EDIT:
Grüsse all!
I haven't been to busy lately, mostly just school. I started a new semster Monday (2/4), but I ended up not having school that day because my classmates had "matura arbeit tag" (Like a thesis paper they all have to write to graduate, and they start their 11th year and get work days). My Mondays-Wednesdays are pretty long now... 7:30-3:35 on Monday (lunch not till 1 D: ), Tuesday 7:30-5:20, but a long midday break, and Wednesday 7:30-4:30. But Thursday is only from 7:30-12 and Friday 9:15-1:50, so it kinda makes up for it..
Last Friday (2/1) I went to a concert here in Nidau, it was a son of a friend of my host parents (he's 20s ish). He was really good! His name is James Gruntz, he sings pop and in English (a lot of people do actually). After the concert his dad bought me a CD and James signed it. :]
Then the next day (Sat 2/2), I went to Geneva with a friend. We basically had no plan, so we got there then picked random directions to go and got on random trams and got off when something looked interesting. We found the Sumo guy on the side in front of a modern art place, so we thought we'd take him on. ;] And we ended up finding the lake eventually, and a really big cathedral: St. Pierre Cathedral. It was huge and gorgeous. :] Then we went to Basel (on the other side of the country, a four hour train trip) and met up with three other exchange students. I caught a train home around 10, but I was still really tired the next day from all the walking. :]
On that Thursday (2/7), I ate wild pig with my host Rotary club! There were only 5 women there including me, so the guy in charge of the night (also the hunter) gave us each a rose. :] The food was SO good, and I ate way to much. haha
On Saturday morning (2/9) I made an American breakfast for 10 people (pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs). :] I think I didn't make enough still, but everyone liked it. They all tried maple syrup for the first time, and peanut butter too! :]
I'm on break now, "Sportferien". Literally a week off so people can go skiing; only in Switzerland. :] I am maybe going skiing this Wednesday, and then on Thursday is a Fasnachtfest (Carnaval) with my Rotary Club. Then Saturday and Sunday is a Rotary Weekend with a bunch of other Exchange Students; we're going ice skating and sledding (down a mountain!). So this next week is pretty busy. :]
Annnnd...
I've been in Switzerland 6 months already!!!!! Well as of tomorrow anyway!
Das ist unglaublich..(That is unbelievable)
Time has gone by so fast, yet so much has happened. There's a great quote I heard once about austauschjahre (exchange year): "Exchange isn't a year in your life, it's a life in a year." And that really is true. I am so glad I got on that plane and didn't say my thoughts of "I want to go home" out loud the first or second month. It was hard at first, but it was so worth it. I've met so many amazing people, done so many amazing things. I feel like I've changed, maybe even grown up a little, and learned so much. It's the kind of experience no school or actually person could teach you, it's just life. And being on this adventure is the best year of my life so far. I can't wait to see what will happen in the months to come, and I know I will miss Switzerland dearly when I have to leave. Because it really is a life in a year.
Have a wonderful February!
-Anne-Marie
