midterm week(?)

score! i’m actually making time to write during the week. i.e.: i keep my promises…

Diana Kafkes
Jul 20, 2017 · 10 min read

this week was hella hectic with classes. we got assigned an obscene amount of reading — i.e.: had to finish how globalization works — as well as another week of debating and executing simulation business decisions (confession: we totally dumped but that’s not illegal in the simulation :3 also i went to josh’s room to submit it at midnight, but then a treehopper terrorized us and the portal wasn’t open cause it’s on east coast time) plus two essays that were supposed to be due tonight at five but are now due on tuesday night because disaster seriously struck (more on this later…). yeah, i never thought i’d ever be writing an essay on incentive compatibility but here i am. new and economically improved. t god i have people like emerson in my life that know econ so i can bounce off all my well-i-kind-of-understand-but-everyone-else-here-has-taken-actual-econ-so-my-philosophy-is-to-try-and-see-if-it-actually-makes-more-than-zero-sense ideas at him.

anyways, you last heard from me when i was starting to work on said midterm essays in the université genève library downtown. it’s a really cool building that makes me feel like i smoke a pipe and wear a smoking jacket — i’m not joking the random busts of random men and the large windows really do give off those sophisticated vibes. before landing in this location, jaimie and i went to the cafe at the top of manor to try to access both AC and wifi, but only ended up accessing one (the AC) which unfortunately was not deemed enough of a reason to stay since we couldn’t get any work done. it was really cool though because everyone was watching the tour de france on these giant screens and getting quite into it. i never realized it was such a big deal. obviously i’ve heard of it, but in europe people get into it. i never knew the race happened in stages over the course of like three weeks. it passes pretty close to geneva too, but unfortunately i won’t be able to hop over the border to france to go see it.

(not my photo) but seriously the coolest cafeteria i’ve ever been to. also, they have these weird rolly carts for the trays so it’s basically a cutting-edge eatery.

i guess i just have to take the time to indulge my preferences for the european lifestyle here. i’m not really sure why i feel so compelled, but i feel like especially this week i’ve really really enjoyed observing other people in geneva. this is also tied with the bus rides i had on the day i went to the library so i guess it all fits. just two observations for right now, but at least i believe they merit attention:

first off, people in europe really enjoy their lives. in business, it’s manifested in a different language of time that accounts for people showing up “late” to meetings. but in real life it’s manifested by the old men gathering everyday to play chess in the park or crowding around picnic tables to watch their friends compete. it’s manifested by the people that actually go for strolls in the park, occasionally sitting down on benches — eyes closed in deep contemplation, instead of speedwalking for the purpose of exercise. it’s manifested by the fact that when you go out to eat, your waiter doesn’t shove the check in your face as a cue to get onto your next destination. it truly is a sad existence for those that go directly from A to B to C… and on and on and on until they die realizing they’ve never taken the time to love living.

second off, people in europe aren’t afraid to show they’re in love. legitimately, though: there’s no PDA police here. it’s not looked down upon to show affection or show too much affection. your husband/boyf takes you to the bus stop and hugs you goodbye, waives to his kids. lovers stroll down the street, arm in arm, hand in hand, laughing and reveling in each others company rather than awkwardly grasping hands and sprinting down the street hoping to evade scornful eyes. it’s even acceptable to make out underneath the spires of church or whatever other public locale you may so choose because honestly who else that could be watching matters in the world but the person who lights up your life the most.


okay i’m done being reflective (and oddly melancholic). it’s time for me to tell you about the most awkward banana transaction of all time and, more importantly, alex’s flight fiasco...

so on monday ryan, phil, and i went for a run along the lake (which was a pretty perfect way to start out the week). phil turned back early and ryan and i went to migros to buy breakfast food. i only had brought with a five franc coin so i knew i would have to go back sooner or later to complete the purchase of self-sustaining sustenance for the week #studentsonabudget. (P.S. i somehow managed to spend exactly five francs without trying which was pretty cool). that opportunity presented itself on tuesday afternoon when i decided i’d bring only 30 francs to go buy lunch materials, ground beef, and other cooking supplies for aaditya and me to cook dinner that night. in the store, i threw stuff in the basket as i had the day before, dumb enough to believe that it would work out as beautifully as last time and that i’d somehow spend exactly 30 francs this time as well.

yeah… no. i get to the checkout counter, i exchange pleasantries with the checkout lady, and all of a sudden i’m staring at the saddest sight i’d seen so far: the price of 39.10. yike-os. so then the checkout lady and i proceed to have the most awkard five minute interaction of all time in which i fail to use french to get across what i am trying to say which is please take some of the items i bought off the tab so i can buy goods within my means of purchase and devolve into really poor hand gestures. like i know enough french to order food… literally just did it downstairs and had delicious dinner of some sort of pizza with onions, peppers, and maybe pork? and people seem convinced (as in they respond in french) which is more than can be said of some of my friends here (@jake hoberg please stop trying to use french in lieu of pickup lines on random people). but this lady knew like no english so i felt bad. and it was awk. i tried putting back the bananas and chicken breast and she had to get her manager to help her… ugh. i hate causing problems, but i’m still saddened because at the end of the day i was charged for bananas that i didn’t get and i only realized this as i left the store. it’s worse because everything here is so so expensive. but i was like no. this is your fault. this is the tax you pay for not knowing the language of the place you reside. rip.

but that’s a drop of water compared to what i’m about to tell you next… so after class today, martha and alex had a meeting for our trip to berlin (literally so excited to see WWII and cold war things!!! and of course, to get berlit :3). this is supposed to be a class field trip in which we learn about the transition from state central planning to a free market economy, but imma be real we really only have two things planned for the time from friday to monday night so its basically going to be a free for all. i’ve got it all planned out though! but more on that on my next post obviously…

anyways, alex starts handing out the boarding passes for tomorrow’s flight and then tori’s like “wait. this is today’s date.” and then alex scoffs and is like “no, today’s the 19th” and then we all look at each other and say no… it’s the 20th. so scry for real because every single one of us missed the plane at 9 am this morning because we were in class.

thus, chaos ensued.

like alex felt so so bad because he really really fucked up (sorry for the language dad — but you can’t call a $10,000 mistake a screwup, especially when it’s not your money you’re spending). he booked flights for the wrong day and called easyjet and there was no way to reimburse and no way we could get on the full flight to berlin at the same time tomorrow. but everything else was already paid for and attended to — the hotel, flight home — the only thing that got screwed up was us getting there. alex and martha were like shit. no one is going to make it to berlin. but we all scrambled somehow — checked train schedules, flights (the possibility of buying out a private jet even came up), renting a car — and by some miracle got 26 people flights literally less than a day ahead of departure time to get to berlin somehow someway. basically the meeting went from directions and information to everyone yelling at each other trying find a way to get to where we needed to be on friday. alex got so stressed he couldn’t even see the screen and aaditya had to make the reservation for him.

bless our resourcefulness but legitimately so so less than ideal. no one has a direct flight and some are spending 4 hours in brussels and other random locations. there’s a large group tomorrow leaving at 4:20 am. i’m flying with kyle (who has shaved his mountain beard enough for a creepy soul patch just in time for berlin), summer, pansy, ryan, and phil to dusseldorf on an airline that recently had a crash in april so pray for our safe delivery. our flight was $330 apiece and the price skyrocketed to like $500 after pansy bought her tickets. i would be much more angry if i actually had to pay, but duke global education office is covering for the blunder (they certainly aren’t happy about it).

yeah so, not going to lie, disaster struck and that was stressful. basically two hours after class gave me more anxiety than any of the things i’ve done here so far. i stress eat so let’s just say my lunch was HUGE after this episode. but there’s always an upside: alex felt so bad that our midterm essays are now due on tuesday night at 5, rather than being due tonight *phew*. i’m almost done but really need to finesse my argument for the question on wolf’s argument for underdeveloped nations and why they’ve failed to benefit from globalization. wolf is pretty orthodox. i’m really excited to read amartya sen’s book next week. even though i have plenty more time to finish the midterm, i really should knock it out since my group’s harvard case study is due on tuesday when we get back from berlin. scrying because work has finally become a real thing here.

despite all of that, i decided to go to the river with people after our second more logistical/infinitely times less stressful meeting about where we were staying/what we were doing/what expectations were for berlin. we got drinks and these small disposable barbecue kits from the store and then set up camp on the riverbank and chilled to music for a bit. i’d missed the earlier trip with jorge and the other guys from spain, but then jorge rolled through and showed up so i guess i really didn’t miss that much the first time anyways.

not pictured: the midterm that still none of us are done with…

so i was a lifeguard for the past three years and many things struck me about this river, most obvious of which was the fact that the current was hella strong and if you weren’t a strong swimmer, you would likely die. like actually die. second off, the main mode of entry for people was to walk to the bridge/road/overpass, climb over the railing onto a 3 inch sill, and jump off which is something that can be counted as enhancing the risk of the already incredibly risky behavior that is swimming in this fast moving current. i’m really very afraid of heights when it comes to diving off of platforms or the like… but after climbing over and freaking out for a solid twenty minutes i eventually jumped off with tyjair. it was no big deal — not even a three second fall, but still it’s an accomplishment for me. i’m a firm believer that it’s important to do the things that scare you simply because they scare you. but also within reason, like i’m still not sure if i could ever skydive but maybe i’ll eventually work up the courage to do that. i realize that all of this makes minimal sense. ryan and i even had a convo about this in that i’m “wild” and so full of adventure but also afraid of everything. yeah i’m honestly unclear how i’m a real human being as well.

so yes, tyjair and i jumped in. i was safe and it was actually a lot of fun, but as we drifted downstream, he proceeded to almost drown so that’s actually hella scary but french people saved him. i was pretty shaken after that because i’d made it to the side just fine and didn’t have glasses or contacts on so i thought he was just swimming further downstream to meet up with the other people who’d jumped off the bridge. and i guess technically i could’ve saved him because i still know how to lifeguard and i’m a strong enough swimmer for something like that but yikes for real. literally before we jumped he was like “i’m not trying to die before 32. facts.” and i laughed because it was a joke but seriously in general i guess we all got to try to not die too young anyways… he’s a strong guy, though. he recovered pretty fast. we all sat with him for awhile and then summer and i took him home after that. probably the scariest thing that has happened so far here, i can’t deny it, but i don’t know what to do at this point other than be more cautious next time so i guess we all good? nothing more to say than we’re really really lucky thank god.

anyways, it’s pretty late and i am berlin bound tomorrow v early. you’ll hear about berlit soon enough :3

Just Another Day in the Life of a Surrogate Duke Student

)

Diana Kafkes

Written by

Constant Psi
Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade