C H A N C E D O R L A N D . C O M

Laugh Olympics Workshop Show Pt.6 7/13/09

2009-08-07T19:25:00.001+02:00

The "Laugh Olympics" 8 week workshopers take what they've learned from teacher Ve and put on their first improv show at the "Kookaburra Comedy Club" on Monday, July 13th. This portion concludes the set with a lot of talking and some dancing as my camera ran out of juice.

Laugh Olympics Workshop Show Pt.5 7/13/09

2009-08-07T19:15:00.001+02:00

Laugh Olympics Workshop Show Pt.4 7/13/09

2009-08-03T06:12:00.001+02:00

The "Laugh Olympics" 8 week workshopers take what they've learned from teacher Ve and put on their first improv show at the "Kookaburra Comedy Club" on Monday, July 13th. This portion includes games called "Hesitation" and "Switch Interview".

Laugh Olympics Workshop Show Pt.3 7/13/09

2009-08-03T05:34:00.001+02:00

Laugh Olympics Workshop Show Pt.2 7/13/09

2009-08-03T03:53:00.001+02:00

The "Laugh Olympics" 8 week workshopers take what they've learned from teacher Ve and put on their first improv show at the "Kookaburra Comedy Club" on Monday, July 13th. This portion includes the follow the leader type game of "Freeze Tag" and "Forward/Reverse".

Laugh Olympics Workshop Show Pt.1 7/13/09

2009-08-03T03:24:00.001+02:00

The "Laugh Olympics" 8 week workshopers take what they've learned from teacher Ve and put on their first improv show at the "Kookaburra Comedy Club" on Monday, July 13th. This portion includes the follow the leader type game of "Freeze Tag" and "Forward/Reverse".

Amsterdam Weekend with Karen & Doug

2009-04-29T11:18:00.001+02:00

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I love Amsterdam. It's the first place I've been in Europe that didn't make me want to make fun of people for socialized health care. Man, this place is awesome. The Red Light District is also surprisingly clean.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: via-pixelpipe, chance, dorland, chancedorland, berlin, germany, cbyx, amsterdam, netherlands

Hertha BSC versus Bremen Boring German Soccer

2009-04-29T10:54:00.001+02:00

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So, the game was boring, but it was fun to see the crowd cheer when Berlin scored and see a girl wearing Bremen colors cry when they lost. I'm not mean I just was looking for something remotely entertaining at a soccer match.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: via-pixelpipe, chance, dorland, chancedorland, berlin, germany, cbyx, soccer, hertha, bsc, bremen, fussball

Blowing Up Old Factory Towers in the DDR

2009-04-29T10:15:00.001+02:00

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I guess I'm the action correspondent for Berliner Rundfunk 91.4 FM now as they seem to send me out for explosions and crashes. Here's a vid of an area just north of Berlin where they were blowing up old factory parts to build a new one. The old DDR workers came and the town basically threw a potluck with free beer and sausages. Too bad sometimes things don't explode like they're supposed to.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: via-pixelpipe, chance, dorland, chancedorland, berlin, germany, cbyx, berliner, rundfunk, factory, explosion, tower

Chance's First Laugh Olympics Improv Performance

2009-04-28T20:15:00.005+02:00

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I started playing djembe for "The Laugh Olympics" in December of 2008. On Saturday, April 4th, I became a full-fledged player in the improv troupe and my friend Noel taped a bit for me. Check out http://LaughOlympics.de for more info. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: chance, chancedorland, dorland, germany, berlin, cbyx, improv, laugh, olympics, comedy, english

Easter Egg / Packet Hunt At Home

2009-04-28T20:15:00.003+02:00

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On Monday after Easter Sunday, the guest family and I had a cookout / Easter Egg Hunt. I was pretty bad at it and was the last to find a prize. Go me. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: chance, chancedorland, dorland, germany, berlin, cbyx, easter, egg, hunt

Train Collision for Berliner Rundfunk 91.4 FM

2009-04-28T20:15:00.001+02:00

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I was sent to the northeast area of Berlin to check out a train crash that happened the night before around 10pm. Apparently, a regional train rammed into a compartment filled with gasoline or something flammable like that. We lucked out big time with only a few injuries.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: via-pixelpipe, chance, dorland, chancedorland, berlin, germany, cbyx, berliner, rundfunk, train, crash

Evvy TV Persnality Reel

2009-04-23T04:57:00.001+02:00

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ME. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: chance, chancedorland, dorland, evvy, ectv, gme

Dawn and Chris Berlin Weekend + Turkish Wedding !

2009-04-07T15:58:00.001+02:00

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My sister Dawn and her husband Chris visit me in Berlin and I take crappy video of the event. Also, completely by chance Turkish wedding video.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, turkish, wedding

DEL All Star Hockey Game - North America VS Europe

2009-03-19T16:21:00.001+01:00

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I do some work for RadiJoJo, a kids radio station in Berlin, Germany, and this is from when we interviewed Canadian hockey players that play in the German Ice Hockey League.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, hockey

20 Euro to Strap This Thing to Your Head!

2009-03-19T16:17:00.001+01:00

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I replied to a young scientist looking for suckers who wanted to make 20 Euro CASH. I had to put on what felt like a wig for a robot and press one of two buttons when I thought a word was spelled correctly or just a jumble of letters. Two hours later and a bunch of sores on my head I was victorious.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, science, experiment

Laugh Olympics on My Birthday?

2009-03-19T16:14:00.003+01:00

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I forget the date of this performance, but what you see - including the head of our keyboard player Michelle - is what I see every Saturday night at the Kookaburra Comedy Club in Berlin, Germany. I play djembe for the Laugh Olympics, an all English improv comedy troupe that is mostly Americans.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, improv, comedy, laugh, olympics, kookaburra

Grune Woche Exhibition in Berlin

2009-03-19T16:14:00.001+01:00

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"Grune Woche" is apparently a super large meeting of European foods, culture, and goods that takes place every year in Berlin. My friends and I walked around trying to find free samples but also were surprised when we discovered artificial smelling tubes and a rodeo.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, grune, woche, food, culture

Berliner Rundfunk 91.4 FM Tower Memorial

2009-03-19T16:07:00.001+01:00

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This old radio antennae that was put up by East Berlin in the 1980s apparently now has no use. The answer: let's blow it up. I was sent out with another intern to interview and take photos with some citizens who were not happy with the antennae's demise.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, berliner, rundfunk, antennae

Interesting Mall Performance

2009-03-19T16:06:00.001+01:00

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I intern for Berliner Rundfunk 91.4 FM here in Berlin, Germany. Unlike most crappy radio stations in the States, Berliner Rundfunk's studios are located on the 4th floor of a large mall. On Friday's we sometimes have weird performers like these. The costumes were of very high quality.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, berliner, rundfunk, costume, mall, performance

Handball is the Worst Sport. Ever.

2009-03-19T16:02:00.001+01:00

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I finally got a chance to check out Handball, a sport that Germans tend to love. I don't know what to say - this video might be a bit boring, but then again, you'll know how I felt.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, handball, hand, ball, sport

Chance's First - And Only - Birthday Party

2009-03-19T15:42:00.001+01:00

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So, my parents kinda sucked and I never had a real birthday party. My guest family in Berlin not only through me a party but invited all of my friends over. While hidden in our basement, I was told there were some people here for me as they began to sing "Happy Birthday". Germany 1, America 0.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, birthday, surprise

Reporting the Zoo Palast Train Strike

2009-03-19T15:38:00.001+01:00

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I was sent to the train workers' strike at Berlin's Zoo Palast for Berliner Rundfunk 91.4 FM. It was strange because it felt a little like a fair - balloons, music, and even drinks.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, cbyx, strike, berliner, rundfunk

Annie Leibovitz in Berlin

2009-03-19T15:37:00.001+01:00

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Some friends and I decided to join the large crowd outside Annie Leibovitz's newest exhibition in Germany. Opening night was very crowded but full of some great photos - and I even met the Canadian Ambassador to Germany. He didn't know why he had to stand in line either.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, annie, leibovitz, photography, art

John F. Kennedy High School Moden United Nations

2009-03-19T15:34:00.001+01:00

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The weekend of March 6th, 2009, I was able to assist some JFK journalism students with their coverage of a model united nations convention. The 3 day event was a lot of fun and it was great to speak English again.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, berlin, germany, jfk, un, mun, bermun, school

John F. Kennedy High School Model United Nations

2009-03-09T17:05:00.002+01:00

Hey, so I was lucky enough to help out with year's Bermun 2, a yearly Model United Nations event that is put together with students from all over Germany. I worked with the press team from the John F. Kennedy Gymnasium - a ton of Americans - and they made this video of the event. I didn't really do a lot or work but it was great to help out.

CDS "ABROADcast" Competition Video

2009-02-17T16:45:00.001+01:00

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So, I could win some money that's only good for more traveling, but it's kind of cool to win something anyways. I'm not sure if you'll be able to vote or view this on the site, but here's the page: http://www.cdsintl.org/specialprojects/abroadcast.php

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, abroadcast, cds, cbyx, ppp, germany, deutschland

Guest Father's Birthday

2008-11-15T04:59:00.001+01:00

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So We Don't Forget October 30th, 2008 While we meant well, we seemed to have missed the birthday song cue. This was one hell of a birthday breakfast, who would have thought?

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, germany, deutschland, berlin, birthday

Trying To See The Sights In Berlin

2008-11-15T02:22:00.001+01:00

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So We Don't Forget October 28, 2008 My guest family, through some connection I still don't comprehend, got me in touch with an American girl from Michigan that is studying in Paris this semester. The following video chronologues our gut busting journey as tourists in Berlin. While some lines were too long, we were able to visit the top of the city's famous television tower.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorlchancedorland.com, germany, deutschland, berlin, fernsehen, tur

Barack Obama Graffiti After Election Day

2008-11-14T23:54:00.002+01:00

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So We Don't Forget November 11, 2008 I have a language course at Freie Universitaet here in Berlin 3x a week. The day after the presidential election someone had painted a ghetto Barack Obama on the wall at the Dahlem Dorf U-Bahn stop.

Formats available: MPEG1 Video (.mpg)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, germany, deutschland, berlin, freie, dahlem, dorf, barack, obama, graffiti, u-bahn

I feel Like My Grandpa Just Died

2008-11-06T02:45:00.005+01:00

Man do I like me some John McCain. Actually being a Democrat in pretty much every other way, can't help but feel very disappointed today. But, I sure do know fashion.

Click on this link for the full story:

http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/berlin/113374/index.php

You can view this in sort of messed up English by using the free site, Translate.google.com, by clicking on this link:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.berlinonline.de%2Fberliner-zeitung%2Fberlin%2F113374%2Findex.php&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=de&tl=en

And here's a link to a video of that night's event from Die Welt:

http://www.welt.de/videos/politik/us-wahl/article2677709/Amerika-Haus-jubelt-fuer-Obama.html

Dawn's Wedding

2008-10-27T23:34:00.001+01:00

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ChanceCast

October 4, 2008

Well, everyone's a bit different now! I have a new brother, a whole bunch of footage, and now too many clothes in Germany. Discover why in this episode of the ChanceCast.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, boston, wedding

Something Awesome From The Past

2008-10-26T20:02:00.001+01:00

Find more videos like this on PoliticalPulse.net

Octoberfest mit Calvin and Javier

2008-10-12T18:12:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

September 26, 2008

As you can tell from the date, Octoberfest actually begins in September. This is the story of 3 boys, no men, who took the challenge. This is dedicated to one of them who did not return - but took a later train the next day.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, octoberfest, munich, m?nchen, germany, deutschland, beer

Haus nach CDC

2008-09-21T19:51:00.001+02:00

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Chuck, The Tall One

2008-09-21T19:00:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

July 26, 2008

I've know him for a long time, it's crazy to think someone like Chuck actually died. His "burial" at Bethel was actually pretty nice and calming.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, iowa, woodward, perry, chuck, wilkinson

Chance on Adam Carolla, WTF?

2008-09-19T20:15:00.001+02:00

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9 17 08

Radio

Yes, that's right. After two years of calling that goddamn show, I finally got to speak with Adam. . . when I was in Germany. Hilariousness ensues.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, adam, carolla, adamcarolla.com, radio, klsx, la, deutschland, cologne

9 11 08 CUBD Live at Kristinas Geburtstag

2008-09-17T23:53:00.001+02:00

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9 5 08 Scotland II

2008-09-17T20:19:00.001+02:00

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Copenhagen mit Friends

2008-09-17T14:16:00.009+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 23, 2008

I meet up with some old friends from Boston to discover the weird and interesting world of Copenhagen and Lego Land.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, copenhagen, denmark, legoland

The Benster at the Open Mic

2008-09-17T14:16:00.007+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 24, 2008

Ben is subsidizing his German adventures with the kline geld made from open mics like these.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, deutschland, koeln, guitar

Let's Stay Up All Nite, Thanks Andrew

2008-09-17T14:16:00.005+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 28, 2008

My "friend" Andrew informs us of all all-night foods market after a full night's activities. We plan to meet him there, he never shows up, and I vow to end him.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, deutschland, koeln, market

We Have Made Fire

2008-09-17T14:16:00.003+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 29, 2008

Not the best lighting in a video, but here's a quick glimpse into the crazy night of Ami's at the beach.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, deutschland, koeln, beach, fire

Interesting, Sad Nazzy Era in Koeln

2008-09-17T14:16:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

September 9, 2008

Koeln was blown to pieces by the Allies during WWII but a buidling used to house prisoners survived. Now they give tours.

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, deutschland, koeln, nazi

Edinburgh, Scotland Bei GermanWings.com I

2008-09-17T14:15:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

September 4, 2008

45 Euros and we're on our way to Scotland. Who likes drunk guys and bad weather? How about large hills with both?

Tags: chance, dorland, chancedorland.com, scotland, edinburgh

Dirty Free Hugs

2008-09-11T16:44:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 16, 2008

Chance makes condescending remarks about girls giving free hugs next to the Dom in Koeln and then himself becomes a victim.

Tags: chance, dorland, deutschland, germany, chancedorland.com, hugs

Getting to Koeln

2008-09-11T16:39:00.003+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 4, 2008

After an 8 hour flight, Chance and friends still have a long bus journey ahead of them to get to Koeln.

Koeln Fussball

2008-09-11T16:39:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 21, 2008

So, I don't like soccer, but the Germans do. Here's where they play it and sometimes fight each other in the stands.

Arm Wrestling Ladies

2008-09-11T16:38:00.005+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

Chance puts his man title on the line against a women to prove his superiority. Also, two cooks duke it out.

August 12, 2008

Trip To Bonn

2008-09-11T16:38:00.003+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 16, 2008

A short train ride from Koeln and now we're in Bonn. Who likes heavy metal music?

Not So Great EuroCar

2008-09-11T16:38:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 22, 2008

A quick way to save money here in Germany is to rent a car, but not when the car breaks down before you leave the city.

Language School Party - Sort Of Weird

2008-09-11T16:37:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 15, 2008

With so many international students around, what's the thing that can get them to talk? Beer, lots and lots of beer, served in my school, with techno music.

Cookout On The See

2008-09-10T19:44:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 10, 2008

Chance and friends eat out on a local See, or lake, after Cook Dan prepares a fine meal on Bernardo's cheap ass stove. Dan proves his knowledge of fine beers.

Watching Team USA in Germany

2008-09-10T19:12:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 8, 2008

Sort of weird to watch the old Stars and Stripes when living in another country. Also weird to expect whether or not the people around you are going to boo or applaud your president.

Even More German Batchelor Parties

2008-09-10T19:01:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 9, 2008

Yet another encounter with a German bachelor party, this time on the steps of K?ln's famous D?m.

Deutsche Batchelor Parties?

2008-09-10T18:35:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 10, 2008

Chance offers, like a gentleman, to pay when a German batchelor party rolls by and asks for money and a kiss.

The Killers at Das D?m

2008-09-10T18:18:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August 10, 2008

While unwilling to pay to go inside, Chance gets some footage of The Killers outdoor concert one night at K?ln's ginormous D?m.

Party at The Ding

2008-09-10T18:04:00.001+02:00

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So We Don't Forget

August8, 2008

The first big celebration here in Germany. Watch as Dan, but NOT Chance, strike out with German women and tall Ryan gets 3 ladies all to himself.

Chance und Blau Dan in der Morgen - On The Rhine - Part One

2008-09-08T21:19:00.001+02:00

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August 27, 2008

PART ONE

Chance und Blau Dan take it to the Rhine River in Köln, Deutschland, for todays episode. Topics include the days cultural training on German peoples as well as an interview with real live Germans.

Winston, Deutsche Version

2008-09-01T00:12:00.004+02:00

So, I used to host a radio program on ETIN with my pal Winston. Since my arrival in Germany, I have much missed this partner in crime - however - I have replaced my old friend with my Deutsche work book. Coincidence?

Only in Europe

2008-08-22T20:17:00.002+02:00

A few days ago I was on the u-Bahn with my friend Dan. I look over, see a woman sitting next to a newspaper, and then see a naked woman, in the newspaper. Nice. Only in Europe. And I live here.

File This Under Inappropriate

2008-08-10T20:47:00.002+02:00

It's amazing how some things mean different things in one culture than in another, yet I think someone might have seen this one coming if they really thought about it.

The Killers Outdoor Concert At The Döm

2008-08-10T20:16:00.004+02:00

While we cheaped out and did not pay to actually see the band, last night I got a great audio perspective of The Killers. A few friends and I stopped by a local store - where I bought a liter of Beer just to be obnoxious - and headed over to Köln's Döm, the very old and awesome church I blogged on a few days ago. A few of us attempted to stretch our necks above the wall that had been erected to prevent the cheapies from seeing The Killers but it didn't work out as well as I would have liked. I did get a few good pictures, including this one. Next week I believe I will be heading to an Alkaline Trio concert here in the city. So far there has been more opportunity to see American bands here in Köln, Deutschland, than any other American city I have ever been in. Nicht so gut, America!

Das Ding

2008-08-10T20:06:00.004+02:00

We've had quite a few birthdays in the last ten days so it was decided to hold our first group get together - unofficial - at a bar here in Köln called Das Ding (The Thing). After our 5 EURO cover charge, we were delighted by 80 Cent drinks - only to find out that there was a 3 drink limit until 11pm. So, not as good as advertised, but everybody had a lot of fun. Especially a rather large CBYX participant who collected quite the delegation of Deutsche ladies to dance with. After about 11pm, the dance floor exploded, and by this I mean people actually started to stand on it. Shortly after it was crowded and the jam commenced to all American pop/rap with techno beats beneath it. Good to see that the further we get from America our entertainment industry seems to keep up with us.

Beach Cookout, Sort of

2008-08-10T19:50:00.004+02:00

Dan, Bernardo, Zach, and myself headed out on Saturday to purchase the best ingredients for a beach cookout. By "best" I mean what we could afford and by "beach" I mean this lake next to my haus. We also really didn't cook at the water either. . . so you get the point.
Shopping was fun because I had no idea how to judge prices and we found this awesome cake book that might be useful in the future. A lot more people came out than we had expected and we ate just about everything there was - the rest going to some ducks and geese in the lake. Hopefully they're cool with digesting hamburger and sausages.
Maybe we won't be going back to that lake anytime soon. . .

Olympics in Deutschland

2008-08-10T16:30:00.005+02:00

It was weird to watch the Opening Ceremony at this year's Olympics without being in America. After some fiddling that seemed uncoordinated, the guys at the Carl Duisberg Center were able to get the TV working and we watched the 15 hour marathon of opening ceremonies over in China.
While some of it was too girlie and weird, overall it was pretty fantastic, especially the final torch lighting that no one had expected to take place in the air. A bunch of people from my school - Emerson College back home in Boston, MA - are over there right now as one of 5 school delegations that were allowed to attend. I bet they're having a great time and kind of wish I was there as well.
It was especially strange to see the Deutsch team come out and feel like that was my team, and then have the American team come out and think they looked kind of stupid in those sailor hats.

Checking In With The Deutsch Government

2008-08-07T15:01:00.003+02:00

This morning we headed over to the local Rathaus? to let the Deutsch government know where I am staying and such. I also had to get these cool Biometric photos taken for my visa. When someone doesn't smile and looks really creepy, the Deutsch government can put them into a large database and figure out if they're a terrorist or not. As you can tell from this photo, it looks like I am.

File This Under Inappropriate

2008-08-07T14:51:00.005+02:00

I saw this statue in Turkey-Town, a street I have named in Köln that has a bunch of Turkish shops.
Near Turkey-Town, I found these stuffed animals in a stationery store. My childhood has taught me many things, this being one of them.

Der Köln Döm

2008-08-07T13:29:00.011+02:00

So, in 1248 some Germans decided to build a giant church. 300 years later, the church still wasn't finished. Near the end of the 1800s they finished it and now it is the S*.
Some friends and I went inside and it was kinda freaky how high the ceiling went. This place has everything a church needs like stain glass windows, small candles, and tourist information.
And, not to be outdone by New York, Der Köln Döm has a human statue that only moves if you give him money. For some reason, this human statue is from Egypt and not Deutschland.

Bionade - German For Soap Water

2008-08-07T13:20:00.004+02:00

This is possibly the worst drink I have ever encountered that you can buy in stores. Apparently this is super popular in Deutschland and I have no taste or culture for fine foods. But, I do have taste for soap, and this tastes like soap.

Holy Crap! A Flight Finally Leaves Washington, DC.

2008-08-05T14:07:00.004+02:00

Well, it had to happen eventually. On Sunday we arrived in Virginia at Dulles airport, waited in line for what seemed like hours, almost got to the front of line but were told to go to a different line, that happened a couple more times, and we were finally checked in!
We were each issued meal vouchers for $10 to use in the minutes before our plane took off. The good people at Wendy's received 100% of mine.
And on the plane, not only did I receive my first in-flight meal, the stewardess also demonstrated how to float and breathe in emergencies.

And Bust It Is!

2008-08-02T09:18:00.000+02:00

Oh crap. On the 25th year of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for young Professionals everything has worked perfectly except for the airline. Lufthansa, which is supposed to fly all 74 participants to Frankfurt where we disperse to one of 3 language instruction sights, is on strike! Crap. However, I do have to applaud Will and everyone else at CBYX on their delivery of this somewhat disappointing news as we were told right after gathering for our yearly program photo in front of the Capitol Building.

That was sort of funny and made my day - I was the only one who saw how great this story would be ten to fifteen years down the road. This seems to happen to me a lot.

So, with a lot of hard work, our program managers Will and Anna were able to schedule 50 CBYX'ers flights to London, and after many hours of layover and bad British accents, to their final destinations.

Yours truly was one of the lucky 25 who do not leave Washington, DC, until Sunday afternoon, which places myself and my fellow program participants in an interesting situation as we walk around Georgetown University trying to find something to do.

Hello State Department

2008-08-02T08:45:00.000+02:00

I've now had the opportunity to speak with and hear from some of the people that are responsible for sending me to Germany for the next year.

Pictured in the above photo is Johannes K Haindl (left), Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at the German Embassy in Washington, and Colleen P. Graffy (right), Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy.

We also met with Senator Richard Lugar (R) of Indiana who sort of started the whole CBYX program back in the 1980s over high gas prices or something in Germany. I wasn't quite sure how that all came together but he had some cool stories to tell.

The best part by far was learning about all of the career opportunities that are now available to me by participating in a State-sanctioned cultural exchange program. I could work in an American embassy abroad or even as an official representative of the government (if I either believe in the current administration or am not worried about pretending that I do).
As someone who wants to go into talk radio, most of my life at this point is just gaining new experiences and doing things that most other people cannot, or will not, do. This seems like something right up that alley, plus it sounds like a lot of fun.

Oh, and as you can tell, having a really nice camera has benefits as I am now the official photographer of the 25th Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange.

Germany or Bust

2008-07-30T13:18:00.000+02:00

Awesome. I am finally here. After missing my original 5:50am plane, Delta was gracious enough to allow me to pay them $50 and only get to DC 30 minutes later. I barely arrived in time to meet Congressman Latham from Iowa's 4th District. Unfortunately, I was pretty messed up and looked like a marathon runner after putting all of my bags through security and arriving 15 minutes late. I'll post the photo when I get it. Prepare to to amazed.

It has been awesome getting to know the other 74 participants in the 25th year of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals. They basically put us in a giant room and served food. Sometimes the simply plan is the best.

Then, they gave us all $25 for "food or snacks" during the next day or so and we all hit the bar. Did I mention this was a German exchange program?

Radio Caroline, Hand Made Headphones

2008-07-14T08:15:00.001+02:00

So this British guy is crazy. He used to work for Radio Caroline off the coast of the UK - pirate radio - and made a pair of headphones that wouldn't mess up his hair. They wrap around the back, you can actually buy headphones like these, but he made a pair out of a ruler. This guy is the British MacGyver.

British!!!

2008-07-14T08:01:00.000+02:00

British in Wyoming, son of a . . . On the last leg of my Big Horn Mountain journey to the east side of Wyoming, I landed in Gillette and under the care of one Freddie, DJ from the UK. He's lived in the US for like 3-4 years and met his American wife on the internets, apparently, while he wasn't sleeping.

The Basin Radio Network has an awesome building, great studios, and even a local talk show hosted by a crazy republican who doesn't believe in global warming. Steve Norris has one of the best crazy republican shows I have heard in a really long time and he does all the work on his own. If someone got behind this guy he could be syndicated across the country so other people who don't believe in global warming could listen to him on the way to work.

Their 3 stations, Kimmel, Kamel, and The Fox, sound pretty good.

This is Why Vending Machines Must Die

2008-07-14T06:55:00.001+02:00

I was a bit hungry my first day in Gillette and I didn't want to head out for lunch because I had no idea where town was. This bastard machine refused to give me my Rice Krispies bar, I put more money in, and still only one came out. I will remember this day.

Best Farm Baseball Team EVER

2008-07-14T06:53:00.000+02:00

Casper GHOSTS

Best Computer Ever

2008-07-14T05:25:00.001+02:00

While most office computers are made by Dell and blow ass, I found this beast at the Big Mountain Radio Network in Gillette, Wyoming. While the sales people don't have a computer to call their own, a production guy can play World of Warcraft in his spare time with this thing.

Boot Kickin' Days?

2008-07-14T04:50:00.000+02:00

Smokey Wildeman (pronounced will-deh-man but I always say Wild-Man to add gusto), the General Manager of Legend Communications owned radio in Buffalo, Wyoming, took me north to Sheridan for the kick off of their yearly rodeo or something. To get off on the right foot, they hold a competition where all ages try to fling a cowboy boot as far as humanly possible. Now, this seems stupid to an outsider, but a ton of people were there and it was actually pretty fun. Most people were drinking, everybody was being chased around by small children, and the Polish Sausage was tasty.

Sticking with the rodeo theme, they let the really small ones race around barrels on those fake horsey's we used to play with as children but have been replaced by plastic video games. Some of the kids were really into it but I was

able to pick out the ones that were just doing it because there parents made them. Just wait till those kids want to go into international business or theatre and see happy the family gets.

You'll notice one of my left hand bracelets is actually a Budweiser band as I continue to prepare for the alcohol onslaug

ht that will be Berlin, Germany. I'm still a lite-weight and was only able to pull down a Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade. Goddamnit.

And, I met another Chance. This usually really pisses me off because my name has been the only thing my entire life that was always mine and there was no chance of ever losing it or having someone take it. This kid was like 12 or something so it wasn't a big deal. His grandpa - a huge biker with tattoos - was really nice and let me take this photo. He thought I was with a newspaper or something but was satisfied with the traveling Boston College student tale I wove.

And The Tradition Continues

2008-07-14T03:55:00.000+02:00

I've stayed in quite a few hotels in the past two years. Being part of the BACCHUS Network and now this internship in Wyoming has allowed me to check into many small and large, realizing that the size of the hotel does not equal quality, though it is hard to find a super giant hotel that doesn't rock in most areas. But, the smaller hotels always have a weird restaurant attached, and following that trend I dined at the "Hoot 'N Howl".

That might have been the end of this story, but not on this day. A lot of businesses in these parts use immigrant labor, not Mexican, but Eastern European. My waiter/cook was from Moscow and he thought since I was using my Mac laptop, I might have one of his favorite karaoke songs, "Touch My Body", by Mariah Carey. While slightly disappointed that I only had Blink-182 and Adam Carolla podcasts, we exchanged information and he might/I might visit when I'm in Germany. Hopefully he doesn't stab me and take my identity.

If I Didn't Know Better. . .

2008-07-14T03:38:00.000+02:00

Ya know, if I didn't know better, I'd say these pig wrestling people were idiots. But, after spending like a month here in Cody, Wyoming, Pig Wrestling sounds fun to me. If I could find someone who had equipment my size, and I wasn't deep down scared S*less about getting my face stepped on, I'd ride a bronc at the nightly rodeo. Riding a horse or carrying a pig sounds fun to me now because I've seen stuff like this first hand. Most people that I have met, other than the crew driving the white truck that mooned me one night, have been less hick-ish than similar people in Iowa where I grew up. I don't think I've seen one NASCAR hat or jacket, something I saw within an hour of landing in Des Moines two years ago during Christmas break. This is the kind of stuff people do here, and if I grew up in Wyoming, I would probably do it to. If there's a way to build character by carrying a pig skin while a bunch of people chase you, I don't see why there can't be a valuable lesson carrying a live pig in the mud while a crowd cheers you on.

Liquor, Buffalo Style

2008-07-11T05:23:00.000+02:00

I left the station to check into my hotel room and I drove past this fine establishment. Not only does Wahoo! Liquor provide excellent service with reasonable prices, it also has a drive thru. I'm impressed.

Radio in Buffalo, Wyoming

2008-07-11T05:04:00.000+02:00

The Buffalo stations of Patrick Communications are run by General Manager - I kid you not - Smokey Wildeman. This guy is also an elected county official and basically could set up a nice mafia if he wanted to. Unfortunately for his pocket book he's really nice and wouldn't do that.

We have three stations in Buffalo and I got to sit in on OCS, "Our Community Speaks" hosted by Marty who sounds like Danny Bonaduche which sounds pretty cool when you're talking about livestock and community events.

Buffalo is another one of those towns where the population is less than the elevation as you can see hearaw. I met another transplant from the East Coast, a very attractive Pennsylvanian who claimed to be German, but couldn't speak German, and therefore I still have absolutely no German skills for my upcoming year abroad. Nicht so gut, Chance, nicht so gut!

I also hung out with a sales executive most of the time who has been dating the same person for over 11 years and I pretty much made fun of her the whole time. Nice. But, I did buy her a $5 coffee so all is well.

Driving Through Big Horn National Forest

2008-07-11T04:23:00.000+02:00

So I got to the radio station Monday a bit late (I was still sore from falling off the 4 wheeler and driving water craft with Paulette ay Boysen State Park). I'd finished up everything we were doing for the 4th and asked if they had any new assignments for me. Half an hour later I was heading to Buffalo and Gillette, Wyoming, to check out some of the other radio stations owned by our parent company, Patrick Communications. I had planned on doing laundry that night so I didn't have enough clothes for the 3+ days that were ahead of me. . . I went to Wal-Mart here in Cody and bought a whole new wardrobe for like 30 bucks. Jesus, this Wal-Mart is crazy cheap and I might actually wear the clothes again if they survive washing.

While it was less spectacular on the trip home as I was tired of driving and it was getting really frickin' hot, on first appearance, this is the most beautiful place I have ever been. While I have spent only an hour in Yellowstone, this place for some reason just automatically clicked with me and I loved it. There was pine everywhere and I could hear the stream below as I drove through the mountains. Adding to excitement were the cliffs that seemed way too close to the road and could send a roc

k crashing down at any moment and really F* up my car. I pulled over to the side of the road and flirted with the idea of trying to climb one of these readily available peaks and saw some other people that were stupid enough to do it themselves. I got a sweet picture of one of them sort of falling down a rock which seemed to be close enough to the real thing for me and I got back in my car.

As I left Big Horn National Forest the ground become increasing steep and it was really fun shifting my automatic into neutral and feeling like I could cause a huge accident around a corner if the mood took hold of me. Nothing I would actually do but the ability to cause such an incident was sort of powerful. If I had gone out of control they had these giant enclosures that "runaway" vehicles could drive into - sort of like how a jet lands on a carrier and it gets caught on a strong cord that pulls it back to the ground really quickly. It would have destroyed my car but what a ride!

There's Always a Bit 'O Hollywood Wherever I Go

2008-07-10T05:41:00.000+02:00

Oh Katelyn Indigaro, if only you could have been in Wyoming with me on this day. I found the real Hills, not a bunch of white rich kids in L.A., but a ranch outside Buffalo, WY.

Cowboy Suicide

2008-07-10T05:37:00.000+02:00

July 4th Rodeo/Dodge Extreme Bulls Competition

2008-07-10T05:19:00.000+02:00

Well, I don't think I will go to any more rodeos while I am here in Wyoming. It definitely gets boring after a while. I even tried to get a job at the Cody Nite Rodeo but they never called me back. How qualified do you have to be to hand out popcorn? Damn high schoolers.But, it still was fun.

This guy here showed off his horse riding skills

by directing Justin Boots with his legs/thighs and voice commands. Here is a photo of him where he looks like he's putting his hand up Justin Boots unmentionables.

As I mentioned in the Cody Nite Rodeo Episode of the ChanceCast (video links on the right side of webpage), they have pretty blond women ride around the arena with flags of sponsors. Here's a pic of the flag for the radio company I'm interning at, The Big Horn Radio Network. But, there was a large moment of excitement when I saw a dude named Chance compete in the cattle roping competition. . . he missed and totally sucked it up. Take that, Chance Jeffers from Grass Lodge, Montana.

1st ChanceCast Episode Complete

2008-07-08T07:23:00.000+02:00

All 4 segments of the 1st ChanceCast Episode are now complete and available on Youtube, Google Video, and other media outlets. Check out my Youtube ChanceCast channel here or in the cool Youtube player on the right side of your web browser.

Here's the last segment - Fun with Tasers.

I Can't Escape The Gays

2008-07-08T07:09:00.001+02:00

Haha, even after leaving the capital of homosexuality, Boston, Massachusetts, I find this guy on my floor at Northwest College. I can't help but feel this guy must have a pair made of steel for advertising like that in Wyoming - I've had some interesting conversations about gay marriage, etc., with some people here. Good thing this guy is protecting himself with the king of all badasses, Chuck Norris.

When It Rains in Wyoming. . .

2008-07-08T07:03:00.001+02:00

All of a sudden last week it got crazy dark and rained hard core for like 15 minutes. When I got back to Northwest College in Powell the water sprinklers were on and shooting straight up into the air. I wish I had a number for the amount of times I have seen sprinklers going while it was raining or pointed directly at a sidewalk.

ChanceCast: Cody Nite Rodeo

2008-07-08T04:36:00.000+02:00

Episode 1: Part 3 "Cody Nite Rode" of the ChanceCast is now available on Youtube, Google Video, and other outlets. Check out my channel on Youtube for all ChanceCast videos by clicking here.

Camping with Paulette at Boysen State Park, Day 2

2008-07-07T09:33:00.000+02:00

Man, these stupid machines I've always made fun of are flippin' sweet. Paulette and like twenty of her friends brought out a bunch of 4 wheelers, jet skis, and watercraft. We were camped right on the water - it became hard for me to imagine a better place to drive any of this stuff. Absolutely no one was around! We should have brought a bunch of guns or something.
After replying that I had ridden a 4 wheeler maybe two times in my life, I went out with Paulette and became addicted. Here I am after I got stuck in the dirt but before I hit a pretty good sized rock with my right tire and fell off. It was difficult to hypothesize how much money and effort had been put into all of this gear and its upkeep. These people might be able to take over the world if they didn't have all these toys. This kid could have kicked my ass multiple times but was really nice. I tried to use his jet ski, which starts with you lying on your stomach and eventually you pull yourself up and stand. After watching me fall over and over again, he eventually took the jet ski back, along with most of my pride.

Camping with Paulette at Boysen State Park, Day 1

2008-07-07T09:17:00.000+02:00

I was invited to go camping at Boysen State Park by my friend Paulette, a co-worker at the radio station. Little did I know when I got there (about 11pm) that a lot of foolishness would be going on. This here is Zach, and our pal, the Kangaroo Rat. Why a Kangaroo Rat, you say? Well, this buddy is named after another animal that has short arms upfront, much like my boyhood friend Alex Murray. I don't have the photo, crap, but Zach does put this cute, tiny animal pretty much all the way into his mouth, just as I began to beg that he not hurt it. The Kangaroo Rat was let go and should have a pretty good life unless it catches back up with these guys.

And no, the fun did not stop there. We found some sort of hissing beatle, Zach put it in his mouth, and it hissed some more. Then later it was thrown into the fire and it hissed a lot. That was actually kind of funny.

And, on top of it all, the people next to us had some pretty sweet fireworks for normal people. We weren't too far away from Shoshone and could feel the explosions from the public fireworks that looked pretty distant but felt much closer.

While Shopping at Wal-Mart. . .

2008-07-07T09:12:00.001+02:00

So I broke down and actually went to Wal-Mart. This place rocks. Way better than the Wal-Mart's back home in Iowa - super low prices, tons of self checkouts, oh man! It's pretty depressing to be this excited about Wal-Mart, but I'm there. On the way out, I saw this. Nice.

4th of July. . . on the 4th

2008-07-07T08:53:00.000+02:00

Ahh, the parade finally happened, and actually on Independence Day. I played snare and hi hat with our News Director Wendy on the Big Horn Radio Network float, as seen above. Unfortunately, some small child, who will remain nameless, tripped over the guitar cord literally the last second before we started going, kicking us all in the pants in the process. Apparently vocals, unheard acoustic guitar, and intern on drums sounded ok but I have my doubts.

This here is Wendy's son, whom I owe a pack of that beef jerky snuff stuff. I tried to go all out in my cowboy costume by packing that stuff into my lip but I ended up just making all the water I drank that morning taste like beef. Good times.

Oh, and those tiny cars that Shriners ride in and look all possessed and stuff, that's me inside of one. They didn't tell me I was supposed to pull that top up and then get in. That really hurt.

Still No Moving Violations, Geh

2008-07-07T08:38:00.000+02:00

So, it had to happen. Something had to F&@#$ up my awesome time in Wyoming. His name was Grant. Haha, not his fault I guess, but it's hard to not want to blame something. I was following a co-worker to a movie here in Cody (Hancock was super good despite the bad times beforehand) and there was some sort of accident in the parking lot. AS YOU CAN SEE, however, my car is parked well within the standard distance we're all used to (as I will explain to the judge before he shoots me) and I'm sticking hard to the not my fault argument. But, basically, I'm screwed. My car is a 92' LeBaron convertible and the thing that hit my car was the door of a very new Mustang. Crap.

The passenger opened his door a bit too far and hit my car as I was pulling into the parking spot. I hope this doesn't count as a moving violation because I can then remain ticketless except for the seat belt ticket Derek's stepdad gave me when I was like 16. His parents are divorced and everyone hates that guy now. Awesome. But, I guess things are looking somewhat optimistic as everyone still posed for a Chance's Hand photo after Wyoming became a lot less fun for me.

Pre-Independence Day With Cowboys

2008-07-07T08:13:00.000+02:00

This is the first time I've ever heard of that has two 4th of July parades. They let the intern announce who was coming down the street, events of the day, and make chit chat over the speakers attached to the roof of Cody's Wendy's. It was slightly less exciting than advertised.

But I was excited to see Long and Tall Uncle Sam get his butt to the parade. I can't help but sort of hope one of these stilt walkers will fall every time I see them. Perhaps one day, and without our national mascot.

This float was a bit confusing for me. There are a lot of dance troupes around here for young people but I'll be damned if this kind of dance is going to prepare you for a life in Wyoming.

Upcoming 4th of July Events

2008-07-02T08:18:00.001+02:00

Well, It's official: I will forever be part of Cody, Wyoming. I'm announcing the 89th annual (something like that) 4th of July parade on July 3rd (they do it on 3rd and 4th!) and playing the drums with our News Director Wendy on the Big Horn Radio Network float on July 4th. I just got a trapset but still need to get cowboy clothes.Tonight I went to the Rodeo and was pretty bored. By the third time I saw people being thrown off horses and being told that only winners get paid, the novelty has really run out of the event.It poured rain for what seemed like an hour - I was completely protected but had a lot of fun watching people in the cheap seats get drenched - and that helped entertain me. I got to hang out around the entrance to Yellowstone National Park this morning with Tammy, our resident New Yorker in Cody, and am pretty set on getting up there this Sunday. Should have a good video in a week to upload. Oh, and after the rodeo, I got mooned by some kids. It turns out I was able to catch up with them down the rode. Here's a picture of their truck. Nice.

2008-07-02T02:13:00.000+02:00

Well, I've finally gotten off my butt and put this thing together. Big upps to my sister Dawn for buying ChanceDorland.com for me this Christmas. I've just posted my first two videos from the weekend of June 21st. I hit up a live Big Horn Radio Network broadcast in Powell, an Indian pow wow in Cody, and also the "world famous" Cody Night Rodeo. More vids and content to come.