Recanting Holzhof

I also visited a family in Switzerland and had my mind blown by watching The Matrix on dvd. I ate all of the Lindt chocolate they left in my room by my bed. I had never tasted such good chocolate before and for a moment sympathized with how the girls at Bodenseehof who ate European chocolate every day didn’t drop any weight. It was a noble and worthy cause to appreciate such a delectable treat.

My favorite experience in one of the wealthier nations was when I was traveling from Switzerland. The train had to stop at on an Alpine mountainside due to an avalanche. It was a relatively empty train and I was alone in my car. Within 3 minutes of stopping an Italian woman told me I could remain in the car but that it was about to get busy. Moments later a whole crew of Italian models walked in and started changing in the train car, they talked to me and gave me sparkling wine and chocolate covered strawberries. This went on for nearly 45 minutes then the train started moving again and all the ladies packed up and went back to thier original seats.

I quickly learned that my money went much farther in former eastern bloc countries and avoided the west. The trains were not as nice, people used the yard next to the train as a public toilet sometimes and everyone wore black but as far as money was concerned I was a rich man in Eastern Europe whereas I could have definitely gone broke exploring the west.

The movie EuroTrip made me laugh with its stereotypes of Eastern Europe while not totally accurate it seemed to get pretty close.

At about the halfway point of traveling alone I went to Budapest and stayed with some friends of my parents, a hot shower not in a hostel and a home cooked American style meal was incredible. I hadn’t had American food since New Year’s Eve and didn’t realize that it tasted like home.

shower not in a hostel and a home cooked American style meal was incredible. I hadn’t had American food since New Year’s Eve and didn’t realize that it tasted like home.

I also visited a family in Switzerland and had my mind blown by watching The Matrix on dvd. I ate all of the Lindt chocolate they left in my room by my bed. I had never

I was on my own with no particular plan and open ended tickets I could use whenever I wanted.

Just the way I wanted, a staunch introvert I had no inkling that I could get lonely, and I never did. The diet and exercise at school had slimmed me down but three weeks of traveling alone really made me skinny. I survived off doner kebabs and two boxes of powerbars my dad had given me. I would explorekkk cities on foot all day and stay in a hostel or take a train to another country whenever I felt like it and was never bored so I don’t eat to pass the time or eat at the usual three times a day.

When I arrived at Taurnhof in Schladming, Austria to start school I had lost weight to the point several people who I had gone to Bodenseehof with told me I was unrecognizable.

Initially I traveled to what I now consider to be the rich European countries, this was before the Euro currency and prices really varied for the same items in different countries.

Initially I traveled to what I now consider to be the rich European countries, this was before the Euro currency and prices really varied for the same items in different countries.

My favorite experience in one of the wealthier nations was when I was traveling from Switzerland. The train had to stop at on an Alpine mountainside due to an avalanche. It was a relatively empty train and I was alone in my car. Within 3 minutes of stopping an Italian woman told me I could remain in the car but that it was about to get busy. Moments later a whole crew of Italian models walked in and started changing in the train car, they talked to me and gave me sparkling wine and chocolate covered strawberries. This went on for nearly 45 minutes then the train started moving again and all the ladies packed up and went back to thier original seats.

I quickly learned that my money went much farther in former eastern bloc countries and avoided the west. The trains were not as nice, people used the yard next to the train as a public toilet sometimes and everyone wore black but as far as money was concerned I was a rich man in Eastern Europe whereas I could have definitely gone broke exploring the west.

The movie EuroTrip made me laugh with its stereotypes of Eastern Europe while not totally accurate it seemed to get pretty close.

At about the halfway point of traveling alone I went to Budapest and stayed with some friends of my parents, a hot

The Millinium Conspiracy Theory

The year was 1999 there was no Google or social media just email and the email that made its rounds to everyone who had an email address was the Y2K conspiracy theory. Y standing for Year and 2K meaning 2000.

It was common knowledge that the computer calendars didn’t go past the year 1999 and that all of the computers would break on midnight while celebrating New Year’s Eve.

No computers meant no grid, anarchy and the beginning of the apocalypse. I thought it was funny but I knew a girl who’s dad owned his own company and bought into the conspiracy theory so much that he moved his family to the middle of America in the woods to wait out Armageddon.

Ultimately he returned to Orlando and no one spoke of what he did, or kkeven laughed about it, because he actually did it.

When the school administration told us to come up with a theme for the school or graduating class it was immediately suggested the school be called Bode2K instead of Bodenseehof.

I went home to Orlando for Christmas and the New Year and two of my friends went into the garage and cut the power at midnight. We all laughed and went outside to shoot fireworks and just as we were about out of broomsticks we realized a girl that always used to come over to my place with my friends and go out to eat or watch movies with the group had disappeared. Someone said she had taken Y2K seriously and the prank scared her so badly that she left. She was never seen or heard from again since that night.

I went back to Germany and finished out my studies of the Old Testament with no major events that stick out in my mind.

All of the classes at Bodenseehof were about the Old Testament and I was fascinated with how the teachers tied the stories into their faith with moral and spiritual lessons. My grades did not reflect my interest, I had never had problems passing tests but homework and tests on the subject matter being taught was like learning another language it was full of Christian catchphrases and ideas I had spent years ignoring or had never heard.

Winter was rough for me, I had only really experienced the tropical climates of Papua New Guinea and Orlando, Florida. I got along with everyone and was ecstatic that nobody spoke in Christianese but I didn’t really make any close friends at school and I struggled to see the point of exercising even though “My body is a temple” that’s because I didn’t know how to exercise and push my limits so I just sort of copied the in shape people’s movement with no result. Eventually I gave up on exercising all together and avoided going outside in the cold snow, spending my free time in the common room which some girls noticed and demanded I get out of the school and go on a weekend trip with them to the Black Forest.

A weekend alone in Forrest with three girls and no chaperones, how tantalizingly dubious and exquisitely contrapted for one to assume the worst or exude the gossip leanings of their inner selves.

I am Clark Kent, and consider that to be just swell. I was still young and immature, sure I appreciated women’s bodies by that age but as far as flirting and being. Interested in playing around or getting into a relationship I was still immature and had no consideration for such things, I wanted a bachelors adventure and flings with strangers should some opportunity ever arise.

I was delighted to go out with the ladies and not huff the musk of an all male bedroom over the weekend.

We even spent the evening drinking, not much but enough which was fun then went back to school.

The school had a weight room we were expected to use as well as a sauna, we were told to go on daily runs and walks and the food was tasty but looked like it came from a health food store. The bread was promptly named “Man Bread” because it had nuts in it, and everyone joked about how they we’re becoming regular because of eating all that fiber.

I think everyone started losing weight there, except for a few girls who discovered European chocolate in the school store no body talked about gaining any weight.

I had worked to the point of breaking a sweat before but I had never exercised to the point of being sweaty and that did not change. It would be a few more years before I left the Fortress Of Solitude and learned to work out for the rush of endorphins.

I had read The Picture Bible several times through, especially the Old Testament and as an introvert I identified with the prophets who lived in seclusion, because I was the only kid like me in the village I grew up in in Papua New Guinea. I had lots of friends but was simply not like them, I was essentially raised by black people who happened to be in a tribe and only saw my parents for meals and bedtime or school. For one I thought in English and only had my immediate family to speak English with. The people who sent us stuff from America didn’t send secular entertainment to my Christian Missionary parents. All of it had a message or agenda and was a potential tool to talk about Christ so I ignored the hidden meaning and Jesus related stuff I heard every Sunday in church and focused on the cartoon characters depicted in the Old Testament of The Picture Bible.

Bode2K: Bible School in Y2K

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

The benevolence of the Lord knows no limitations and the memories of arriving at a new school with relatives has been taken from me. I don’t know how I got there and I don’t remember them leaving.

I wasn’t fat when I arrived at school, a busy lifestyle and three years of martial arts kept me fairly slim. But Tae Kwon Do school wasn’t about getting in shape, exercising or even being healthy. It was about form and performing tricks like breaking concrete and wooden boards in front of crowds. I didn’t play sports in high school and had only been a wrestler in sixth grade so I didn’t really have a clue about exercise or eating to be healthy but the school emphasized the importance of such things citing a verse in the Bible about our bodies being a Temple.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19,20

bible.com/bible/100/eph.6.12.NASB1995

I wanted to see the world and do so free of people with a Christian propaganda approach to all that they do. Even if that meant going to Bible School to do so.

I graduated high school in a flash, attended a graduation with a bunch of home schoolers I had never met and started preparing to leave for Europe.

Of course! Of course my mom, grandmother and aunt insisted in accompanying me on my first trip to Europe. Somewhere there is a photo album of all the places we went to. We went inside the Eiffel Tower, I took a picture of the statue The Thinker from the window of a tour bus, sigh pearls before swine, and I bought a Swiss Army Knife. The rest of the trip to the school in Germany with my relatives escapes my memory. There are pictures and I am in them, but the air had been taken out of my balloon as far as venturing out on my own was concerned, they had researched all that we purveyed and merely told me what we were going to see and do like I was Kronk doing the bidding of Yzma in the Disney movie Emperor’s New Groove.