Life Update

Okay, I am going to graduate in 2 weeks with a BS double major Asian Studies and Japanese Language. And this fall, I am going to go to Graduate School here in Madison. I was accepted to the GMAcc program, so I have been given that chance that I was hoping for; I will not let myself down.

This summer I am planning to work a lot and just stick around here in Madison, my home for at least two more years...

So, my current goal is to get into the business school's Graduate Master of Accountancy (GMAcc) program. It is a two year program to get a masters degree in accounting and it is actually aimed at people who do not have an undergraduate major in accounting. But, apparently it is one of the best accounting programs in the country. It seems like a perfect fit for me because I was just starting to feel relatively helpless about my current degree (BS with a double major in Japanese and East Asian Studies). With a graduate degree in accounting I would be able to get into the business world. I believe that the ensuing combination of hard work and my personality (and a graduate degree in accounting) would allow me to be very successful in business.

The problem is that until this point in my life I have slacked off. I haven't been doing what I should have been doing, and I just expected everything to fall into place. I wore myself out in high school so that when I got here to college I didn't feel like doing all the extra-curricular activities that I know I should have been doing. My grades aren't that bad (3.08), but they aren't good either--especially when applying for graduate school. My GMAT score (710, 92%ile) is the only thing that I have going for me on paper.

I have always felt like everything would work out because when I have actually set my mind to doing something, I have never met with failure. I feel like I just need to be given an opportunity to prove myself. In order to get that opportunity, I need to make myself appear better on paper, but I think it is too late to do that for my current application.

From this point on, I am stepping up my overall life effort. I guess this is growing up. (yes, like the song.)

One of the most offensive things ever:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/business/29walmart.html?em

Has our society really come to this?

Bottled Water (and No Impact Man)

So, I'll do everything that I can do to spread the word about this, short of emailing people.

This is from No Impact Man.

you can see the main post here.

If you don't already know No Impact Man, his real name is Colin Beavan (I am friends with him on facebook!) and he recently finished a project of spending a year trying to live with no environmental impact. You can read more about the No Impact Project here.

--
Kyle Schulz

Back!

Okay, I'm back home in Madison. I have been ridiculously busy since my last post. Too much has happened for me to update the blog with my stories from Dublin, or the crazy 60 hour trip home. I think that there is a good probability that if you are reading this, you know me personally and can ask me about it if you are curious.

Overall though, the trip was amazing.

Anyway, I just finished moving into my new apartment. I live by myself in an efficiency. This is the first time that I have ever lived alone, but I think I like it. I am able to see people when I want to easily enough, but I still have my own place that is completely my own. It helps that Kuya lives right next door so I still see him often enough.

I get to relax for one more week before school starts...

Dublin, Ireland

So I have safely arrived here in Dublin. I don't have much time to write a detailed post, but I just wanted to let everybody know that I'm still alive.

My time in Germany was extraordinary. Many thanks to the people that let me stay with them (Anna, Phillip, Lisa, and their parents, lena, mary, and nao).

I will hopefully be able to catch up my blog on my recent (past 3 weeks) experiences soon.

Beer Garden

Yesterday, I met some people from New Zealand in my hostel and they invited me to go to a beer garden last night. The beer garden was huge and crowded. I decided that--similar to the japanese onsen--it must play a significant role in defining german (or in the case of the onsen japanese) culture. I am sure that the US has some similar things somewhere, but I have never seen one. I think that the beer garden encourages a different type of social interaction than a traditional bar.

Anyway, I need to get out of this internet cafe. I will go to the Englischer Garden at Mumu's suggestion, and then continue to walk around other parts of the city. I may take a brewery tour tonight!

München, Germany

Munich seems like a really cool city. I can't really tell, because I haven't been here long enough, but that is my impression so far. It seems kind of relaxed compared to some of the other places that I have been--or maybe that is just me. Last night, I was able to get a hostel bed for 8 EUR, and that included the best breakfast that I have had so far on my trip. But tonight the same hostel was going to cost 22EUR. I guess they have a variable price system or something like that that assigns prices based on how many rooms are available of any given type. So I decided to set off and find a different one for cheaper. I walked for about 2 hours, and then when I saw a tourist information office I asked where I could find an internet cafe. They directed me to one that was just 5 minutes down the road, and I used that to find a list of hostels (4) that were around the area, and under 20EUR. None of them were available online, so I decided I would just mark them on my map and check in person. I went to 3 that were all completely full before I found one that had a vacancy (which was also the last one I had marked down and I was starting to get a little worried.) But I am going to be spending 19.90EUR tonight anyway, so I think I may as well have stayed in the last one. This one doesn't seem any better, in fact it seems a little more unclean, and a little less well run. Oh well, I am saving myself 2.10EUR.

Honestly, I am only writing this because I need a break. I am so tired. I spend the whole time today walking around with my backpack. So I am sitting in another internet cafe that is close to the hostel that I found. I think maybe I will stay here in munich for 2 more days, and then go somewhere else in the southern part of germany. Maybe Augsburg or Ulm. The only plan that I have so far is to go see Lena in Rotenburg on the 30th. But that is a week away still.

I'll see where I end up.

Munich

so, this morning I woke up and randomly decided to go to Nurnberg. I got here, and they only had one hostel available online. for 40 euro. Way too much.

so I am moving on to munich tonight. It's only an hour away, and trains go every half hour, so it will be easy to get there. According to HostelWorld they have cheaper hostels in Munich, so thats awesome.

(Mumu, are you still in Munich?)