america takes on switzerland with a cup of hot cocoa

This week was my last with all the exchange students in DeutschKurs. I’m sad that we are going to be separated, but also really excited to experience Swiss school!! A quick briefing: Tuesday, I met another set of neighbors! Of course I received more chocolate! Minor, the chocolate name, is a typical Swiss hazelnut cream chocolate with hazelnuts for a crunch. It’s really good! It seems that my stash is continually growing, and I don’t have a problem with that! It does sit in my room and taunt me. I feel that I am obligated to eat all this chocolate over the course of the year… or in a day (not really). I have received such a warm welcome from everybody! On Wednesday, after school, I went to running club and moved into the third group which was perfect. On Thursday, in German classes, we had our final presentations and our final test to see our improvement. After school, I went with Silvia to my school to figure out what class I would be in and my classes. The school is very modern, but to me it slightly resembles a prison. The interior uses a lot of concrete, bricks and metal. The art students have a lot of their art hanging in the hallways and I loved it. They were really good and I liked their projects. In Switzerland, your class is the same all through high school. You go to every single subject with that class, except for the electives like Philosophy, Religion, Art and Music. This is very different for me, and I wish that I was able to have different people in all my classes (like USA) so I could meet new people quicker. I don’t think this will end up being a problem though-we will see because I start tomorrow!! The classes only have room for 25 and there were only two classes in the 2^nd year left with openings. Both classes are focused on mathematics. One was highly advanced; the kids that try to mathematically figure out the world’s problems. This one only had 13 kids, and sounded very very difficult.
The other class, Manuel’s class, is less heavy on the mathematics portion. It also only had 24 people, so more students, and I filled the last spot.

The Dean, or the woman who helps the foreign exchange students, said I could opt out of Math if it was too hard. Opt out? I wouldn’t have to go. I was so shocked, but I guess they’re a lot easier on the exchange students. They’re also letting me take French and I chose Religion and Art as my electives. Apparently, philosophy is really difficult, especially if I’m learning German. I wouldn’t understand anything! After the decision process, I got a tour of the school. They have very nice facilities! One thing that was a little weird: after gym, there are these community showers. So all the girls shower together in one big open shower, and the boys together in another. I mean, I am in Europe, but that just seems so odd coming from “modest” America. I have gym at the end of the day, so I think I’ll just stick to the shower at home thank you! I was completely brain fried after… That night, my host sister and I watched the Last Song in German, but the title was changed to, “With You by my Side” (in German). It was still so sad in the other language.

On Friday, we got our test scores and our diplomas! At the start of the German course, we had the same test, and I initially had a 23. Then, at the end I had a 37/45. Not too bad, an obvious improvement. Friday was a fun day, and we had a scavenger hunt. We had to run all over Zurich to find answers and monuments. It was a lot of fun! I was with all girls in my group: Mariel (Mexico), Ana Paula (Mexico), Fusae (Japan) and Erin (Canada). We had to ask quite a few people where things were or answers to questions, and man sometimes people were so rude… It’s like they thought we had the plague, were trying to sell something or steal their things! Swiss people are very closed, and not always extremely friendly. It made us all nervous for school. Is this how we will be treated at school too?? Later that night, I got to Skype with friends back home!! So fun and loved hearing their voices and seeing their faces!!

On Saturday, there was beautiful weather! I met up with some exchange friends (including one boy with his host brother and his friends) at this swim club on Lake Zurich. It was so nice and the perfect way to spend that day. I was walking through this part of Zurich on my way to the lake and there were all these precious town houses. It just hit me: I’m in Europe. I live 30 minutes away from Germany, Italy, France and Austria. I’m the luckiest girl!! At the swim place, a lot of boys were playing football (soccer), quite a few topless women and speedo-sporting men, and smoking. It was so European! It was fun talking, hanging out and swimming.

train buddies!! where's Mateus...

Kyoto!

Exchange Students!

Probably one of the most unhealthy things ever, but DELICIOUS!!!

Kinder eggs-overpriced, good chocolate (but not much) with a toy to assemble inside. Banned from the USA because it's "a choking hazard." Apparently I have had an awful childhood without Kinder eggs...