I have not updated my blog in a while. That is both good and bad. Good because I'm very busy. Bad because now it's a pain to recap 3 weeks and all my observations... I have so much I want to share and now I don't know where to begin... Well, a long, long time ago on Sunday the 8th, I went with my family to a Schwingfest and hiking. Schwingen is Swiss wrestling, and the national sport. It is very funny and I feel like I got a lot of Swiss culture from it. I finally got to bust out the hiking boots! I felt so Swiss. It was rainy, a little chilly, but still picture perfect scenery!

babies!

Typical Appenzell dress!

Yodeling-this is not joke!

Cheese factory

This cheese by the way is very very good, and so is Nidel-Zeltli. Nidel-Zeltli is a kind of caramel that is also made in the Cheese Factory in the pictures above. These little things are deadly-so sweet, and you could catch yourself eating the whole bag... It started to rain, and was pretty cold so we went for a coffee, or a hot shoggy (chocolate in Swiss German). This day was so much fun, and I loved how family oriented it was! The following week was my hardest week yet because I wasn't new anymore, and I realized how hard the language barrier is. I started to run out of questions to ask the Swiss people. I'm not used to not participating in class and not being able to really laugh at something I think is hilarious ( because I don't understand all the jokes). I really missed my friends the week following the 8th. I remember being really tired and not really wanting to hangout with anyone from my class because it required a lot of work from me. The weekend of the 14th and 15th couldn't have come at a better time-a weekend in Thun and Gstaad with all the exchange students. I was reunited with people that spoke English, and they understand my situation! I baked M&M cookies, since we had to bring a dessert from our home country. We hiked around, ate food, had a dance party, saw more of beautiful Switzerland-it was a lot of fun!! I always have so much fun with the exchange students. It feels like I have known them all my life, but really only a month!!

Alpabzug-when the cows come down from the mountain for the winter

Gstaad

Alp Horn!

Latinos!!

The next week was a lot better, still hard, but better. It was our last week of school before having our BU Project Week. That meant a lot of tests for the Swiss students, but because a lot of the material was learned before I came- that means a lot of free time for me. I studied German, worked out in the fitness center, went home, etc. The 9th and 16th I attended Rotary meetings. On Friday, it was my real mom's and my host brother's birthday. I had a really great phone call with my mom!! My host family sent her flowers-they are the best!! I miss my family at home, but I haven't been homesick at all (besides my friends) because I really was lucky with my host family. My host family had a little get together for Manuel's 16th. Leandra, my host mom and I all cooked. The drinking age in Switzerland is 16, so he drank a beer with dinner. His right of passage! On Saturday, D2000 Rotary students had a follow up meeting in St. Gallen. We had a delicious lunch of spaghetti (one of my faves), went over the rules.....for the millionth time and talked about how we were adjusting. Always a great time with the exchange students!! After the meeting, we went into the city and showed the other exchange students who aren't familiar with St. Gallen the city. It was a lot of fun!! I was exhausted afterward, but you're always going or I am as an exchange student.

After my quality time with the exchange students, I met my host family and we went to Rebecca's gymnastics Globi themed show. It was really fun and cute. There were toddlers til 20 year olds participating. Globi is a Swiss children character. Very popular in Switzerland!

A lot of people came-and of all ages!-the atmosphere was great. I was so tired!! On Sunday, I went hiking in EbenAlp with my host parents and Leandra. It was gorgeous and a great day!!

This cave housed cave bears- much larger than our grizzly bear

Traditional picture with the exchange student!

Chapel in a cave

Alp restaurant

I know I'm in the Alps when this is the toilet. Not a pretty smell might I add...

I will be making this for my family in America

This past week was a blast! It didn't come with the same pressure (for the Swiss students) as the real school days. The first day, Monday, we had film analysis, and then went to FM1 in St. Gallen to see the radio and TV studios. I didn't understand much because they spoke Swiss German. On Tuesday, we had more film analysis. On Wednesday, we went to the Vekehrhaus in Luzern. It's a really cool museum and amusement park. We saw a 3D film on the coral reef in the IMAX. Of course, I was exhausted afterward... On Thursday, we had a question and answer session with a director, and then in the afternoon-theater makeup!! That was so much fun! I ended up making up a boy and he me... That was quite the risk I took... I had to do some of it and the teachers had to help it because well "he is a boy, and he doesn't understand"-his words (in German). On Friday, we had a half day and went to the movie theater. We got a tour, and then saw Wir Sind die Millers, it was hilarious. It was in High German, and I actually understood it enough to laugh!!! Not at everything though... This past week has really been a break through week. I've really started to solidify my friendships with this group of Swiss girls in my class, which is basically all of them since the other half are boys. I've been getting more and more invitations to do things, it's easier to talk-not always having to ask so many questions!, and I've even started to understand jokes and funny stories!! I was so worried it would take me forever to find Swiss friends- yes, it takes work- but I'm so lucky it has only been a month! Speaking of, next week it will be two months!! Can't believe how time flies... Anyway, after the movie, I went with a couple girls from my class to lunch and shop a little. Then, we went into H&M combined "not-so-cute" outfits, and made each other try them on. It was very funny-and something I do with my friends at home!! Then, I went home and made pralines for my host family. They are absolutely delicious (and easy), and I think my family likes it!! Then, I went out with some of my Swiss friends to Herbstfest in a nearby city, and that was jam packed! Lots of fun with live music, and good times! Oktoberfest has arrived!!

Pralines

Herbstfest!!

 

The language: Every day German gets easier and easier! I love that the people in my class don't speak amazing English-I'm forced to speak German. I find myself, as I'm writing this, begin to write some things in German...

Tomorrow I am leaving in the morning to go for a week to Ticino (the southern-Italian part of Switzerland) and northern Italy! Would not give anything for my exchange-loving every second!!