So my birthday came and went. I'm officially legal to drink in the States woopiee.... not so exciting but it will be nice when i get back to be able to go to bars with friends instead of just sitting at home if a group goes out. My birthday was very pleasant. I had a relaxing actual birthday, went out for drinks after my german class with one of my classmates, but nothing crazy. The weekend after I headed up to germany to visit my friend studying there. That was a lot of fun since he is there with a program of about 50 other american kids so I got to talk to a lot of people in english wiipiee....
December wasn't too thrilling in general. We haven't had much snow as of lately and there have been some very warm days earlier in the month, but the last 2 weeks have been quite chilly with everything frozen just no snow. Christmas was very enjoyable. Susannes brother and his partner came down for a few days and they were very nice interesting people (they also both spoke very good english). Most of the celebrating they do on christmas eve, so we went on a nice long walk and watched the sun set over the Alps while drinking gluwein (the hot spiced wine). Then we went back and had a bonfire and ate super tasty fondue and opened presents and then just sat around and talked for a long time. Christmas day I slept in and just relaxed most of the day which was very nice for me.
On the 26th I headed to an organic farm for 2 nights and 3 days. It was quite the experience. There are usually 3 guys that live at this farm, but 2 were on holiday so it was just one, luckily he spoke english. It was in the middle of nowhere which was beautiful. A very hilly area with lots of trees. The house was very cool and old, parts of it built in the 1700s. It was heated by wood so it was very cold, in my opinion. I ended up wearing all the clothes I brought with me the whole time (including 3 pairs of socks). They had 11 cows, lot of sheep, 2 pigs, 9 goats, and lots of cats. I got to milk the cows, scoop shit out of the barn, chop firewood, make butter yogurt and cheese, clean, and cook. I was busy most of the day from 7:30 am until about 7:30 pm. I am still sore from all the physical work but I learned a lot and really enjoyed being a part of a self sustainable group.
Tomorrow my friend from germany will come with his brother for new years. We are going to go to Zurich since they have a large party and it is the biggest city in switzerland. The only problem is we will have to party until 5:30 in the morning until we can catch a train back to bern, so it will be a longgg night.
I am still quite happy to be here and enjoying myself. I look forward to spring when I can go play in the mountains some more, although I could now but I am not so interested in skiing or snowboarding and I dont have tons of cash to spend on such endeavors. Thank you everyone that has been thinking of me and sending emails and letters and the christmas presents. I really appreciate it all and you are making my year away much easier to handle.
Samstag, 29. Dezember 2007
Samstag, 24. November 2007
Visitor Mom
My mom has come and gone. I really enjoyed her visit here.
There were a lot of difficulties on her flight here, but once she got to Bern I met her at the train station and it seemed like smooth sailing from there, at least from my perspective.
We went to Lugano on the Wednesday after she arrived and I got to see my great uncle Costanzo and great aunt. then we went to Spormigarre with them. I got to meet a lot of my family that I had only heard about and I got to see where my Nonna and Nonno grew up. It was a lot of fun and very interesting, and I got a lot of good food. Sunday I went home to work on monday and my mom stayed in Spormigarre.
The following weekend I again met my mother in Lugano. This weekend we just stayed with my great aunt and uncle. I really liked visitng Lugano, because it was like visiting my nonno. Costanzo's voice reminds me of my Nonnos, and some of his actions also. They also had such a beautiful garden in November, especially since I was coming from Bern where there was snow.
We also made a Thanksgiving dinner the night before my mother had to leave. Everything we made was vegan. Stephanie joined us and brought ingredients for pumpkin pie, and bean casserole. All of the food was very good and I ate a lot. I found the vegan gravey with the polenta to be extremelly good. We also had a salad, an apple crisp for desert, and a quinoa quice.
Tonight I celebrated my birthday with the neighbor man, Marcus. We used the gemindashause, the commumity house, and had a small party. It was quite enjoyable and I made a large bowl of pumpkin soup. I got my dancing in, which I always enjoy, but I left quite early because I was very tired.
And now I shall sleep
There were a lot of difficulties on her flight here, but once she got to Bern I met her at the train station and it seemed like smooth sailing from there, at least from my perspective.
We went to Lugano on the Wednesday after she arrived and I got to see my great uncle Costanzo and great aunt. then we went to Spormigarre with them. I got to meet a lot of my family that I had only heard about and I got to see where my Nonna and Nonno grew up. It was a lot of fun and very interesting, and I got a lot of good food. Sunday I went home to work on monday and my mom stayed in Spormigarre.
The following weekend I again met my mother in Lugano. This weekend we just stayed with my great aunt and uncle. I really liked visitng Lugano, because it was like visiting my nonno. Costanzo's voice reminds me of my Nonnos, and some of his actions also. They also had such a beautiful garden in November, especially since I was coming from Bern where there was snow.
We also made a Thanksgiving dinner the night before my mother had to leave. Everything we made was vegan. Stephanie joined us and brought ingredients for pumpkin pie, and bean casserole. All of the food was very good and I ate a lot. I found the vegan gravey with the polenta to be extremelly good. We also had a salad, an apple crisp for desert, and a quinoa quice.
Tonight I celebrated my birthday with the neighbor man, Marcus. We used the gemindashause, the commumity house, and had a small party. It was quite enjoyable and I made a large bowl of pumpkin soup. I got my dancing in, which I always enjoy, but I left quite early because I was very tired.
And now I shall sleep
Sonntag, 28. Oktober 2007
3 months and then some
Nothing too exciting has been happening... hence my lack of updating this blog. I continue to enjoy my time here and am learning a lot, either for the people here or from just spending a lot more time understanding current events and reading a lot more. I am also slowly learning a bit of German, although my reading of it is much better than my actual speaking skills. I have a hard time understanding what people say unless they talk very slow and simplistically.
Hm, so what has been happening. Well this week is halloween, which our little village actually celebrates (very uncommon in europe but i am thrilled about it). I am putting together a little halloween party for the kids and a couple of their friends before they go trick or treating on Wednesday. I am working on my costume today, nothing elaborate... just a jellyfish. I was going to do porcupine until I got some funky purple tights and wanted to incorporate them somehow. I talked Stephanie into going into Bern with me Wednesday night after the kids are done with their thing, so I think that will be a lot of fun...weehee.
I spent last Saturday in Bern, finding some more interesting stuff like a soap store with bar shampoo and I found some nutritional yeast. Yesterday I spent the day in Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland. It is an hour by train from Bern so not too far. It was very enjoyable. It is much more international so there was a lot of English conversations around me, and everyone at the stores speak english. There was even a whole english bookstore. There is a nice river running through the center of the old city, and in general the city was very clean. Quite cute.
In one week and one day my mother will arrive and we will soon embark on a journey to Italy. Yippiee. I think November will go by quite quickly. My mom will be here most of it, there is Thanksgiving, and MY birthday. For my birthday me and the neighbor man are having a joint party (his birthday is the 24th mine the 29th) and on my birthday I will go out with stephanie, and then the weekend after visit Alec (friend from college) in Germany.
Time to enjoy an empty house (the family went on a picnic)... one of my many pleasures. Loud music and free roaming in the kitchen :-)
Hm, so what has been happening. Well this week is halloween, which our little village actually celebrates (very uncommon in europe but i am thrilled about it). I am putting together a little halloween party for the kids and a couple of their friends before they go trick or treating on Wednesday. I am working on my costume today, nothing elaborate... just a jellyfish. I was going to do porcupine until I got some funky purple tights and wanted to incorporate them somehow. I talked Stephanie into going into Bern with me Wednesday night after the kids are done with their thing, so I think that will be a lot of fun...weehee.
I spent last Saturday in Bern, finding some more interesting stuff like a soap store with bar shampoo and I found some nutritional yeast. Yesterday I spent the day in Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland. It is an hour by train from Bern so not too far. It was very enjoyable. It is much more international so there was a lot of English conversations around me, and everyone at the stores speak english. There was even a whole english bookstore. There is a nice river running through the center of the old city, and in general the city was very clean. Quite cute.
In one week and one day my mother will arrive and we will soon embark on a journey to Italy. Yippiee. I think November will go by quite quickly. My mom will be here most of it, there is Thanksgiving, and MY birthday. For my birthday me and the neighbor man are having a joint party (his birthday is the 24th mine the 29th) and on my birthday I will go out with stephanie, and then the weekend after visit Alec (friend from college) in Germany.
Time to enjoy an empty house (the family went on a picnic)... one of my many pleasures. Loud music and free roaming in the kitchen :-)
Samstag, 13. Oktober 2007
travels
The mountains were BeaUtiFul!!... The first night there I got there late but met some really nice backpakers and heard about their amazing travles. Some had been going for 7 months already and planned to go at least 3 more months before returning home. That would be exhausting... but amazing. The next day the skies were quite grey but I hiked for 5 hours in the morning and then returned the the really welcoming hostel to relax away the afternoon. At night stephanie arrived with 2 guys she met on the train ride there and we all played cards with antoher girl I had met that is an intern from michigan in geneva. The next day was clear blue skies and me and stephanie climbed to 2698 m... as high as we could get without more gear for ice/snow. It was quite amazing and exhausting. I will definatly be returning to get to the top of Slithorn (the mountain we were climbing) in the spring when the weather i nice.
Then- London. Quite the opposite of the mountains. Day one was travling from 9:15 am, until about 9:30 pm. The flight was only 1.5 hours about, but it flew out of germany, and then once in london you have a 1.5 hour bus ride to the city and a 45 min ride to where you want in the city and then we took the wrong bus so a 45 min walk to the hostel. All in all long day.
Other days... We got front row seats to see Wicked (a musical about the wicked witch from the west before being evil). We went to the National Gallery and saw Van Gogh's Sunflowers Monet's The Water-Lily Pond Renoir's The Umbrellas and Da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks along with many other very awesome paintings...
The National Portrait Gallery, The London Museum (which had basically the history of london which as interesting) The Britih Museum which had the Rosetta stone, lots of the Parthenon and just a ton of cool stuff... one of the most amazing museums in the world.
We took a walking tour of the Roman ruins in London which was very interesting and saw a lot of things we wouldn't have seen just wakling around. We saw London bridge, tower bridge, the tower of london, the london eye, Westminster abbey (we even went to a church service there), Buckingham palace, the House of Parliment, Abbey Road, that 9 3/4 harry potter train stop, The british library, Stonehenge (magical) and lots of little markets that were a ton of fun.
I also went to a night club that was just.... incredibly posh and not my thing.
Overall a very good trip, saw a lot of cool stuff, but glad to get out of london. It is grey and busy and all the people look clean and pressed, where are the scruffy people? Hiding in london apparently. or maybe they just can't afford to live there (veryyy expensive city, even compared to switzerland i think)
Returning to work and switzerland has been nice and relaxing. Nothing too exciting happening here at the moment. Getting excited for Italy in November, or more so just seeing my mom :-). Also planning a halloween party for some kids in the village YAY. I think I will be a porcupine.
Then- London. Quite the opposite of the mountains. Day one was travling from 9:15 am, until about 9:30 pm. The flight was only 1.5 hours about, but it flew out of germany, and then once in london you have a 1.5 hour bus ride to the city and a 45 min ride to where you want in the city and then we took the wrong bus so a 45 min walk to the hostel. All in all long day.
Other days... We got front row seats to see Wicked (a musical about the wicked witch from the west before being evil). We went to the National Gallery and saw Van Gogh's Sunflowers Monet's The Water-Lily Pond Renoir's The Umbrellas and Da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks along with many other very awesome paintings...
The National Portrait Gallery, The London Museum (which had basically the history of london which as interesting) The Britih Museum which had the Rosetta stone, lots of the Parthenon and just a ton of cool stuff... one of the most amazing museums in the world.
We took a walking tour of the Roman ruins in London which was very interesting and saw a lot of things we wouldn't have seen just wakling around. We saw London bridge, tower bridge, the tower of london, the london eye, Westminster abbey (we even went to a church service there), Buckingham palace, the House of Parliment, Abbey Road, that 9 3/4 harry potter train stop, The british library, Stonehenge (magical) and lots of little markets that were a ton of fun.
I also went to a night club that was just.... incredibly posh and not my thing.
Overall a very good trip, saw a lot of cool stuff, but glad to get out of london. It is grey and busy and all the people look clean and pressed, where are the scruffy people? Hiding in london apparently. or maybe they just can't afford to live there (veryyy expensive city, even compared to switzerland i think)
Returning to work and switzerland has been nice and relaxing. Nothing too exciting happening here at the moment. Getting excited for Italy in November, or more so just seeing my mom :-). Also planning a halloween party for some kids in the village YAY. I think I will be a porcupine.
Mittwoch, 26. September 2007
a perfect world
Totally and completely psyched. Thats right. I'm just grand and dandy. I could dance like a child and laugh until i threw up... well maybe not.
But- I got paid a bonus of 40 Sfr. I got paid my whole month today. If all goes well tomorrow night I shall be in the mountains until sunday. Then I get to play in an empty house (hopefully) for a day or two and then off to Germany to fly to LONDON BABY.
I bought a good yoga book finally... deciding that dishing out the money would reward me in the long run, and started practicing. It makes me sad that things that look easy, that I swear I could do, I just can't, but I am still enjoying doing what I can and stumbling and stretching and flopping through what I can't.
MMM I love adventures, love love love.
And I hate planning them.
Funny thing I read:
A perfect world is where
the french are the chefs
the italians are the lovers
the british are the police
the germans are the mechanics
and the swiss run the trains
an imperfect world is where
the british are the chefs
the swiss are the lovers
the germas are the police
the french are the mechanics
and the italians run the trains
But- I got paid a bonus of 40 Sfr. I got paid my whole month today. If all goes well tomorrow night I shall be in the mountains until sunday. Then I get to play in an empty house (hopefully) for a day or two and then off to Germany to fly to LONDON BABY.
I bought a good yoga book finally... deciding that dishing out the money would reward me in the long run, and started practicing. It makes me sad that things that look easy, that I swear I could do, I just can't, but I am still enjoying doing what I can and stumbling and stretching and flopping through what I can't.
MMM I love adventures, love love love.
And I hate planning them.
Funny thing I read:
A perfect world is where
the french are the chefs
the italians are the lovers
the british are the police
the germans are the mechanics
and the swiss run the trains
an imperfect world is where
the british are the chefs
the swiss are the lovers
the germas are the police
the french are the mechanics
and the italians run the trains
Sonntag, 23. September 2007
2 months
I shall keep track of my time here. I feel it is necessary. There is so much to see and do and only a year, well now 10 months approximatly. I would like to go to amsterdam for christmas. I hear they decorate it very nice and it is very cute, but it is also very expensive and they have a huge new years event so it is hard to get someplace to sleep. We shall see.
I haven't done anything very exciting since my last blog, pretty normal days. Hating planning London but actually getting excited for it now. We have a hostel booked... only 90 SFr for the 6 nights... and there are some fun free things to do in london, a couple free clubs to get into, some free walks, and lots of free museums. I am also excited to see stonehenge.
I may go to a hostel in the mountains for two nights this week also. Thursday and Friday night, it is only 23 SFr a night, and has amazing hiking trails and an open kitchen so you don't need to go out to eat all the time. Supposidly a lot of americans go to this hostel because Rick Starks or something, some tourist writter, included a chapter about grimmelwald (the city) in one of his books... so maybe I shall meet some english speakers and have a good time for a couple of nights.
Tomorrow me and the kids shall go to the zoo. I'm not a huge fan of the zoo, but it is free and in bern and I enjoy going out and doing things with the kids rather than staying in the house all day so woopy.
It is strange how quickly ones mood can change, and how little it takes to make it happen. Yesterday I was somewhat blue, bored, and lonely. Today I am craving adventure and psyched about my trips that are less than a week away. I shall spend too much money I am sure, but oh well, how often do you get to be in europe, minus all the people that live here and are rich enough to come here all the time I suppose.
I also talked to a friend that was in sweeden for a year, then up and moved to argentina and uses poker as his source of income. Sweet, so anything really is possible.
I haven't done anything very exciting since my last blog, pretty normal days. Hating planning London but actually getting excited for it now. We have a hostel booked... only 90 SFr for the 6 nights... and there are some fun free things to do in london, a couple free clubs to get into, some free walks, and lots of free museums. I am also excited to see stonehenge.
I may go to a hostel in the mountains for two nights this week also. Thursday and Friday night, it is only 23 SFr a night, and has amazing hiking trails and an open kitchen so you don't need to go out to eat all the time. Supposidly a lot of americans go to this hostel because Rick Starks or something, some tourist writter, included a chapter about grimmelwald (the city) in one of his books... so maybe I shall meet some english speakers and have a good time for a couple of nights.
Tomorrow me and the kids shall go to the zoo. I'm not a huge fan of the zoo, but it is free and in bern and I enjoy going out and doing things with the kids rather than staying in the house all day so woopy.
It is strange how quickly ones mood can change, and how little it takes to make it happen. Yesterday I was somewhat blue, bored, and lonely. Today I am craving adventure and psyched about my trips that are less than a week away. I shall spend too much money I am sure, but oh well, how often do you get to be in europe, minus all the people that live here and are rich enough to come here all the time I suppose.
I also talked to a friend that was in sweeden for a year, then up and moved to argentina and uses poker as his source of income. Sweet, so anything really is possible.
Samstag, 15. September 2007
ich hiesse justine. und du?
On Thursday last week I attended my sheep gathering/market. It was nice to see all the sheep, and goats, and chickens and rabbits... but sad to see them all caged up and somewhat sad looking. It was quite tempting to buy one, all cute and cuddly, but I would have no where to put it. There were also all of these stands selling things, quite a large event for how out in the country it was (about 45 minute by bike then 30 minutes on bus). Most of the stuff for sale was life filler, but there were some nice things with sheep wool and some tastey gingerbread (not like gingerbread cookies, much different, but good). They had a stand with a lady spinning wool to yarn, and apparently they have a whole farm where they raise sheep and make yarn.... someplace I am hoping to get to check out at some point while i am here...
Then Friday pretty standard... worked, but at night watched a movie with some people and then had a long conversation with the neighbor man about my lack of geographical education. Apparently in Europe most of the children are taught where almost all the countries of the world are located and facts about them, and perhaps i just missed that class, but I don't think most americans know that much... I'm just confused as to how we go to school more in a day, yet can only speak english (the majority) and seem to know less worldly information (unless thats just me). We also discussed fixing a broken vase with some screws and nails (they were sitting next to each other on his table) and how I could probably make millions by creating this piece of art, but then we decided we were both too lazy to invest the time.
Saturday I biked to bern, train to thun. Thun is a city located on lake thun, a large and BEAUTIFUL lake in switzerland. It is surrounded by mountains, and the water is teal from the glacial water running into it and filling it. Thun was also very cute, lots of houses stacked close together with beautiful gardens. I had to spend 2 hours walking around to find some fruit, so I saw a decent amount of the town. I then got on a large boat that took people from town to town along the lake, and after an hour and a half I arrived at Merligen, my chosen destination. This town wasn't anything exciting, maybe 10 or so houses, but it is where my hike began. From there I followed the yellow wanderweg (hiking) signs to Interlaken, total a 4 hour hike. I was sweaty, tired, and hungry. I hopped on a train and headed to Bern and then to Mittelhausern, leaving my bike in Bern for I was too lazy/tired.
Sunday- Went with the family to the Historical Museum in Bern. Not a huge museum person myself but it was nice and I learned a little about Einstein (he lived in Bern after Munich for a while before the US) the history of Bern and some other stuff.... and then biked home... but apparently the 3 CHF helmet I had purchased at the flea market wasn't worth much, for it fell 4 feet and cracked in two.
I started my german class this week. A very nice teacher and the other people in the class are very nice, although most are a bit older (than me at least). I think it will be nice to learn some german, although I'm not sure if I will learn enough to really be able to have a good conversation with people before I leave.
This weekend shall be a bit more bland I feel, although the neighbor lady is having a birthday party tonight with a band... and susanne's mother is coming today until friday.... something I am not looking forward to. Apparently she is a very religious person and tries to figure out everything you believe and if you don't agree, then convert you. I also don't like the idea of not having an empty house at all this week, but oh well.
Then Friday pretty standard... worked, but at night watched a movie with some people and then had a long conversation with the neighbor man about my lack of geographical education. Apparently in Europe most of the children are taught where almost all the countries of the world are located and facts about them, and perhaps i just missed that class, but I don't think most americans know that much... I'm just confused as to how we go to school more in a day, yet can only speak english (the majority) and seem to know less worldly information (unless thats just me). We also discussed fixing a broken vase with some screws and nails (they were sitting next to each other on his table) and how I could probably make millions by creating this piece of art, but then we decided we were both too lazy to invest the time.
Saturday I biked to bern, train to thun. Thun is a city located on lake thun, a large and BEAUTIFUL lake in switzerland. It is surrounded by mountains, and the water is teal from the glacial water running into it and filling it. Thun was also very cute, lots of houses stacked close together with beautiful gardens. I had to spend 2 hours walking around to find some fruit, so I saw a decent amount of the town. I then got on a large boat that took people from town to town along the lake, and after an hour and a half I arrived at Merligen, my chosen destination. This town wasn't anything exciting, maybe 10 or so houses, but it is where my hike began. From there I followed the yellow wanderweg (hiking) signs to Interlaken, total a 4 hour hike. I was sweaty, tired, and hungry. I hopped on a train and headed to Bern and then to Mittelhausern, leaving my bike in Bern for I was too lazy/tired.
Sunday- Went with the family to the Historical Museum in Bern. Not a huge museum person myself but it was nice and I learned a little about Einstein (he lived in Bern after Munich for a while before the US) the history of Bern and some other stuff.... and then biked home... but apparently the 3 CHF helmet I had purchased at the flea market wasn't worth much, for it fell 4 feet and cracked in two.
I started my german class this week. A very nice teacher and the other people in the class are very nice, although most are a bit older (than me at least). I think it will be nice to learn some german, although I'm not sure if I will learn enough to really be able to have a good conversation with people before I leave.
This weekend shall be a bit more bland I feel, although the neighbor lady is having a birthday party tonight with a band... and susanne's mother is coming today until friday.... something I am not looking forward to. Apparently she is a very religious person and tries to figure out everything you believe and if you don't agree, then convert you. I also don't like the idea of not having an empty house at all this week, but oh well.
Mittwoch, 5. September 2007
The Hill
I can see the top. It doesn't look far, yet I can't bike up anymore. I must walk my bicycle while trying to catch my breath. I lied, NOW I can see the top. It is like a magical never ending hill. Finally after 20 minutes of up, I am as far as the road can take me. I lay my bike into the tall grass and begin to trudge through it. Slowly I can feel the water seep through my moccasins and moisten my pants. Only 10 more meters of tall grass, then short mowed lawn, all up. So close to the top of this mini mountain. Nothing near the size of a mountain, but in comparison to the 'hills' in wisconsin it may be called a mountain for all i'm concerned. What a cold morning. Usually when the sun is shining I am comfortable, but my wet legs and the sudden appearance of wind doesn't help. Most of Switzerland is windless, the hills are good for something. Finally the top. It was worth it. The Alps align one side of the horizon, the Junta mountains align another, with beautiful hills and country sides and villages scattered between. Beautiful. Sit in the wet grass, you only live once and who knows when I will get such a clear day to view the Alps next. Observe. The wind chills me through as the water soaks through my layers to my sensitive skin. Time to leave. Drag myself through the short grass, and then the long grass. My moccasins drip with water when I lift my feet. Finally arrive to my bicycle. Mount, and fly. Not a single peddle is needed, I can fly home, free as an american in switzerland.
Last weekend Rita and Fred visited (my mothers cousins). It was quite enjoyable, we went on a long walk and a wonderful fondue dinner. On Sunday they drove to Murten with me, a small town between the french and german parts of switzerland. It is a very beautiful town, with a lot of history. There are walls surrounding the old town with a large clock tower enterance. The walls were built in 1213 or something crazy long ago. There is so much history in europe it is wonderful :-)
Last weekend Rita and Fred visited (my mothers cousins). It was quite enjoyable, we went on a long walk and a wonderful fondue dinner. On Sunday they drove to Murten with me, a small town between the french and german parts of switzerland. It is a very beautiful town, with a lot of history. There are walls surrounding the old town with a large clock tower enterance. The walls were built in 1213 or something crazy long ago. There is so much history in europe it is wonderful :-)
Dienstag, 28. August 2007
The good the bad and the ugly
The only reason for the heading is that apparently in about 10 minutes I am going to be called by Mr. Marc Reise to watch a scene of this movie with him and the kids... These are the things they do. Watch like 10 minutes of a movie with the kids... very strange, but interesting.
Life continues to be magnifico... Saturday was my first bool ... (i really need to learn how to actually spell that) tournament. They have them twice a year, one in the early summer that starts at about 6 at night and goes until 3 or 4 in the morning (glad that wasn't the one I attended) and this one called the 'chicken leg tournament' that started at 11 and went until 7:30... (including a lunch and dinner break). The winning prize for the top team of the 24 teams is a trophy that is a block of wood with engraved names of previous winners and standing atop is a large replica of a chicken leg. For dinner they also grill a bunch of chicken legs.. yum (blah!). It was wonderful, the experiance in general that is. Everyone is so kind, there are lots of father child and a few mother child teams. I love the idea of communities getting together often and doing things like this so you actually know your neighbors. I suppose it only works in smaller communities though, like this one... but very enjoyable. (we ranked 10th, me and big Bruno)
The nice days are equally split with rainy days, but at least there are still nice warm beautiful days to go out and see the sights. I have so much I am currently looking forward to. Next Thursday there is a sheep gathering of all the sheep in the alps ( i would assume just the ones around here) in a local village where they are divided back up by their rightful owners and taken home.... hopefully it is all I imagine it to be and I will attend. My second cousins ( i believe that is their title) are visiting this weekend which shall be quite pleasant to have company. And eventually I have 2- 3 day weekends in a row, which I'm not quite sure what I will do but hopefully I will do something other than a normal weekend.
Life continues to be magnifico... Saturday was my first bool ... (i really need to learn how to actually spell that) tournament. They have them twice a year, one in the early summer that starts at about 6 at night and goes until 3 or 4 in the morning (glad that wasn't the one I attended) and this one called the 'chicken leg tournament' that started at 11 and went until 7:30... (including a lunch and dinner break). The winning prize for the top team of the 24 teams is a trophy that is a block of wood with engraved names of previous winners and standing atop is a large replica of a chicken leg. For dinner they also grill a bunch of chicken legs.. yum (blah!). It was wonderful, the experiance in general that is. Everyone is so kind, there are lots of father child and a few mother child teams. I love the idea of communities getting together often and doing things like this so you actually know your neighbors. I suppose it only works in smaller communities though, like this one... but very enjoyable. (we ranked 10th, me and big Bruno)
The nice days are equally split with rainy days, but at least there are still nice warm beautiful days to go out and see the sights. I have so much I am currently looking forward to. Next Thursday there is a sheep gathering of all the sheep in the alps ( i would assume just the ones around here) in a local village where they are divided back up by their rightful owners and taken home.... hopefully it is all I imagine it to be and I will attend. My second cousins ( i believe that is their title) are visiting this weekend which shall be quite pleasant to have company. And eventually I have 2- 3 day weekends in a row, which I'm not quite sure what I will do but hopefully I will do something other than a normal weekend.
Dienstag, 21. August 2007
Ahh
How do people plan vacations? Perhaps it is because I don't have endless amounts of money and am trying to get to London (somewhere very expensive) and spend very little to travel around there, but oh goodness I feel like this is an imposible task. At least I decided to hopefully go on my first vacation to a place that speaks english. I feel that will make the trip a little simpler. At least I can ask ANYONE any question with hopes that they will understand me rather than trying to guess what person looks like they might understand english.
So if anyone reading this has any suggestions on planning an inexpensive (i.e. very cheap) vacation I would be delighted to hear. And if anyone has been to London and has London specific ideas that would also be great.... this is hopefully going to happen the first week of october.
So if anyone reading this has any suggestions on planning an inexpensive (i.e. very cheap) vacation I would be delighted to hear. And if anyone has been to London and has London specific ideas that would also be great.... this is hopefully going to happen the first week of october.
Sonntag, 19. August 2007
one month tomorrow
I love the pools here. I take the kids swimming at an outdoor pool once a week and it is wonderful despite the stress of where the kids constantly are and the screaming of way too many people. When you sit down to watch the people (crazy i may add) jump off the 10 meter diving board, the backdrop is of a steep hill covered in sheep grazing. It is so strange but wonderful to see these sheep so close to these 5 outdoor pools. There is also a different feel at these pools. No one is perfect (although some look awfully close) but I think everyone realizes that. Almost all the womyn wear bikinis, and skimpy ones i might add.
Yesterday was a day on a bicycle. Me and Stephanie biked to Fribourg, the second closest big city. We left at about 9:30, cycled along a river, over some roots, under some trees, and quite a few detours. Finally decided to go on roads instead and arrived in Fribourg at about 1. Had coffee at a cute little outdoor cafe. Our table neighbors were two old gentlemen, one with an accordion and one with a clarinet and a flute. They played wonderful very 'European' music. Our waiter didn't speak english or german, we had crossed into the French part of Switzerland. I find it so strange, how does a contry that cant communicate work, but I love it. ( there are also apparently different dialects of swiss german, like bern swiss german around here and around zurich they have a different one) Then we biked home, along roads and up hills and down hills. Finally home at around 5. A beautiful bike ride into the french and very Catholic town of Fribourg (there were very many crucifixes and mother of god shrines)
I have been learning to play the Japanese game 'Go'. I find it quite interesting, like chess in the needing to think and plan ahead aspect, but much less to remember in terms of rules. It would be wonderful if someone could learn it so when I come home I can play against someone :-). I finally got to pick flowers at the herb garden this week, chamomile, quite tedious but enjoyable. I also got myself signed up for the bocce ball tournament in the village next Saturday... so perhaps I will attempt to practice a bit this week so I don't completely bring down my understanding partner 'big bruno' as he is called. (hes got a belly)
Yesterday was a day on a bicycle. Me and Stephanie biked to Fribourg, the second closest big city. We left at about 9:30, cycled along a river, over some roots, under some trees, and quite a few detours. Finally decided to go on roads instead and arrived in Fribourg at about 1. Had coffee at a cute little outdoor cafe. Our table neighbors were two old gentlemen, one with an accordion and one with a clarinet and a flute. They played wonderful very 'European' music. Our waiter didn't speak english or german, we had crossed into the French part of Switzerland. I find it so strange, how does a contry that cant communicate work, but I love it. ( there are also apparently different dialects of swiss german, like bern swiss german around here and around zurich they have a different one) Then we biked home, along roads and up hills and down hills. Finally home at around 5. A beautiful bike ride into the french and very Catholic town of Fribourg (there were very many crucifixes and mother of god shrines)
I have been learning to play the Japanese game 'Go'. I find it quite interesting, like chess in the needing to think and plan ahead aspect, but much less to remember in terms of rules. It would be wonderful if someone could learn it so when I come home I can play against someone :-). I finally got to pick flowers at the herb garden this week, chamomile, quite tedious but enjoyable. I also got myself signed up for the bocce ball tournament in the village next Saturday... so perhaps I will attempt to practice a bit this week so I don't completely bring down my understanding partner 'big bruno' as he is called. (hes got a belly)
Freitag, 10. August 2007
please let me live
Good week, nothing too exciting. Thursday was a day filled with plums. Pitting and dicing 200 Kilos of plums to be dried (luckly I wasn't there friday for the 200 other kilos). And then arrive home to plum tart. Although this was much tastier then the semi tart fresh plums I had been munching on. Today I was asked to help clean up the kidergarten pond, and learned how to mow... or 'moo' as they say it with some hack like thing. it looked like a big grime reaper type stick and you hack the blade horizontal over the grass and hope to chop some of it down. Hard work but interesting.
Tonight I shall enter the night life of bern with the Stephanie (the other zietlam american nanny). She dropped in yesterday. Don't get me wrong, i don't mind people dropping in, but they can't just sit there forever doing nothing wasting my worshiped free time. She is nice and smart, as previously stated, but she is... straightedge. And we disagree with almost everything. To define this for the confused it means she has never done anything 'wrong', which is fine, but i'm usually more attracted to semi rebelious or more interesting people in other ways kind of people. She doesn't think there is anything wrong with how the environment is being destroyed, she figures just let things go and eventually 'checks and balances' will work it all out. And if you want to have 7 kids and raise them well then so be it. AHH... okay I am just picky because in Madison it seemed like no one followed all the rules, and everyone agreed with my point of view on at least SOMETHING.
Perhaps ill get over it. Or just pretend to.
Overall I am looking forward to this weekend, bern tonight, tomorrow the zietlum party and perhaps sunday bern again if I enjoy it tonight. It is a weekend long music festival type thing and its FREE wow what a term that isn't used here. it is actually gritis i think meaning free or take it or something. At least that is what people tape to things on the curb they don't want.
Tonight I shall enter the night life of bern with the Stephanie (the other zietlam american nanny). She dropped in yesterday. Don't get me wrong, i don't mind people dropping in, but they can't just sit there forever doing nothing wasting my worshiped free time. She is nice and smart, as previously stated, but she is... straightedge. And we disagree with almost everything. To define this for the confused it means she has never done anything 'wrong', which is fine, but i'm usually more attracted to semi rebelious or more interesting people in other ways kind of people. She doesn't think there is anything wrong with how the environment is being destroyed, she figures just let things go and eventually 'checks and balances' will work it all out. And if you want to have 7 kids and raise them well then so be it. AHH... okay I am just picky because in Madison it seemed like no one followed all the rules, and everyone agreed with my point of view on at least SOMETHING.
Perhaps ill get over it. Or just pretend to.
Overall I am looking forward to this weekend, bern tonight, tomorrow the zietlum party and perhaps sunday bern again if I enjoy it tonight. It is a weekend long music festival type thing and its FREE wow what a term that isn't used here. it is actually gritis i think meaning free or take it or something. At least that is what people tape to things on the curb they don't want.
Sonntag, 5. August 2007
American...
Thursday> First time at Obereichi (or something close) organic herb farm, to volunteer. Only rainy day all week. Weed the green house (get muddy). Eat large spaghetti lunch (with good organic tea). Package dried pears and teas. Tea time (with pralines). Go home. Overall enjoyable, not super educational, but met some nice semi-english speaking people. Will return.
Friday> Work (or play I shall say). Bocce ball... although I don't think that is what this game is really called... with the men. They call it booal.. boo, like a ghost, ul, like nul. Metal balls one kiki (small ball you aim at). Seems the same to me but apparently not. Enjoyable, quite. One younger male (apparently 18?) seemed nice but quiet. Oh well.
Saturday> Farmers market in Bern. New book, thrilling. Relaxation. Joyous.
Sunday> Flea market in Bern. Splendid. Bought a helmet for 3 CHF (swiss francs) and a lot of nice clothes for very cheap. Met the other American nanny in the Zietlum (sp?). She is really nice, has traveled all of her life, for the child of an army father. Fluent in german. 22. Catholic. We shall see.
Why oh why do people buy new. The beauty of something used and loved before. A sweater you love so dearly that it has holes and stains that you meticulously patch and scrub at. Although nothing like it once was, but better. Soft and scented. You know how it will fit you and could wear it daily. To obtain something that someone has already loved a little, you are part of the way to a new loved item. The history behind it, especially something quite old. A sweater passed down through generations bought in another country and traveling with the people. Why contribute to mass production of similar items when you can contribute to passing on history and using things until unusable, and then find new uses, perhaps a pillow or a patch for a blanket. Perhaps a statue or a piece of art. Imagine.
Oh how flea markets thrill me.
Friday> Work (or play I shall say). Bocce ball... although I don't think that is what this game is really called... with the men. They call it booal.. boo, like a ghost, ul, like nul. Metal balls one kiki (small ball you aim at). Seems the same to me but apparently not. Enjoyable, quite. One younger male (apparently 18?) seemed nice but quiet. Oh well.
Saturday> Farmers market in Bern. New book, thrilling. Relaxation. Joyous.
Sunday> Flea market in Bern. Splendid. Bought a helmet for 3 CHF (swiss francs) and a lot of nice clothes for very cheap. Met the other American nanny in the Zietlum (sp?). She is really nice, has traveled all of her life, for the child of an army father. Fluent in german. 22. Catholic. We shall see.
Why oh why do people buy new. The beauty of something used and loved before. A sweater you love so dearly that it has holes and stains that you meticulously patch and scrub at. Although nothing like it once was, but better. Soft and scented. You know how it will fit you and could wear it daily. To obtain something that someone has already loved a little, you are part of the way to a new loved item. The history behind it, especially something quite old. A sweater passed down through generations bought in another country and traveling with the people. Why contribute to mass production of similar items when you can contribute to passing on history and using things until unusable, and then find new uses, perhaps a pillow or a patch for a blanket. Perhaps a statue or a piece of art. Imagine.
Oh how flea markets thrill me.
Samstag, 4. August 2007
A tribute to bikes
A tribute to biking...
Mount and begin. Clumsily at first, the bikes head tube of the truss reaches just millimeters from my groin, making my nervous system switch to parasympathetic as the automobiles drive 50 km per hour past just decimeters away. Uphill. Always uphill when returning from Bern. Four buttons to press. Left Top: Easier, Left Bottom: Harder, Right Top: Harder, Right Bottom: Easier. This is my simplistic method of remembering, so as not to be in mid-hill and decide to make my workload harder. Hmm, top left and bottom right. The chain slips from the sprocket, always wait for the front to switch gears and then do the back, never together. Pull over, replace gear, black fingers, clumsily mount and continue.
I can see my quadriceps femoris muscle group protruding with each downward extension of my leg as my gastrocnemius muscles contract, feeling the strain of the uphill climb from the day before. The sweat begins to form tiny droplets along my hair line and beneath my backpack. I feel the warmth of the afternoon sun tanning my darkened skin. Hiding under all the layers there are some areas still as white as they were in the darkest of winter days, unexposed to the harmful rays of the sun.
The weight of the backpack didn't seem too bad walking through Bern, but now it begins to pull me back down with gravity working against me. Why was Bern the only place to find local organic good beer around here? And why was it so heavy?
Summit, and coast. Deep breaths, take in the air, although less oxygen lies here than Wisconsin I quickly grew accustomed to the deeper breaths until my body began to carry in more oxygen. What goes down, ultimately goes back up.
Hill.
Hill.
Hill.
A slight breeze would benefit me greatly as the droplets of sweat are beginning to gather and slowly drip. The only chance at a breeze is to push harder, go faster. Down and harder, and coast. Let the air fly past and cool my hot face.
Close. A sign. Mittelhausern.
Just one hill awaits, the worst off all.
Top Left, Bottom Right.
Push.
Breath Deep.
Smile to the neighbors.
Push.
Turn, ground levels slightly.
Coast.
Deep breath.
Home.
Water.
Mount and begin. Clumsily at first, the bikes head tube of the truss reaches just millimeters from my groin, making my nervous system switch to parasympathetic as the automobiles drive 50 km per hour past just decimeters away. Uphill. Always uphill when returning from Bern. Four buttons to press. Left Top: Easier, Left Bottom: Harder, Right Top: Harder, Right Bottom: Easier. This is my simplistic method of remembering, so as not to be in mid-hill and decide to make my workload harder. Hmm, top left and bottom right. The chain slips from the sprocket, always wait for the front to switch gears and then do the back, never together. Pull over, replace gear, black fingers, clumsily mount and continue.
I can see my quadriceps femoris muscle group protruding with each downward extension of my leg as my gastrocnemius muscles contract, feeling the strain of the uphill climb from the day before. The sweat begins to form tiny droplets along my hair line and beneath my backpack. I feel the warmth of the afternoon sun tanning my darkened skin. Hiding under all the layers there are some areas still as white as they were in the darkest of winter days, unexposed to the harmful rays of the sun.
The weight of the backpack didn't seem too bad walking through Bern, but now it begins to pull me back down with gravity working against me. Why was Bern the only place to find local organic good beer around here? And why was it so heavy?
Summit, and coast. Deep breaths, take in the air, although less oxygen lies here than Wisconsin I quickly grew accustomed to the deeper breaths until my body began to carry in more oxygen. What goes down, ultimately goes back up.
Hill.
Hill.
Hill.
A slight breeze would benefit me greatly as the droplets of sweat are beginning to gather and slowly drip. The only chance at a breeze is to push harder, go faster. Down and harder, and coast. Let the air fly past and cool my hot face.
Close. A sign. Mittelhausern.
Just one hill awaits, the worst off all.
Top Left, Bottom Right.
Push.
Breath Deep.
Smile to the neighbors.
Push.
Turn, ground levels slightly.
Coast.
Deep breath.
Home.
Water.
Dienstag, 31. Juli 2007
Forgiven
I have changed my mind about Bern. I spent the day and actually enjoyed myself and could figure out where i was about 60% of the time, a huge improvement from last time. They had their farmers market today, smaller than one that is on saturday, but it was nice. I enjoyed a nice lunch of organic or here 'bio' vegetables and some bread. I also stumbled across a street vendor selling hand spun wool yarn from just across the border in germany and some machine spun in switzerland, so i purchased some beautiful yarn to make some nice warm winter gear for myself. My other... exciting find was an organic store with everything you could want including QUINOA, and AMARANTH. I was worried I would be without these two beautiful grains for a long time, but alas I have been saved.
Tomorrow is August First (Switzerlands Birthday) so everyone has off work including myself but nothing is open to do. There will be a village party of drinking and listening to some conservative politician give a speach (that i won't understand) and of course, fireworks. Tonight is card night, some sort of German game. I will see how it goes but I'm not a huge card person, but it will give me reason to try one of the swiss beers I got today at the organic store 'vettera'. Things are good, life is short. Too much I want to do in one year. Thursdays I will be working at the organic herb farm. It is small but BEAUTIFUL... and a good 45 min uphill bike ride away... Yay for my thighs i suppose, but a nice coast home.
P.S. No one has screens on their windows here.. there are barely any bugs! Well.. compared to what I am used to.
Tomorrow is August First (Switzerlands Birthday) so everyone has off work including myself but nothing is open to do. There will be a village party of drinking and listening to some conservative politician give a speach (that i won't understand) and of course, fireworks. Tonight is card night, some sort of German game. I will see how it goes but I'm not a huge card person, but it will give me reason to try one of the swiss beers I got today at the organic store 'vettera'. Things are good, life is short. Too much I want to do in one year. Thursdays I will be working at the organic herb farm. It is small but BEAUTIFUL... and a good 45 min uphill bike ride away... Yay for my thighs i suppose, but a nice coast home.
P.S. No one has screens on their windows here.. there are barely any bugs! Well.. compared to what I am used to.
Sonntag, 29. Juli 2007
cruel at heart?
Saturday and Sunday have been beautiful here. (until tonight... matching my mood perhaps)
saturday was spent biking and hiking around mostly in the country. I stumbled upon a sign with a large Raspberry, and decided to stop and have a gander. I pulled out my trusty german (high german not swiss german so it doesn't always work around here) dictionary and looked like the tourist i am trying to read this sign. I got: pick your own raspberry's leibwil. I couldn't figure out this leibwil, so i assumed it was either the name of the farm, the street or some form of direction. I picked a direction in the fork and biked about 10 km up a large hill, seeming like forever after biking 12 km to this sign, and finally gave up. Turns out leibwil is a 'village' (old farm houses) somewhere up this hill... but i didn't stumble upon it. The day was still enjoyable with some hiking and beautiful views. I also ran into some towns people in search of magical mushrooms in the cow poop, at least that is what i deciphered from their broken english german dialect language.
sunday was an early day after a late night. The whole family trained into geneva, and i spent a couple hours walking around with them and then we parted as i toured the city by myself. A brazilian english speaking man introduced himself to me, we talked a bit, he lived there and offered to show me around. I accepted, although not being particularly attracted to this elder of mine (29). He showed me some nice places, tourist attractions in geneva, and also bought me dinner (a 20 SFr ordeal, i was planning on just a snack for the day to save money). This is my cruelty showing, knowing i wasn't interested but... playing along for an enjoyable afternoon. think what you must, for I had a good time and got some good pictures.
P.S. although the trains here are wonderful they confuse the heck out of me. i bought a 100SFr ticket to make any train after 7pm free, so i went on a train without a ticket then i was told i had to buy a ticket, so i bought it from this ticket checker, then i got on another train for transferring with a ticket (after 7) and when they came to check mine they asked why i bought a ticket, i explained it all and they laughed, apparently i didn't need a ticket for either train
ahh there goes 53SFr (that i may be able to get back sometime... if someone speaks english and apparently is sympathetic to my mono linguistic self)
Father and Mother and Me
Sister and Auntie say,
All the people like us are We,
And everyone else is They.
-Kipling
(not something i feel just like the sound and perhaps what we all subconsciously think)
saturday was spent biking and hiking around mostly in the country. I stumbled upon a sign with a large Raspberry, and decided to stop and have a gander. I pulled out my trusty german (high german not swiss german so it doesn't always work around here) dictionary and looked like the tourist i am trying to read this sign. I got: pick your own raspberry's leibwil. I couldn't figure out this leibwil, so i assumed it was either the name of the farm, the street or some form of direction. I picked a direction in the fork and biked about 10 km up a large hill, seeming like forever after biking 12 km to this sign, and finally gave up. Turns out leibwil is a 'village' (old farm houses) somewhere up this hill... but i didn't stumble upon it. The day was still enjoyable with some hiking and beautiful views. I also ran into some towns people in search of magical mushrooms in the cow poop, at least that is what i deciphered from their broken english german dialect language.
sunday was an early day after a late night. The whole family trained into geneva, and i spent a couple hours walking around with them and then we parted as i toured the city by myself. A brazilian english speaking man introduced himself to me, we talked a bit, he lived there and offered to show me around. I accepted, although not being particularly attracted to this elder of mine (29). He showed me some nice places, tourist attractions in geneva, and also bought me dinner (a 20 SFr ordeal, i was planning on just a snack for the day to save money). This is my cruelty showing, knowing i wasn't interested but... playing along for an enjoyable afternoon. think what you must, for I had a good time and got some good pictures.
P.S. although the trains here are wonderful they confuse the heck out of me. i bought a 100SFr ticket to make any train after 7pm free, so i went on a train without a ticket then i was told i had to buy a ticket, so i bought it from this ticket checker, then i got on another train for transferring with a ticket (after 7) and when they came to check mine they asked why i bought a ticket, i explained it all and they laughed, apparently i didn't need a ticket for either train
ahh there goes 53SFr (that i may be able to get back sometime... if someone speaks english and apparently is sympathetic to my mono linguistic self)
Father and Mother and Me
Sister and Auntie say,
All the people like us are We,
And everyone else is They.
-Kipling
(not something i feel just like the sound and perhaps what we all subconsciously think)
Freitag, 27. Juli 2007
Happy Endings
The end of the week usually brings some form of joy. Perhaps just knowing you have 2 days to yourself if you are in the more 'traditional' work group. Perhaps exciting events around town on Friday and Saturday nights. For me, good news and good times.
Biked into Bern (nearest big city about 12 km) on Thursday hoping for entertainment. Didn't find it very thrilling, although beautiful with a nice river I would like to swim in (very clear water straight from the mountains but chilly). There is a street with only shops and no cars but it is all very expensive, but I found a bead store. Something that I shall occasionally treat myself to when I am feeling homesick perhaps for I love my crafts. Yet to find any yarn stores, I may have to order something online or have it delivered. Any volunteers to deliver me some yarn? I'll pay you back for the yard and 10% on shipping :-).
Although I haven't had any responses from my flier sent down at the dairy, I have found something that just might work out. There is an organic herb farm 2 villages away (a pretty easy bike ride although uphill). They speak english! (one of the harder things to find in a country farmer) And, they are used to WWOOFers, people that are set up through the internet for volunteering at organic farms. This means they are used to people coming and helping for a period of time while they teach them what they are doing at the farm. Although this volunteer position isn't guaranteed, it sounds almost too good to be true, Organic, Close, and an interesting topic, herbs. They make teas, spices and a couple other things that I can't read off the german brochure. They have a website ( obereichi.ch ) if you are interested and can read some german. I am meeting with them and with Susanne on Monday to learn more. Hoping for the best.
Tonight also brought some entertainment, although not a typical friday night for me. After a long days work of what seemed like constant cleaning (it is amazing what destruction two children can do and what little cleaning can get done by one 'adult'), and a good filling supper, I joined some of the village men (and one woman) at the community center for some good clean boccie ball. I was a little.. nervous.. at first, not sure how serious they took the game and knowing my skills would be less than extraordinary, but I had some good luck at times, and some bad luck at times. Out of the two games I played my team won both and I had a really great time and finally a beer. My first legal beer :-). Never again in my life will I be illegally drinking, for when I return I shall be deemed mature enough to drink alcohol. This beer (that I am finishing right now, only 2 hours to consume it ha) is from switzerland, but isn't a New Glarus or anything of the sort. A little, dark for my tastes, but I suppose it shall have to do. Hopefully tomorrow I will find some of the local beer at a grocer and perhaps it will be more enjoyable.
Heres to a great weekend
There is no good, there is no bad; these be the whims of mortal will:
That works me weal that I call "good", what harms and hurts me I hold as "ill".
-Sir Richard Burton
Biked into Bern (nearest big city about 12 km) on Thursday hoping for entertainment. Didn't find it very thrilling, although beautiful with a nice river I would like to swim in (very clear water straight from the mountains but chilly). There is a street with only shops and no cars but it is all very expensive, but I found a bead store. Something that I shall occasionally treat myself to when I am feeling homesick perhaps for I love my crafts. Yet to find any yarn stores, I may have to order something online or have it delivered. Any volunteers to deliver me some yarn? I'll pay you back for the yard and 10% on shipping :-).
Although I haven't had any responses from my flier sent down at the dairy, I have found something that just might work out. There is an organic herb farm 2 villages away (a pretty easy bike ride although uphill). They speak english! (one of the harder things to find in a country farmer) And, they are used to WWOOFers, people that are set up through the internet for volunteering at organic farms. This means they are used to people coming and helping for a period of time while they teach them what they are doing at the farm. Although this volunteer position isn't guaranteed, it sounds almost too good to be true, Organic, Close, and an interesting topic, herbs. They make teas, spices and a couple other things that I can't read off the german brochure. They have a website ( obereichi.ch ) if you are interested and can read some german. I am meeting with them and with Susanne on Monday to learn more. Hoping for the best.
Tonight also brought some entertainment, although not a typical friday night for me. After a long days work of what seemed like constant cleaning (it is amazing what destruction two children can do and what little cleaning can get done by one 'adult'), and a good filling supper, I joined some of the village men (and one woman) at the community center for some good clean boccie ball. I was a little.. nervous.. at first, not sure how serious they took the game and knowing my skills would be less than extraordinary, but I had some good luck at times, and some bad luck at times. Out of the two games I played my team won both and I had a really great time and finally a beer. My first legal beer :-). Never again in my life will I be illegally drinking, for when I return I shall be deemed mature enough to drink alcohol. This beer (that I am finishing right now, only 2 hours to consume it ha) is from switzerland, but isn't a New Glarus or anything of the sort. A little, dark for my tastes, but I suppose it shall have to do. Hopefully tomorrow I will find some of the local beer at a grocer and perhaps it will be more enjoyable.
Heres to a great weekend
There is no good, there is no bad; these be the whims of mortal will:
That works me weal that I call "good", what harms and hurts me I hold as "ill".
-Sir Richard Burton
Mittwoch, 25. Juli 2007
People do this for free?
I love almost everything about this country of Switzerland. I would love it more if I could speak german. I thought long and hard about what I want to get out of my experience here, and I decided I would like to travel and see things, and learn things that I can't easily learn in the states when I return. To travel it would be much easier if I had a traveling partner so I am thinking of auditing a class at the University of Bern that is taught in english. Then I can learn something, perhaps bland, but perhaps meet some interesting english speakers in my age group. I also have a date for friday night to play boccie ball with the men of the village. Apparently many are on holiday right now so not many will show up and it is usually only about 6-10 men, but I am told sometimes some guys between 18 and 21 play... maybe? But I was also told there was a girl that was 18 that spent the last year in Canada and now I am told she is 16, so hmm I'm not sure if I trust their age judgement, but anyone closer to my age than 10 or 42 that also speaks english will be appreciated.
I also put up a poster at the dairy in german stating that this young american is looking to help with goats or sheep for free. It is a little too decorative and perhaps strange for most of the local farmers though, so I doubt I will get any responses, but it is worth a try. I actually stopped at a sheep farm and asked if they spoke english, and in an abrupt response I was told "nien" and that was that. Oh well, I shall try and perhaps be known as the very annoying american.
Interesting tidbit on Switzerland. They pay about 18 SFr (swiss francs) for about 10 small bathroom sized garbage bags and you HAVE to throw your garbage out in these bags or the garbage people will not collect them. At first I thought this was very strange and not something I would enjoy but it makes a lot of sense in that it keeps the people from throwing out too much garbage because it is so expensive to throw things out. They also have a very good recycling system. Paper in one area, tin in another, and most bottles in another. That may not sound too much more exciting than our system, but almost all the packaging is done so that as much as possible can be recycled, EX: the yogurt has a paper wrapper with the print on it that is removable and recyclable and says on it recycle this piece, and then you toss the actual plastic of the yogurt. Small example but you get the idea.
Oh the heading, I just had an 11 hour day and I couldn't imagine being a housewife that had to do this everyday, but I did work at entertaining the children and I am sure most parents don't entertain their kids the whole day... perhaps why television for children is so popular these days. The Riese-Failing family only allows 2 hours of television a week unless it is a horribly rainy week... i like that rule.
I also put up a poster at the dairy in german stating that this young american is looking to help with goats or sheep for free. It is a little too decorative and perhaps strange for most of the local farmers though, so I doubt I will get any responses, but it is worth a try. I actually stopped at a sheep farm and asked if they spoke english, and in an abrupt response I was told "nien" and that was that. Oh well, I shall try and perhaps be known as the very annoying american.
Interesting tidbit on Switzerland. They pay about 18 SFr (swiss francs) for about 10 small bathroom sized garbage bags and you HAVE to throw your garbage out in these bags or the garbage people will not collect them. At first I thought this was very strange and not something I would enjoy but it makes a lot of sense in that it keeps the people from throwing out too much garbage because it is so expensive to throw things out. They also have a very good recycling system. Paper in one area, tin in another, and most bottles in another. That may not sound too much more exciting than our system, but almost all the packaging is done so that as much as possible can be recycled, EX: the yogurt has a paper wrapper with the print on it that is removable and recyclable and says on it recycle this piece, and then you toss the actual plastic of the yogurt. Small example but you get the idea.
Oh the heading, I just had an 11 hour day and I couldn't imagine being a housewife that had to do this everyday, but I did work at entertaining the children and I am sure most parents don't entertain their kids the whole day... perhaps why television for children is so popular these days. The Riese-Failing family only allows 2 hours of television a week unless it is a horribly rainy week... i like that rule.
Sonntag, 22. Juli 2007
Sweet but always some sour
Being from the United States it seems like we have such a view of Switzerland as being the perfect country, and in comparison it may seem that way, but there are always problems. I mean the grass has to be greener on the other side right?
In Switzerland it is very expensive to live, so to make it possible for people to live anything you buy that has gone through a person in any way (so everything) is very expensive so they can afford to live. After thinking about this a bit I was curious how so many people in Switzerland could be farmers. I know in America they have a very hard time coming out ahead or perhaps even breaking even and have to work very hard to get to that point, and our cost of living isn't extremely high. So in Switzerland the government subsidizes the farmers very much, which may sound like a good deal, but it promotes a lot of people to farm in Switzerland, and with farming comes farmland, and with farmland comes less undeveloped land. The family I am living with is upset by how 'organized' the country seems to be. Rarely are there areas where weeds are growing and flowers are just sprawled about carelessly. It seems that most of the people have their dark brown houses with red geraniums int he window pots surrounded by farmland. Beautiful to foreigners because it symbolizes the Switzerland we see in movies, the very traditional style, which is what a lot of people are striving to keep alive in Switzerland, but this also means not moving forward for environmental purposes.
On a more personal note:
The whole family visited a gnome garden this morning. Sounded strange at first but I was pretty excited, and it turned out to be very cool. Large concrete gnomes created by a man that was once a photographer but couldn't continue to make a living that way because he didn't like the idea of using so many computer programs for photography. I saw some of his photos and he talked about them (in german, but i got some of it translated) and they were very impressive. Some examples were a priest floating in the air (this was accomplished by 120 balloons tied to him that are out of sight of the camera) preching to a group of people in a large black bag being taken by satan. Now he charges 10 Fr. (swiss francs) for people to come see his clay gnomes in his yard. This children especially enjoyed it, as some of the gnomes could glow, make noises, and spout water when you walked past them.
This evening the family had a lot of their neighbors over for desert as a sort of welcoming party for me to meet them. It was very nice with champagne, red wine, and many many deserts. Sweet... but... The children took a lot of desert because it wasn't really being guarded by the adults, and went on little sugar highs, and the come down wasn't sweet, but rather SOUR. Johannes threw a very violent temper tantrum which taught me quite quickly to limit sweets at all costs possible. To top it off when he started calming down and stepped on some warped wood and got a very large splinter requiring two adults, nail clippers, tweezers, and 30 minutes time... involving much screaming and crying.
My hands shall be full as the kids enjoy playing ruff but it always ends in someone crying or thinking something isn't fair, but I think I shall learn a lot about dealing with children and just understanding how people have to deal with me also.
Samstag, 21. Juli 2007
Begining
I have arrived at my destination into what seems like a dream land. It was very strange having a night of only about 3 hours of darkness as our plane quickly escaped the sun around 9 at night and then it quickly began to rise again at 12 in the morning. I couldn't sleep on the plane because of the excitment brewing inside of me. It felt good to be traveling alone, independent and knowing I will now have the confidence to do more traveling alone.
Two quick landings in Ireland, once in Shannon, the western boarder, and once in Dublin on the east side. The landscape was beautiful, everything very green and rolling for miles, but the weather was rainy as I was informed it has been doing for the last 43 days. It would be very interesting to visit there, since it is so beautiful with so much history but yet they speak ENGLISH! My language of choice.
Landing in Geneva was very beautiful also. The plane was lowered below the cloud level as we flew over Geneva Lake like they were trying to persuade you that Switzerland really was an amazing place. I am guessing that very many wealthy people (i think most people here are wealthy but the wealthiest perhaps) live in Geneva. The houses were very large with a lot of pools scattered along. It looked quite similar to Las Vegas suburbs from the sky with the clay style roofing, although there was much more green farmland scattered throughout.
I took a train from Geneva to Bern, and along the lake I saw beautiful grape vines for miles. It made me think of nonno and his that I always thought was so large, now compared to all the miles of grapes I was truley impressed. The train ride was very beautiful, but by this time I was getting very tired so I didn't see all of the landscape.
Finally Bern, only 12 km from the house I would be living with. I met up with Susanne and was greatful that she was so warm right from the begining, we had lots to talk about and enjoyed the train ride to Mittelhausern (their village of about 800 people) until the train got stuck in Kionisk (sp?) because of the severe weather they have been having lately one of the creeks flooded the train tracks. Marc and the kids came to pick us up and I was greeted with hugs and hand shakes. The children, well are children, innocent and accepting from the begining. They let me sit between them on the ride to their house and showed me everything in the house including all their toys and books. I feel I will be in good hands for the following year with this very kind and accepting family.
The house is really beautiful, a townhouse with another attached at the other side. My room is on the first floor (of four total) with a nice cork floor and a beautiful bed. One wall is almost all windows, or doors actually, facing the front of the house with the little flower garden. The back yard of the house has a vegetable garden and beyond that is a corn field and then just land until the mountains are seen in the very far distance. It is really beautiful, although a little chillier than what I am used to.
This morning the family all went on a bike ride to a creek about a mile away. A very easy ride there for the creek was in a deep valley. The ride back wasn't something I was used to and could only get my bike 3/4 up the hill until I had to start walking it and panting. Very beautiful landscape so close to their house. We also stopped at the dairy, which is within their village and has lots of cheeses, milk, fresh bread made from someone in the lower village of Mittelhausern, and even Ice cream. They also have a little corner store with local fruit and other things, but we didn't stop there.
I think I shall enjoy my time in Switzerland.
Two quick landings in Ireland, once in Shannon, the western boarder, and once in Dublin on the east side. The landscape was beautiful, everything very green and rolling for miles, but the weather was rainy as I was informed it has been doing for the last 43 days. It would be very interesting to visit there, since it is so beautiful with so much history but yet they speak ENGLISH! My language of choice.
Landing in Geneva was very beautiful also. The plane was lowered below the cloud level as we flew over Geneva Lake like they were trying to persuade you that Switzerland really was an amazing place. I am guessing that very many wealthy people (i think most people here are wealthy but the wealthiest perhaps) live in Geneva. The houses were very large with a lot of pools scattered along. It looked quite similar to Las Vegas suburbs from the sky with the clay style roofing, although there was much more green farmland scattered throughout.
I took a train from Geneva to Bern, and along the lake I saw beautiful grape vines for miles. It made me think of nonno and his that I always thought was so large, now compared to all the miles of grapes I was truley impressed. The train ride was very beautiful, but by this time I was getting very tired so I didn't see all of the landscape.
Finally Bern, only 12 km from the house I would be living with. I met up with Susanne and was greatful that she was so warm right from the begining, we had lots to talk about and enjoyed the train ride to Mittelhausern (their village of about 800 people) until the train got stuck in Kionisk (sp?) because of the severe weather they have been having lately one of the creeks flooded the train tracks. Marc and the kids came to pick us up and I was greeted with hugs and hand shakes. The children, well are children, innocent and accepting from the begining. They let me sit between them on the ride to their house and showed me everything in the house including all their toys and books. I feel I will be in good hands for the following year with this very kind and accepting family.
The house is really beautiful, a townhouse with another attached at the other side. My room is on the first floor (of four total) with a nice cork floor and a beautiful bed. One wall is almost all windows, or doors actually, facing the front of the house with the little flower garden. The back yard of the house has a vegetable garden and beyond that is a corn field and then just land until the mountains are seen in the very far distance. It is really beautiful, although a little chillier than what I am used to.
This morning the family all went on a bike ride to a creek about a mile away. A very easy ride there for the creek was in a deep valley. The ride back wasn't something I was used to and could only get my bike 3/4 up the hill until I had to start walking it and panting. Very beautiful landscape so close to their house. We also stopped at the dairy, which is within their village and has lots of cheeses, milk, fresh bread made from someone in the lower village of Mittelhausern, and even Ice cream. They also have a little corner store with local fruit and other things, but we didn't stop there.
I think I shall enjoy my time in Switzerland.
Abonnieren
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