Il mio Overseas a Sydney, Australia (Gen-Lug 2007)... e il mio periodo di Tesi all'Estero a Rotterdam/Utrecht, Olanda (Ott 2007-Mar 2008)!

UTS in NL/1 - The Invasion

Sometimes history repeats. In October an Italian sneaked into The Netherlands and established in Rotterdam after spending a few days in Vlaardingen.
It seemed just a normal visit to the country, but actually he was spying his Dutch friend. The Italian also bribed his friend's girlfriend, and then started to plan everything.
After a few months, in February 2008, the invasion began. A strong German-Italian alliance entered into the country. Germans passed the border with cars while Italians flew and landed in different Dutch airports. It was Friday 7th March 2008.
Germans Nico, Tobi and Timm occupied a restaurant in Rotterdam while Italians Silvia and Simona explored the whole country to make sure that the resistance was set off. The Italian spy Russian-named Iurij was waiting for them at Rotterdam Central station, while the bribed Dutch Britt was kidnapping the Dutch master Zjenja. She brought him in Pizzeria Pavarotti, and suddenly he found out that he was surrounded by all those strangers. He was shocked, and could not say a word for a while.
The Dutchman was under surveillance for the whole night and then brought to a room in Rotterdam from where he could not escape. Eight people would have blocked him. His dreams of a relaxing weekend were already in the bin!

The following morning all the people were already around Rotterdam. The Dutch victim was kind of left alone at the beginning. He was forced to become a guide of the city for all the invaders, and brought them to a meaningless sculpture (which then become a meaningful sculpture for the whole history) before showing them something that left everybody astonished. Are you curious? Sorry for that... it will remain a mystery.

Later on the Dutchman called some help and managed to get his sister and her boyfriend with him. However, in the meantime some troops from France arrived as well. Their position in the conflict was cryptic, but at least at the beginning they were surely together with Germans and Italians. Everybody strolled around Rotterdam before ending for some food at the Cruise Terminal. 

Postato da: DexterH46 a 14:57 | link | commenti (2)
holiday, accomodation, rotterdam, overseas, uts , netherlands

23rd September - Funny stuff: the hardest exam

Now that I am back in Italy I have not many pictures to put here... so I just write down some of the funniest emails I have received from the people I've met in Australia, just to have a laugh together with those who visit this blog! ;-)
This one comes from Mala... thank you!!!

ONE NIGHT 4 MBA STUDENTS WERE BOOZING TILL LATE NIGHT AND DIDN'T STUDY FOR THE TEST WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT DAY.

IN THE MORNING THEY THOUGHT OF A PLAN. THEY MADE THEMSELVES LOOK AS DIRTY AND WEIRD AS THEY COULD WITH GREASE AND DIRT.
THEY THEN WENT UP TO THE DEAN AND SAID THAT THEY HAD GONE OUT TO A WEDDING LAST NIGHT AND ON THEIR RETURN THE TYRE OF THEIR CAR BURST AND THEY HAD TO PUSH THE CAR ALL THE WAY BACK AND THAT THEY WERE IN NO CONDITION TO APPEAR FOR THE TEST.

THEN DEAN WAS A JUST PERSON SO HE SAID THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE RETEST AFTER 3 DAYS.

THEY SAID THEY WILL BE READY BY THAT TIME. ON THE THIRD DAY THEY APPEARED BEFORE THE DEAN. THE DEAN SAID THAT THIS WAS A SPECIAL CONDITION TEST.

ALL FOUR WERE REQUIRED TO SIT IN SEPARATE CLASSROOMS FOR THE TEST.
THEY ALL AGREED AS THEY HAD PREPARED WELL IN THE LAST THREE DAYS. THE TEST CONSISTED OF 2 QUESTIONS WITH TOTAL OF 100 MARKS.

Q.1. WRITE DOWN YOUR NAME -----(2 MARKS)

Q.2. WHICH TYRE BURST ?-------(98 MARKS)!!

Postato da: DexterH46 a 21:23 | link | commenti (8)
overseas

20th September - Australian Tourism Office

I report here an email that Tobi has sent me... absolutely hilarious!!! ;-) Thanks mate!

Whatever your knowledge about down under is, if there are any questions left, have a look to the answers of the Australian Tourism office below.
And don’t always believe what Aussies tell tourists. It’s black humour down here... ;)
The questions below about Australia are from potential visitorsThey were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have an excellent sense of humour.

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? (UK).
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Australia? (Sweden)
A: So it's true what they say about Swedes.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not.. oh forget it. ..... Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Australia? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? ( UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia? ( UK )
A: You're a British politician, right?

Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA)
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them.

Q: Do you have perfume in Australia? ( France)
A: No, WE don't stink.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

Postato da: DexterH46 a 23:08 | link | commenti
overseas

7 January 2006 - The first (second) step

Il mio viaggio si può dire che comincia il 7 Gennaio 2006*, quando escono le graduatorie per il Progetto Overseas. Sono alla "Sydenham Library" nel pomeriggio del primo Sabato dell'anno 2006 (festeggiato e cominciato a Londra, dove mi trovavo per lavoro), so che le graduatorie usciranno Lunedì 9 ma per curiosità dò una sbirciata.

Entro nel sito di UniBo, poi nella sezione scambi Internazionali e clicco su Progetto Overseas, poi inizio a guarde le graduatorie di mio interesse. York University, Toronto, 2 posti disponibili... 13° in graduatoria, non si può nemmeno sperare nel ripescaggio (ragazzi che vincono in più di un posto possono optare solo per uno scambio). University of Melbourne, 4 posti disponibili... 8° in graduatoria. Ho qualche chance in più, ma al momento sono tagliato fuori. Ultima carta da giocare... UTS Sydney, 4 posti disponibili... 3° in graduatoria! "Yes, cashback!!!".

Da lì in poi la lotta è stata con la burocrazia, esami da cercare per il riconoscimento, corse da un ufficio all'altro, aiuto pressochè inesistente da parte di chi invece dovrebbe fornirne all'interno dell'Università, ma la prima gara, forse la più importante, era stata vinta.

*(a dire il vero l'avventura era cominciata a metà Ottobre, quando ho dovuto sostenere il TOEFL, obbligatorio per fare domanda. In condizioni quasi pietose per un ascesso dentario che non mi permetteva di parlare, ero riuscito a strappare un punteggio di 263/300 nel TOEFL Computer Based... le Università partner chiedevano valori sul 220-230...)

Postato da: DexterH46 a 12:12 | link | commenti (2)
bureaucracy, unibo, overseas, uts