This past week has been really good. I didn’t have one bad day where I felt miserable. I think my problem last week was not getting enough sleep…. This week I’ve been going to bed the latest at 10:30 and that’s helped me tremendously to have enough energy for the day. Here, after the day I’m exhausted: the language and the travelling home can be long. I love the train-it’s so much fun, but I miss being able to go directly home and the five minute car ride home. But this upcoming week is my last in the German course before real Swiss school!! I know I’m going to miss all the exchange students, but I’m looking forward to getting to know Swiss people. On Monday, the highlight of my day was Fusae and our train ride home with Ana and Mateus. Fusae, wow she’s so funny!! She does this thing where she imitates American eyes and Ana’s Latino ways… Oh goodness that girl is hilarious. Once we had all departed from the train to go our separate ways home, I came home and left with Claudia to apply for my Swiss ID card in UzWil. On the checklist, it asked for passport photos, so we had to stop somewhere and get those. When we got there, well, it turns out we didn’t need those, but we did need my Birth Certificate-this was not on the sheet. Lat’s just say I was shocked by the lack of organization and complication on behalf of the Swiss government. It’s almost like they do that on purpose just so we have to come back!! Oh well… When I got home, I went for a 4.5 mile run. It was a really good one! I run this one loop that’s around 1.5 miles and I repeat it a few times, but I’m starting to try exploring more because after a while I will get sick of the repetitiveness. Have I mentioned Switzerland is stunning to run in-STUNNING.

Tuesday: I feel I’ve learned so so so so much in such little time. I understand German so much more each and every day. For the second time in a row and the second test we have had I got the best score in the class-WOOP WOOP!! Right after I came home from school, I had to change and to meet Claudia in St. Gallen to go to the lacrosse club there. This was interesting… They are all 25 and only 4 people showed up. They were very nice and excited to have me, but I don’t think I will continue with this. The program is nothing exceptional since this is a very new sport in Switzerland; however, these 4 girls are very dedicated and love the sport!!!! Then, after the practice was over, we had to walk a while to the train station because there are no more buses running after my practice. Very soon it will be snowing, freezing and dark… By the time I was home-around 9-I was exhausted. I don’t think I will have enough time to do this along with school. At least I got to check it out!!

I have been running about 5 times a week here and I mentioned above that Switzerland is a beautiful country! So my host father contacted his friend who is the president of a running club in my town. After school on Wednesday, I went with them running. It was about 30 people (all older, a lot older, and one little boy). They were divided into 4 groups- 4 being the fastest group. They started me in group 2, the second to slowest group, which was fine! We ran for an hour and got in maybe a little under 6.5 miles. I was at the front of this pack and then they pushed me into the fastest group for the last 10 minutes, and wow they are amazing!! These are all the marathon runners (and the littlest boy). I can’t imagine running with them for an hour, so I think I belong in group 3. I had a lot of fun and got an amazing work out. It’s also really convenient and I can easily get to the meetings. They have different workouts everyday like my cross country team at home and it’s not a problem if I can’t make it. They run all year round, and I’m thinking this is the best fit for me. Anyway, before that I was dealing with my bank account situation. It’s impossible to get a bank account in Switzerland when you are from the States because of crooks who didn’t want to pay taxes would store their money in Switzerland…. Thanks a lot! But my counselor and I worked it out!

My 2 week-iversary of living in Switzerland was on Thursday. It’s gone by fast, but really slow. That doesn’t make sense… After school I went to Zurich with my exchange friends. We bought chocolate, then we hung out and chatted in this park. When I came home, I played this really fun “American” game called Phase 10 with Leandra and Claudia. It was so fun and really similar to this card game I play with my family in America called Shanghai. The awesome thing about Switzerland is that a lot of really fantastic music comes here and it’s always really close. For example, Mackelmore, the Lumineers, Bruno Mars, Ellie Goulding and so many more are coming to different places and festivals in Switzerland and I can’t believe how easy it is for me to go.

 

  On Friday we had a sub, but school was fun. We got to do another group activity with the other class and I really love how much I’ve been bonding with the other exchange students. After school, all the exchangers went to Zurich, but I couldn’t because my host parents were going to be out so I didn’t have time to ask them-if that makes sense? But I was fine because Leandra and I had the best time laughing and baking all these different desserts. We made this vanilla mousse thing, a Brazilian dessert, and a cake. For the cake, we needed to convert cups, teaspoons, etc. to milliliters and grams. She did not get the cup thing because cups are all different sizes. I don’t know why the USA is the only country in the world with this system… It would be so much easier if we used the universal measurement system!

The great thing about my family is that I always have plans and stuff to do. A lot of the other exchange students are really not as scheduled. On the downside that means I can’t as often go with the other exchange students after school to sightsee and hangout, but I have so much fun with my lovely family! On Saturday, for lunch I had these toast combos. There was this one amazing one with ham, tomatoes, avocado and herb goat cheese. I already told my mom we will have that again soon. Then, I went with my mom and Manuel to his football (soccer) match. It was rainy and cold. We picked up some of his teammates and then dropped them off at the field in Gossau. Then Claudia and I walked through this fest in the streets of Gossau and met some of her co-workers and then one of Bruno’s brothers, Leo, who is one of 10 people that makes this special knife in Switzerland. He works 20 HOURS PER DAY!! He and his wife were very nice. Then Claudia and I went to the knitting store-she and her mom, Oma, are into knitting. She’s knitting this cool sack type bundle thing for a baby of her niece. It’s (the outfit-the baby hasn’t been born yet) adorable! She also got me some yarn because when we go on holiday with the family, I’m going to learn (that will be hard) how to knit a wrist warmer. The skills you learn during exchange… Knitterz 4 Lyfe.

After that we went for a coffee break. I got hot cocoa and I tried this delicious cookie thing with hazelnut cream dipped in chocolate-WOW!! After that we watched the second half of the soccer game. I was really surprised how few people go to these things. In America, sports are so competitive and so many people show up for games. Here it’s sort of like, “Oh yeah you have a soccer game. Cool. Have fun! See you later.” Another thing is there was this one player who got hit in the chest with a flying soccer ball. He got the wind knocked out of him and was rolling around in the grass in pain. I was freaking out, and thinking, “Why aren’t the coaches out there?! Not even a trainer?!” In America, trainers would’ve been out there so quickly.  All of the sudden a boy from the opposing team picks him up and puts him in this position to open up his lungs- quite dramatic and the next thing you know they are all playing again… I was in shock. What just happened?! They lost, but normally they win. Oh well! I’m learning this sport…

When we came home, Bruno was working away making delicious spaghetti. The pasta is pretty darn tasty here, probably because Italy is our neighbor. That night my family had over many of the neighbors (about 20 or so people) to celebrate my arrival. It was a lot of fun! I had a great time showing pictures of Charleston and talking up my city. Everyone loved it and was saying how pretty it was!! My family has already told me they’re coming to visit me in 2015!! Everyone was so friendly and I got some chocolate and a very nice Swiss school bag and warm hat-I LOVE THAT HAT!! The food and desserts were just outstanding too. I met this one girl who is my age and already working in an office three times a week and going to school two times. It’s one of the schooling options here in Switzerland to get to your profession. That would never fly in America! When I was in the bank working out my Swiss account, there was a boy my age already working there at the front desk. It was just so grown up and weird for me! Her brother just got home from an exchange in Australia, and it was fun to speak English with him. They were both very nice.

Sunday, we had a laid back morning with a nice family breakfast. Then, I went into St. Gallen city with my family for a more thorough tour. Today it was really chilly and rainy! It’s strange because right now at home it’s so hot but in Switzerland chilly. I saw the Stiftsbibliothek, the Abbey Library in St. Gall. It was a beautiful room and I felt like I was in Harry Potter. It was nice to get in some historical details. I never realized how old all the cities in Switzerland are. Henau seems so modern, but really that town is over a thousand years old…  I saw all the neighborhoods, schools, lakes, forest trails in St. Gallen-even the view from above. A really nice city!! After my tour, we went to Oma and Opa’s flat in the city for coffee and cake. It was fun and they invited me to come to Opa’s 76^th birthday party!! They are so sweet and remind me of my grandparents. Opa is super flexible because he was a gymnast. He can touch the floor with his hands in fists-I can only do finger tips. That says something about Opa. Opa is also really good at Sudoku and Crosswords. He is one smart guy! Oma is a fast knitter and cooks good food! After our little visit, we came home and had a leisurely Sunday evening before school tomorrow. I love Switzerland and am having a great time!! This is my last week of language camp before I go to real Swiss school.