Sunday, September 30, 2007




This weekend I took a trip to the mountains with some people from my small group. It started out raining, we almost missed the train, had 6 people who tried to squeeze into a European economy size car that sat 5, and it was COLD. The house that we stayed in was amazing. It was a typical Swiss farmhouse, half barn half living space, but it had been redone on the inside. The kitchen was very modern with electric oven, stove, dishwasher, etc. but they left the old wood burning stoves too. The house was huge (I will have pictures on facebook soon). So, that night we had devotions, had a dinner of tomato and mozzarella salad, got a fire going, and went to bed. That morning we woke up to the sun and...bells. There was a field of sheep just outside our window and they all had bells on...I guess to find them if they get lost. It was so fun. Then we had a huge breakfast and headed out to hike through some of the mountains. It was gorgeous, the hills and valleys hiding little villages. Again, pictures will be on facebook. On the way back home, we drove to the highest mountain in the area, it was a terrifying car ride up the winding gravel roads, but it was amazing at the top. Just in the distance you could see the real Alps. Snow covered tops and all. It was picture perfect. That is the first time I have seen the Alps, I wish I could have gotten pictures, but no one was able to capture them on the camera b/c of the lighting. Take my word, it was gorgeous. Now it is just me. I have this week to do whatever I want, then next week I am off to Nice with my friend Erica. I am already relaxing without anything to do.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Change of Plans

I get two weeks off in October. Originally my friend Erica and I were planning on going to Paris for a few days when she also has a week off. So, yesterday we went to the Train station to figure out if they had any packaged train and hotel deals. We found out that the Rugby championships are being played in Paris that week ontop of it being the October holidays and everything was booked. The only train tickets left were 270 ch, normally 32 ch, and the hotel for 3 nights was going to cost 750 ch per person. Total without food, museums, etc. over 1000 ch. That is 2 months salary for both of us. So we had to change our plans. We found cheap airline tickets online and a hotel that will only be 85 ch per person for 2 nights. Where...Nice, France. We are going to the beach. I am actually more excited about this than Paris. Now we don't have to worry about seeing all of the sights in just a few days. We can go to the beach, see the south of France (maybe by bike) which is suppose to be beautiful, and only spend 200 ch per person for the entire trip. That makes me really excited. Plus instead of spending 3 hours on a train both ways, we will spend like 1 hour in a plane both ways. I can't wait. So, when I get battaries for my camera I will have some great pictures of south France in the late summer.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Strange Translation

So in language class today I learned some interesting things. We were learning the names of household objects. The two that I found interesting. Gluhbirne - means lightbulb. Literally, it is the combination of two words...Gluhen means to glow, and birne means pear. So literally it means "glowing pear," because of the shape. The other one is Wasserhahn - which means faucet or the tap. Wasser means water, and hahn means rooster. So wasserhahn literally means water rooster, again because of the shape (the faucets here have the long necks). The funny thing is that in a restaurant you have to specify if you want tap water or bottled water. So when you order Hahnwasser (tapwater) you literally order "rooster water." I just found it funny...hope you all get a good laugh.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

My American Night Out.

So, this sounds a little lame, but last night I had an American night out. It wasn't suppose to end up that way, it just did. It started the the most expensive game of bowling I have ever played in my life. 10 ch which is about 11-12 dollars. That was for shoes and 1 game. I miss the college night at the family fun center...2 dollar bowling. Then we had drinks...at some place where the entire menu was in english...I am still not sure why because everyone spoke german. And by the time we were finished we were hungry and the closest thing open at midnight....Mcdonalds. Where I had the most expensive cheeseburger I have ever had there. It cost 2.50 ch which is almost 3 dollars...aren't they still like 89 cents in the states? But, it was a fun night out with the small group at church.

Monday, September 10, 2007

I got a free haircut today. It should have cost me about 200 francs, but this other aupair that I met has connections and I got to volunteer for the stylist to practice on. Along with the haircut, I got a neck and head massage, a hand massage, and my hair got colored (darkened just a little). It was so nice. Plus, my boss was kind enough to give me the afternoon off. A great start to the week. In two weeks, I will be going to the mountains, and then to Paris. I get two weeks off when my family is in Greece. Just for the record, the best chocolate so far has to be the milk chocolate with amaretto cookies in the middle. Perfect with coffee.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

My fat pants don't fit! That is a good thing...they are falling off. This summer after I finished school, I didn't do anything...and my pants were tight. Now, after only a month...they fit again. I thank this to eating chocolate, and this ridiculous hill next to my house. In the afternoons while the kids are taking naps I try to exercise (because of the chocolate)...the hill is really steep and really high. However, I found the best exercise place literally 20 ft from my house...the cemetery. I live right next door to the largest cemetery in Switzerland. This cemetery has steps that go all the way to the top of the hill...(there aren't any graves in this part of the cemetery so its not like I will be jogging by a grave as someone is being buried). It is more like a very safe park...I saw a deer there last week. But anyway, my goal is to be able to jog up all the stairs in one shot before I leave for Christmas. I can only do about 1/2 right now. My life isn't that boring that I have to talk about my exercise habits...but I will have to show you pictures soon so that you understand why this is a great part of my day.

German is going well...slow but good. I found a group of people my age at a church and we meet once a week for bible study and discussion. I might go to Paris next weekend, although I am not excited about spending an entire night awake, which is the plan at the moment, so I might put that trip off until October. I will be going to the mountains with the small group from church in late September, so that should be good. It is getting colder here, about 10 C...I think about 55-65 not quite sure. So I have to go shoe shopping...I couldn't take all my boots with me. Keep an eye on facebook for more pictures soon.