Chapter V: like a Jungle Sometimes

Eugene
Article II: the City

i. there are an almost disturbing but not at all surprising amount of VW Buses within the city.

ii. the train runs through town 24 hours a day. its 'horn' does as well.

iii. Oregon has one of the largest populations of homeless people in the country. they want your cigarettes. they want your money. they also may or may not read you poetry.

iv. the Whiteaker neighborhood is everything Viroqua wants to be: bright colors, recycled decorations and ornaments, and people openly smoking water-pipes on their front porch.

v. also, read signs not as "hand blown glass jewlery, gifts, and art" but rather "just another paraphernalia shop and nothing else!"

vi. there is a great public bus system: don't panic when the driver gets out to check the schedule posted on the bus stop to find out where he's going next.

vii. computer geeks in Eugene are like computer geeks everywhere; well, geeks.

viii. for every Starbucks (and you may find two on one city block), there is a tattoo and piercing shop just down the road; making this city a caffeinated one full of body art.

ix. the box office for the Macdonald Concert Hall is not at the front, or even inside the building. its around the corner of the theater down the block. i know. i was confused too.

x. it does not matter where you are: contact jugglers, clowns, contortionists, and fire spinners are always a sight to see. fuck the elephants.

Enter Character(s) IV: the Whiteaker Hostel staff

the staff of the Whiteaker Hostel (which consists of two houses a block or so apart) is not entirely incompetent, but rather inconsistent. rates for a night stay may vary, depending on who is working the desk...

Mac is the owner of the Whiteaker Hostel and manages the gardens as well as the staff, holds band practice in the social room, and a free spaghetti diner every Sunday night.

Sonia is an artist from Quebec who, until she came to the Hostel only a month ago, spoke no English. She is now fluent.

Anna is a competent employee who kept trying to give us free food as she cleaned the unlabeled food from the fridge.

Ed may not be his name, but he went through basic training and can give you 'knowledgeable' wisdom for your life without knowing anything about it or where its going.

Exit Character(s) IV.

Article III: traveling

i. you will not miss home. you will miss the people who made it such.

ii. forget all advice anyone ever gave you about "not making eye contact" and "not talking to strangers" meeting new people is the point of travel. if your traveling for the sights: save your money and flip through a National Geographic.

iii. Airports are your first Level. they will eat you. you must slip through gaining little attention and losing as little of your resources as possible: you will need them later.

iv. blogs are obnoxious. yes. if you want to travel to new sights and instead look at facebook: be my oblivious fucking guest.

v. pack clothes. have money. but most importantly, have tea, chocolate, and tobacco: these are your primary tools for making friends.

vi. iPods are nice comforts. that being said, anywhere besides WI there is always live music to be found.

vii. Hotels are expensive. Hostels are unique. Couches are respectively free. the ground is respectively uncomfortable.

viii. Plastic may be nice. it is better to have the physical cash in hand before you part with it for a more realistic sense of its worth.

ix. Downtown is always 'nice' but mostly expensive and manicured. for real life look to communities and making connections. (see v.)

x. coffee shops are a great place to ground yourself, meet people, plan your next move, etc. that being said: mochas are god damned expensive...