This has nothing to do with Switzerland....

I really want people to answer this, and I am not trying to be conceited but I don't get it. In the past 2 years I have had at least 15-20 people come up to me and ask me if I was mixed. Most were perfect strangers, others had known me for weeks and had just assumed that I was. When I am tan...well maybe I get that. But tonight, having forgotten my ipod and my phone so I had nothing to do, I was on the tram...staring out the window. This black guy gets on the bus, I should mention that I have only gotten these remarks from people that were not white, and almost immediately asks me if I am Brazilian, I said no, Italian? No. What are you? I am from the U.S. Your not mixed with anything? No. That is pretty much how the conversation went...he proceeded to hit on me after making snide comments about the U.S. (he was English) and not once asked my name or anything. Normally, I would say that the Pashley bum has something to do with these comments, but I was sitting the entire time with a knee length coat on. Jenna, Ellen, do you get these questions too? I mentioned it to Chris onetime and he was completely shocked that someone would say that.

Tonight I went out with some other Au pairs to the Brazilian festival in Basel. There was no Brazilian samba music, very little Brazilian food, (mostly German sausages) and I don't think a lot of the products they were selling were Brazilian. But, I had Guarana! I haven't had that in almost a year, Jenna...that is a hint! Otherwise, it was a fun Swiss street fair to go to.

An interesting fact I learned the other day about this country...you have to have a licence for almost everything. Televisions, or if you just have a cable connection in your home...you have to pay about 30 franc a month just to not get fined. Radios...on alarm clocks, on phones, in your car, another 15 franc a month. They actually drive around with radio wave sensors and will track people down who have signals from their apartment and no licence on record. That is just a tad bit ridiculous.

German...an interesting language. You pronounce every letter just like it sounds in the German alphabet, except the vowels. That is why it sounds so weird. And you can actually put words together and spell them in one. For example...Viertousandeinhundertfünfundzwenzig. (that might be spelled right)....it means 4125, it is my postal code, and the last 4 digits of my mobile number, and yes they actually say it like that, not vier-eins-zwie-fünf (4-1-2-5). So...other than counting to 100,000 I have learned to be polite, and that is about it.

Things I miss from the states...
Box mix Brownies
Fluffy cake mix cakes
Cheap and unlimited soft drinks in restaurants
Stop signs...they all have round-abouts
SUV's

Things I wish we had in the states
Good public transportation
Swiss chocolate
drinking at age 16...don't worry they can only get beer and wine until they are 18
bakery's on every corner...ahhh fresh bread

Things I am glad are not in the states
Mullets...they are all the rage here...especially faux mullets
Tight acid wash jeans...it is like I went back into the 80's
licence for electronics (see above)

I forgot to mention in my last post one of the most European things I have experienced so far. This would NEVER happen in the US, unless you were catholic. When I went to the lunch at church last Sunday, what drink do you think was being served...but wine. Yes...wine in church, it was nice, I giggled to myself just a little when I thought about how Union University would picture that one!

Today was my first ever German class. It was in German...and I don't mean we were learning German, I mean the guy pretty much only spoke German. I am told that this is the best way to learn a language, but will have to test that out myself. There were 5 of us in the class. The retired lawer from Britain, who must be learning for her own pleasure. The 40 something Vietnamese housewife who only speaks Vietnamese. Then there were the 3 Au pairs...myself, the Australian, and ironically the Vietnamese Canadian who translates what little we could figure out to the Vietnamese. Then the only guy who comes in 45 mins late, is a Kenyan born bakery assistant who comes from England. On the plus side, the three au pairs are all age 22 and are desperately trying to find people our age in this city! Hopefully this week we will get together for drinks in the evening.

Other than that, not much else has happened. I got lost trying to find a church on Sunday and missed the entire worship, which I don't think was so bad. I got a nice walk in, and the church ended up being pretty bad. I came into the children's sermon, and when the adult sermon started, I couldn't tell a difference, other than the pastor changed. Then, realizing that I forgot a key to the house, I went to meet the family at their church for lunch. Thinking I knew my way there...I got off on the right bus stop, but turned down the wrong street. After a nice walk through the fields I realized as I approached the German Border that this was not the way to the church, thankfully this was the first day it had not rained in a few days. So clearly nothing too exciting is going on...I am still awaiting a Swiss adapter to use with my computer. Hope everything is doing well.

This is the first time I have ever had a blog and its sole purpose is so I only have to write 1 letter to everyone. If any of my sisters or my mother try to correct any spelling errors, I will be furious, they all know that I was awful at spelling and grammar. But, here goes...

I have been in Switzerland for a week and a half. The new baby finally made it and is the cutest little thing you have ever seen. So small, and hardly ever cries...hopefully that won't change. I start language lessons next week for German. Unfortunately, I found out that Swiss-German and German, are very different. Swiss-German is not a written language, but everyone speaks it. So, I still won't understand half of what people are saying unless they know to speak German with me. Now, I also have to carry two kinds of currency, the Swiss franc and the euro. Switzerland is not a part of the EU at all! Living only 10 minutes walking from the German border, i need euros anytime I go shopping there. I also found that the Swiss electric outlets, although they use the same voltage as the rest of Europe, have different adapters...thus the handy adapter my friend heather gave me will only work when traveling. The Swiss are so particular about being independent! I have met a lovely Albania woman who I have seemed to get along with very well. She is english speaking, but a little older and in a very different part of life. She just had her first child, and although we have a lot in common, her husband is an actuary, I would like to find where people in there twentys are in this place. The university is still on summer holidays, so maybe they will be back soon. Missing you...