned that beaver was biber in German and it sounded very similar to Justin Bieber. Perhaps there was a connection I thought. We marched up a few staircases and stumbled upon an area for the flamingoes. I was very fascinated by their strange legs.

We met Iwan half way back towards the apartment and stopped by the Marzili, Bern's public park area where people dive into the river, swim in the outdoor swimming pools and lay out sun-bathing. Nüssbu came and joined us there shortly. We laid out talking, jumping over each other, and laughing at the silly competitive games we created. It was a merry time. Then Iwan had the idea that we should take a dip in the swimming pool one last time. It did seem exciting except for the fact that it was rather cold and the wind had started blowing. No matter, we swam, dove, clenched our teeth, trembled and made new memories. And Iwan mastered his flips on the diving board.

Initially, I was going to cook dinner for everyone but that quickly was overruled when we all got very hungry very fast. Instead, we went to a Chinese take-out place. We enjoyed our food in downtown Bern in one of the open squares. I had a sense that it was going to be one of those evenings that you remember really well because everyone is in good spirits. We took pictures, horsed around, and conversed. We talked about the possibility of me moving to Switzerland and everyone else coming to visit America. The conversations blended well with the soft breeze of the evening. The windows of the shops and restaurants began to light up as though they were decorations for the celebration of old friendships and of new friendships being developed. It was a wonderful way to wrap up my trip to a country whose people were welcoming and accepting.

hiking 02:47

On one overcast day, Iwan spent the morning and early afternoon thinking about where our next excursion would take place. I will never know for sure what he was thinking or feeling but I had a hunch that he was deliberating over a possible hike. Perhaps this delay in a decision was caused by a fear of the dark gray clouds that had been hovering over the town the past week. By mid afternoon however, he had made up his mind and we were in the car, on our way to a plateau of some sort just behind his grandfather's farm.

It was a windy and narrow road and we slowly made it to the base of the hill to park. It was an enormous cliff - beautifully covered in foliage like sweet frosting and the face of the cliff dangerously austere and imposing. The clouds had temporarily cleared and the cold blue of the sky created a dramatic backdrop for the jagged cliff. 

We began our trek up a stairwell that was quite slippery from the rain the night before. Iwan, being that he was in better shape than I was and also not wearing the shoes I was wearing, eagerly climbed the steps and I slowly followed a few feet behind. I definitely was not dressed for this occasion and thought how foolish I was that I had decided to wear slacks and a sweater.

It was awfully quiet and Iwan and I did very little talking. The sporadic sun rays and the strange glow of the leaves made it seem like an enchanted forest one reads about in the books. If there had been fairies or elves, I know I would have seen one or two of them. About half way up I grew a bit tired and forced myself to imagine how majestic of a feeling it would be looking down on the valley once we got to the top. It was enough motivation for me. 

When we got to the top, the wind howled and blew and we could see in the distance the dark clouds it was pushing towards us. I decided to ignore it for a few minutes and take in some of the beauty that was before me. Iwan had seen this many times before and slowly began to walk down the trail that would lead us to where the two sides of the cliff tapered into a sharp point. I naturally followed. Midway through, the winds became stronger and droplets of water began to hit us. A storm was on its way. He walked faster with each step and I tried to keep up with him as best as my picture happy fingers would let me. He then shouted that there may be a lightning storm and we would likely be struck if we didn't get off the plateau. We both panicked a little and looked for a trail down.

We eventually made it back down and lived to see another day. We had come down the most slippery trail Iwan could have possibly found and we slid, jumped and maneuvered around fallen trunks, giant slugs, cows, and mud. We could have died if one of us had slipped. Or at least been hurt really bad. 

It felt good driving back home and I was glad we had had this adventure. Most memories I have seem to be replayed in black and white but I can distinctly remember the smells, the colors, and the sense of fear we had on this trip. 

busswil 00:45

After Iwan and I moved out of Bern, we headed back to his hometown in Busswil. I knew he wasn't too excited to be going back but we were going to be leaving Busswil the following day anyways. I guess it wasn't horribly disappointing for him. We had booked tickets to Barcelona and Rome for a ten day trip. 

But of course, with the kind of luck I have, our flights were cancelled and Iwan and I never went to either cities. The French were apparently on strike and were not letting flights go through their territory. Iwan didn't find it too shocking either because all Swiss people know that the French are extremely considerate and strike as often as they can. That's why the world loves them so much. After this incident, my eventual trip to Paris that I'd hope to take in the near future evaporated away for ever. The city in my mind now seemed dreary, pale, pompous, and unfriendly.

I got to add an extra ten days in Busswil as a result. And because of that, I know Iwan stressed out a bit. He was constantly thinking about how he could make my stay more interesting, cool, and memorable. I kept reassuring him that everything was fine and he didn't have to go out of his way to impress me. This was the town that he grew up in and that was enough to make it an interesting town for me. It had meaning. In fact, the most common or random things we did were perhaps the most memorable.

One memory I recall is walking to a kebab place in the rain and eating our kebabs on the way back to our car. That kebab we had was so good for some reason. Then we went to Sara's house and did some origami. It could be seen as a mundane evening but it was oddly exciting and entertaining for me. It stirs a bit of nostalgia for me as I write about it.

We also climbed a tower and took pictures of ourselves jumping around.

A lot of movies were watched as well. A Serious Man, Moon, Inception. All great movies and great facilitators of good conversations.

I got to eat Raclette, the Swiss dish that one MUST try when visiting this beautiful country. Iwan described it to me a couple of times and I looked up pictures but none of it really helped prepare me for what was to come.

Iwan and I played a lot of ping pong. I think I got better but sadly not enough to beat him. One day...

We went miniature golfing and the family that followed after us was definitely mentionable. They had professional miniature clubs and balls, complete with cases and uniform. I couldn't believe that they took this game so seriously. We also took one bike and took turns pedaling. It reminded me of my weekday afternoons after school when my brother and I would have to share the one bike we had.

It rained a lot and the smell of earth was a good change from the smell of concrete I get in L.A. when it actually does rain.

In a sense, I'm glad that our flight was canceled because I was able to live a normal Swiss life for the remainder of my time. But most importantly, I got to know a friend better which in the long run is far more valuable than saying that I went here and there and experienced this and that.

july 19, 2010. bern. 23:12

Today was the big going-away dinner. Iwan and I would soon pack up and leave the apartment that I had been staying at for the past three weeks and he for several months. All the roommates had been great hosts and I was feeling a bit sad to leave. But I was sure that Iwan was feeling a menagerie of emotions since he had been there much longer and had become close to everyone at the apartment. It's always so sad to separate.

Flo, Nüssbu, and I had been talking about having a surprise dinner for Iwan. Flo's plan was to tell a friend of Iwan's, Märcu, to call Iwan for a barbeque at his place. Of course one needs a distraction so that the victim does not suspect anything. She would also get in contact and invite Iwan's friends. My job was to distract Iwan until everything was in order at the apartment and Nüssbu would make sweet and sour chicken, one of Iwan's favorite dishes.

That afternoon, Flo, Iwan, and I had lunch and headed out to the Marsili to swim. Sadly, it seemed that Iwan had school on his mind the entire time and it made him feel anxious. After taking a dip in the Aare River, we sun-bathed for a while and by late afternoon, Flo left to go shopping for the food and told Iwan she had things for school to take care of.

When Iwan and I came home, he went directly to his computer to work on some parts of his thesis. This unfortunately was not so good for me because the thesis completely changed his mood and it was quite difficult for me to get him to do anything. Initially, I asked him to ride around on bikes through Bern but he insisted that there was not much time before we were suppose to go to the fictional barbeque at Märcu's. Being the uncreative guy that I am, I got a bit desperate and told him that I would like to do a little shopping, to which he reluctantly complied.

We ended up going to Migro near the main station in Bern and I wasn't sure what I was going to buy. I didn't want to buy things I didn't need but I needed to keep him there as long as I could so that people at the apartment could be ready for his arrival. In the end, I bought a Swiss flag (which was probably the most impractical and random thing) and some yogurt. It made me wonder if Iwan knew something was up.

After the grocery shopping, I made Iwan walk for a while and he started to get a bit antsy. I was feeling nervous that he would want to go home before everything was set up. In the end though, I had distracted him long enough for everyone to be ready and when we finally got home, he was definitely shocked. It turned out to be a brilliant scheme for us and a wonderful night for Iwan.

july 17, 2010. luzern. 11:55

After two weeks of sporadic facebook messages, I finally got to meet up with Iwan's sister Tamara. I had met her the first time I was in Busswil but now she was living in Baden, a town somewhere between Bern and Zürich. We had talked of meeting in different places but finally decided that we should meet in Luzern. It was in between where she and I were and there would be a lot more to see and do than in most other towns. I had already seen Switzerland's biggest towns.

I was going to make this trip alone; I had relied on Iwan for all the trains routes up to this point so hopefully I wouldn't end up on the wrong track and in the wrong city. Fortunately, I did get used to buying train tickets - I was even purchasing them in the default German setting! Thus, I confidently bought my ticket and boarded the 9 o'clock train bound for Luzern. Everything was fine until the ticket collector man checked my ticket and told me I had bought the wrong one! Little did I know that there were actually two routes to Luzern and I just happened to buy the wrong one. Of course it would happen to me. I kind of had a feeling though that everything would be fine since I was a foreigner and all, but the tone of his voice and the way he spoke English seemed to be a bit unpleasant and rude. Nonetheless, he printed out a new ticket for four extra Swiss Francs and then left me feeling a bit dumb for having bought the wrong ones. I thought I should have been a pro at this by now.

It took exactly an hour to arrive in Luzern and the first thing I noticed was the station teeming with tourists. An entire group of high school students from Korea were waiting around perhaps for some tickets their teachers were purchasing and I could hear Japanese and English from every crack and crevice of the hall. This is THE tourist town of Switzerland I thought and it was slowly confirmed as my day in Luzern proceeded. As I neared the exit, I saw Tamara at once and we greeted each other. I was glad that she could make it out and show me some things.

The Kapellbrücke is what all people mention when talking about Luzern. From my understanding, it was a prison at one point in its history and the bridge near it was burnt down many times. I guess it had been hyped up because I was expecting something more spectacular. We walked across the bridge and one could also hear various languages other than Swiss German being spoken. The Chinese was especially loud.

Tamara and I had lunch at a restaurant along the river and she even offered to pay. It was awfully kind of her to do so. After lunch, we walked around and I took pictures of buildings and I realized that Luzern had a lot more diversity in its architecture compared to Zürich or Bern. But what struck me the most was the löwendenkmal, the lion carving. Neither of us expected to see it but as we were walking, we happened upon it and the image immediately pounced at me. We continued walking through the city, visiting second-hand stores (which are my favorite stores to look through) and Tamara and I ended our day sitting down near the river once again for some coffee. Then it began to rain and we decided it was best to head back to our respective towns. We ran to the station in the rain and went our way.

july 12, 2010. bern. 01:53

In contrast to America, many in Switzerland choose to buy groceries and cook at home. Perhaps it's how expensive dining out is. Or perhaps it's because people generally prefer it and see it as more healthy and tastier. Personally, I tend to cook more at home and I was pumped to see that an entire country was doing it. Even the young people. In America, most young people live off fast food, ramen, and instant macaroni. And they continue doing so until they get married, make lots of money so they can eat out everyday, or die. As morbid as that sounds, it's true.

It was a Monday morning and I really wanted to surprise Iwan and Flo with lunch. I chose to make Ragu sauce and I knew that they would love it. Who doesn't like meat sauce? I went to the local Coop and bought groceries in Switzerland for the first time. It was the first step in becoming a Swiss. Everything was reasonably priced except, if one compares it to American prices, the ground beef. Swiss cows are well taken care of and not injected with all the crap that goes into ours. So the meat is probably better for one's health. O well. It still tastes the same.

When I returned home, I asked Flo if she would be home for lunch. She said she would be and I was psyched. She was going to love it. I began the process at ten and was not done until a little after twelve. Although we were waiting for Iwan to join us, Flo unfortunately had to leave by one. She had her first serving and I kept her company at the table. I was going to wait for Iwan to eat. We talked about what we would do and decided that when she came back from school, we would go to Marzili, the outdoor park near the river Aare. Just as Flo was finishing her plate, Iwan walked in and I began to set up some plates for him and I. Flo decided that she would have seconds and I was glad.

july 10, 2010. biel. 02:12

On Friday night after the concert, Iwan and I went our own way. He went back home and I stayed in Biel with Sara. Iwan was still writing his thesis and the longer he was away from it, the more anxious he would grow. Of course, it was partly my fault for coming to visit at such a busy time but he did his best to balance school work and to hang out with me. I would say he was quite generous with his time.

Thus, after our Lake Biel bike ride on Saturday, Iwan decided to come back to Biel and spend the night at Sara's. We would both go wakeboarding with Hoschi the following day. Sara surprisingly told me that Iwan rarely comes to stay the night. In fact, when he has lots going on in his life, spending the night at people's house apparently stresses him out. Perhaps what she said was true or perhaps he actually missed writing about his transgenic wheat and woodlice, but it really didn't matter. All I could think of was how grateful I was that he was coming. It made me think that he valued the time I would be in Switzerland.

We slept outside in Sara's backyard with some cushions we found lying around her house. It wasn't going to be the most comfortable of nights but a little bit of excitement kicked in knowing that opportunities like this don't come often in Los Angeles. We talked for a bit and Iwan clonked out. It took a while for me to fall asleep. The next morning, I was woken up by Iwan and he suggested that we go back inside the house. So, like zombies, we walked in and I immediately crashed out on the couch until it was time for us to leave at around noon. Today was going to be my first time for two things: swimming in a lake and wakeboarding. I have actually never jumped into a lake and there was definitely some adrenaline rush. At certain times though, I thought about how deep the lake was and that there were living creatures that in my imagination could pull me down into the depths. Then I would freak out and climb myself out of the water until I forgot about those ridiculous thoughts. Definitely ridiculous. Wakeboarding on the other hand was frustrating and extremely difficult. I couldn't get up from the water and my arms began to weaken after being pulled twenty times or so and having the handles ripped out of my hands. What made it worse was that the two wakeboarding pros, Iwan and Hoschi, propped up as if it were in their nature to do so. I was terribly jealous. Next time I said to myself, next time.

Mid-afternoon, we picked up Sara and Domi and Captain Hoschi took us out on a gnarly boat ride. The sun began to disappear behind a blanket of clouds and rain shortly followed. We had barely made it to the docks when it started to pour. Eventually we scrambled to the car and then went to town for some burgers. The burger joint was definitely eclectic americana but so well decorated that it reminded me of home. Food was satisfying and I felt fully content how the day had gone. Domi, Sara, and I also had good conversations throughout the weekend and I began to feel comfortable and accepted. Don was happy.

july 8-9, 2010. biel. 13:50

It seemed as though Iwan and I were missing a lot of trains. I'm sure if he were alone, he'd be prompt and ready to be on whatever train he needs to take. It was probably me who could not get myself together to leave on time. Could I blame my California-ness? Back home, we are always late to functions and everyone seems to be fine with it.

We had already missed the train that came around six so we ran to catch the one that came at a quarter after. We sadly missed that one too. There was another one at the half and nothing would prevent us from getting on that one. Such an ordeal it seemed for something as easy as taking a train. I could not help but feel bad that I was lagging. Nonetheless, we got on and were finally on our way to Sara's house, an old friend of Iwan's.

Sara and Iwan have been friends since high school. She is a midwife now and lives in a charming house with her sisters. This particular weekend, she invited Iwan and I for dinner and also suggested that I stay in Biel for the weekend. She would take me around the beautiful lake and show me the nitty-gritties of her town.

Iwan and I rushed over to her house only to find out that another friend, Jans, was already running late. Everything turned out ok. Domi, Sara's boyfriend and Pädu, another mutual high school friend, had already arrived and were waiting. Sara began to bring out the most delicious of breads, pasta salads, and couscous, which I absolutely favored over the meats that we were being grilled. She is an exquisite cook. Domi started the barbeque and I acquainted myself with Pädu. Jans arrived a bit later and we all enjoyed dinner out in the backyard.

The next morning, Sara and I had breakfast and then biked to the station to meet Hoschi, another friend of Iwan and Sara. We were going to ride around Lake Biel and hopefully better my swimming abilities. We began along the vineyards and Sara showed me her favorites waterfront houses. Along the way, there was a quaint village-town that we stopped at and Sara and I took pictures. We continued and after about an hour took a dip in the lake to cool off.

Back on the trail we went and rode until lunch time. There was a small post that served hamburgers and hotdogs and we decided we were all too hungry to wait for a better restaurant. We sat down, got our food, and then became spectators of a comical scene involving four senior citizens. There were docks near our table and the steerer decided that he would park the boat there. It seemed that they were going to get some drinks and relax before continuing their adventure. Unfortunately, they had no sense of balance and one of them fell straight into the water. We tried so hard not to laugh. The waiter came out to help but now they were all terrified of falling. When it was time for them to leave, they looked paranoid and frightened. It took them a very long time for all four of them to board.

Although Lake Biel is the smallest of three lakes in this area called the Seeland, it is still very large and significant. The waters in Switzerland are also pristine - one can drink from just about any body of water and not run the risk of dying. It was in this lake that my right foot was sliced by the sharp rocks near the shore. I left a bit of genetic material in that lake. The bike ride took us about six hours and it was one of the nicest experiences I had. Moreover, on the side opposite of the vineyards are cherry farms. And as we neared the end of the Lake Biel tour, we purchased a bunch of cherries and enjoyed them as we rode towards the city.

july 5, 2010. bern. 23:05

Sometimes a simple thing can make a person happy. After everyone came back from work, we made pizza from scratch. I made the dough, Iwan kneaded and rolled it, Regola cut up the vegetables, and Nüssbu took pictures of the whole process. Thus, we devoured succulent pizzas, played word games, and enjoyed each other's company. What else does one need?

july 1, 2010. bern. 01:00

One vivid memory of Switzerland I have is a random excursion we made into town to find what I later realized was a Chinese restaurant. Perhaps Iwan and Nüssbu forgot to tell me where we were going, assuming that I had understood or that one of them had translated what the plans were to me in English. Regardless, I went with it and the evening turned out to be epic.

Although it had been a very warm day, the evening brought about a breeze that made it exceptionally nice and pleasant. I rode Nüssbu's bike and Nüssbu and Iwan skated the entire way. We had to first ride up a street where a lot of prostitutes hang out, which actually was not as weird as I had anticipated to be. From there we rode to the main square between the Bundeshaus and the federal banks, took some pictures, watched kids play, and then were off to look for the Chinese restaurant the two of them found randomly while training for a marathon. It was located in a small alleyway of a street that many do not seem to travel through. All the tables were taken and thus we improvised and sat on skateboards and used chairs as our tables. I reveled in it.

After dinner, we went to see the Bern bears, which by the time I had left Switzerland, were on death-row because neither the city or zoos wanted to keep them. Sad. Just above the area the bears lived, there was a brewery with a delightful view of the Aare river. We had a few beers and of course I felt a bit inebriated. I also think Iwan was frightened not knowing how I would act or what I would say. Or maybe it was all in my mind. Nonetheless, Nüssbu kept requesting funny jokes and the three of us had a jolly time laughing.

Afterwards, we rode through town again, dodging pedestrians, buses, and trams to meet Flo and her friends at a restaurant they were at. When we arrived, I regurgitated some Swiss phrases that Nüssbu told me to say to them. "I ha dr Wolf um sock" or something like that. Everyone laughed. I had no idea what I had said until Flo told me. We then went for more drinks at an outdoor bar of some sort. Again, Iwan and Nüssbu told me we were going to the gym at first and even now I am still confused about it. They never told me whether it was a joke or if we actually went to a gym that happened to be a bar at night.

june 28, 2010. zürich. 23:48

When I arrived in Zürich, there were several things running through my mind. How would I greet Iwan and what would be the first words I say to him? What could we possibly do in Zürich? I had no idea what there was to see or do in the city. Not a good way to start a trip. I was also extremely exhausted and thirsty. And on top of that, it was exceptionally warm. I had worn three layers only to keep me warm during flights because it's always cold on flights. Thus, the combination of the Swiss heat, weariness, airplane air, and nervousness made me feel a bit sick.

Nonetheless, I slowly made my way to the luggage area and waited for my stuff. As I waited, I took a quick glance out the other side of the glass windows where people were waiting for arrivals. I thought I had seen Iwan but decided to look away so that my greeting wasn't ruined. I wanted to save the excitement for when I was actually in hugging distance. It took some time for my luggage to come out but eventually I got my things, exchanged some money, and rushed out the exit. I immediately saw Iwan and ran in for a big hug. I was thoroughly happy to see him.

We headed for the train to go into Zürich proper and Iwan offered me some water and fruit. That was just what I needed because after some water and an apple, I felt significantly better and ready to talk my head off. We aimlessly walked around Zürich and Iwan showed me some stores, historical buildings, and the lake. We had some awesome kebap for lunch and watched the Netherlands play a World Cup game. One of the more amazing things I saw was the Freitag store. Iwan is totally into designs and urban cultures and so he thought it would be cool to show me the store. He knew that I'd like it as well.

The entire store is made out of containers and it spirals up quite a few container-stories where at the top one can get a beautiful view of the city. The store sells bags, wallets, and other accessories made out of used leather from old trucks and cars. Pretty neat idea but also very expensive.

At the end of the day, we took the train to Bern, his home, and there I met his fun-loving and hospitable roommates Flo and Nüssbu.

innovation 15:12

Nothing is ever too objective but charts and graphs give us a good picture of what is generally going on in the world. So what can this list of the fifty most innovative companies tell us?

1) US still dominates in innovation. 22 out of 50 companies are American. If one breaks down the companies by their countries, it would go something like: Japan in second with five, China and Britain with four, Germany and Korea with three, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Brazil, Finland and Spain with one each.

2) Innovation is increasing in Asia (13 in total). Especially as China rises, the number of innovations, patents, and companies will naturally increase as well. We see this in the number of patents Asia is producing (The top three patent holders are America, Japan, and South Korea) and even in the number of gold medal counts at the Olympics.

3) Innovation is decreasing in Europe (11 in total). Although still a very affluent part of the world, many continue to wonder when and if Europe will ever be as powerful as it once was. Or perhaps, the social Marxist bent of many European governments tends not to lend itself to innovation? I personally wouldn't care to work hard to create if the government took care of all my needs. (Although with the collapse of certain economies (i.e. Greece), the E.U., especially with Germany's lead, is slowly realizing that their socialist governments were unsustainable and unrealistic. While our country, on the contrary AND unfortunately, goes the other way.)

4) Brazil is listed as well (although the one company seems to be an oil company). Will we start to see more companies from other parts of the world?

switzerland! 14:47

Switzerland was the most memorable part of my trip. Maybe because my expectations were not as high as Portugal or Spain. Or maybe because my friend Iwan and his family were so hospitable. I don't think I can explain it concretely but it left a wonderfully deep impression.

Before I left for Europe, I bought a ticket to Basel at the last minute so I could go and hang out with Iwan. Basel however, happened to be an hour and a half away from where Iwan lived. But Iwan, being the good guy he is, came all the way up and greeted me at the airport! We spent the next day just hanging around Busswil, Biel, and Bern. (Which all happen to be great cities or towns or villages, or whatever you want to call them.) The most memorable thing was riding bikes with Iwan through the side streets and farms, along rivers and lakes, and into downtown Biel while just chatting about random things, about life, about hopes. It felt very freeing, calm, and all my worries in life were insignificant compared to the grandeur of the mountains and lakes. I decided that I would go back next summer...

couchsurfing 15:56

Back in Korea, while on a trip to Mount Songni with a couple of my friends, we happened upon a German who had studied abroad a year in Mexico and was slowly making his way back home. He mentioned that he was couchsurfing and immediately it sparked my interest.

Now a year later, back home in Los Angeles, I've hosted about fifteen people (mostly from Europe) and some of them have become very good friends. When I tell most people that I do this, they initially gasp for air and seem ready to brand me as being insane. Quickly, I must explain the nature of the exchange and redeem myself. I inform them that one does not need to accept everyone that they come into contact with. They are free to go through their profile and reviews. Then I tell them stories of some awesome experiences and that will usually calm them down.

Remco and Abel from the Netherlands and I. They had been traveling for six months, mostly in South East Asia. Los Angeles was their last stop before heading back home. One of my favorite guests that I have hosted.

Iwan from Switzerland and I. Probably my favorite guest. I promised to come visit him in Switzerland in the near future.