Schnee und Märkte

Grüsse!
Every time I have taken a picture of it snowing here, it has melted the next day. Seriously. So this time I didn't take a picture of it snowing like crazy on and off for around a week and it has stuck around for awhile. :] Everyone says it's a crazy amount of snow, but to me it's a normal winter! haha
Since it's December, it is the season of Advent here, with holidays like St. Nicholas Day (observed by eating lots of chocolate, oranges, and peanuts), and many, many Christmas markets. There is one every weekend in different villages across Switzerland (and all Europe for that matter). I'm pretty sure I have been to at least one every week.
Two weekends ago (12/1-2) I went to two Christmas markets. The first was in Aarberg with my host sister, and the second was in the Altstadt (old city) in Biel. The Aarberg was all in one centralplatz, and Biel's was both in the centralplatz and along side streets. Both were really pretty, and I didn't even buy anything. Both days were also super cold!! But it wasn't until later that week that we got all the snow.
Last Thursday, I had an advent event with my host Rotary club. I really like my club, and I'm not just saying that because I'm trying to be a suck up. haha They are all super nice and easy to talk to (even in German). We went to a church to hear advent songs, and then we went to a Spanish restaurant called Schöngrün for dinner. The dinner lasted until past 11! I was really tired the next day. =P
Last Saturday (12/8), I made chicken wild rice soup for my host family and a friend. I think it turned out pretty good with European ingredients! My mom would be proud I think! haha My host mom wants the recipe now, so I call that a success. :] Then on Sunday (yesterday 12/9), we went Sledding! Only not the sledding you would think of where you go up and down a hill a million times. No we went up on really long curving hill (basically up a snow- covered road), playing in the snow on the way up, and then taking one really long sled down the hill. We had two sleds: my host parents, and my host sister and I. My host sister and I crashed into the snow banks multiple times. haha It was more than likely my fault too. haha That was a lot of fun though.
Today it snowed in the morning, and then got super sunny and warmer, but I hope because there's so much of it the snow won't melt, even if there is a lot of slush now. =P
Ich wünsche dir eine schönen Woche! :] Tschüss!
-Anne-Marie

Mountains and Onions

HALLO! :D

So last weekend while you were all eating Turkey with your families (or maybe already eating the leftovers), I was with 98 other exchange students in Zermatt, where the Matterhorn is! :] 

The first day (Saturday) we had a perfect view of the Matterhorn so many pictures were taken. I stupidly forgot to charge my camera so I actually have very few pictures, but good thing everyone else with me had a camera. :] The first day was spent exploring Zermatt with a game from Rotex (past exchange students). We had to do silly tasks like somehow get a sunny-side-up egg (yes cooked). We kindly asked an old man for an egg and a dish, and another woman cooked it for us. Haha We also had to trade an item for something better, by either talking to people in the street, or going into shops. We started out with an eraser, then we got a pen, then some Riccola cough drops, then a toothbrush (from another exchange student group), then a bundle of Yarn, then a fancy handwarmer, etc. and somehow we ended up with three things (I think I traded off another pen we had), and we ended up with a Matterhorn pocket knife, and two Swiss T-shirts.  Other groups found stuff in the garbage, such as A full table and six chair set (the table was a door), an old TV and a lamp, a cigarette costume, the list goes on. Needless to say it was an interesting way to spend a few hours.

That same day we toured the Matterhorn museum, ate cheese fondue, had a “disco” (really just a normal dance, but Mackenzie and I went all out with sparkly hats and tights), and just had an awesome time with a bunch of crazy exchange students. At the disco, the Rotary adults started dancing with us, and took mine and Mackenzie’s hats as they were dancing. Haha It was a good time ;] After the disco, they gave us another meal (basically a hamburger and fries), and every country had to sing a song from their country. The USA has the most people, so we couldn’t agree on a song, but we ended up singing “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. I hate that song, isn’t “Don’t Stop Believing” way better? But that’s what happens with 20+ American exchange students, we never agree. The other countries songs were great though; a boy from Thailand had to sing alone, but he got the loudest applause I think. :]

The next day, after breakfast, a single cloud covered up the Matterhorn, and that was pretty much the only cloud in the sky. But, we rode cable cars up to the “Little Matterhorn” and took pictures there. Then we went down a level, and played in the snow for a good hour or two. It was a lot of fun, I think especially for the exchangies from South America or warm Asian countries and have never seen snow. We made pyramids, tackled each other into the snow, and generally acted crazy. Haha

Then it was time to go home, and Mackenzie, two other exchange students and I ended up sitting with the Rotex, who I’m pretty sure were laughing at us the bulk of the two hour train ride to Visp from Zermatt. It was around 8 when I finally made it to Ipsach.

Then, on Monday, I went to Zweibelmarkt in Bern! :] I got up at 4:50  and got to Bern a bit before 6, and started walking around. People pelt confetti at each other, hit people on the head with plastic squeaky hammers, and buy lots of food and hand made things. I was there the entire day because I kept meeting up with exchange students; some would leave, and new people would show up. So I was literally there for around 12 hours. It was a lot of fun, but I was exhausted, especially after the crazy Matterhorn weekend added in. My bedroom floor is still covered in confetti from the stuff that got into my clothes, I’ll vacuum it soon, but it kinda looks happy ;] haha

In other news from this week, I got a 4 on my Math test! :D That’s kind of like a C I gather (Grading scale from 1-6, 1 is fail, 6 is perfect). But for having to translate the word problems and memorizing the formulas because I don’t have a book, I think it’s pretty good! :]

Hope you all had a great Turkey Day, and welcome to Dezember! :D I hope it snows here soon, so far it’s only in the Mountains or high “hills” (Basically mountains to us).

Tschuss!

-Anne-Marie