Language School and Transportation, and happy things :)

Deutsch Schule (German School)

Today i had my first day of Language school and it was surprisingly great.  It was also my first time taking public transit- but that is another story.  At the beginning of our class we just talked and I met the other rotary students. Lots of people from Canada and USA, but also from Mexico, Venesuala, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, etc! I always find it so interesting to compare stories of arriving in Switzerland, our families, and that i'm not alone in making hilarious and embarrassing mistakes every day! Everyone spoke english, so at lunch and on breaks, it was always easy to communicate.  I tried Swiss pop today at lunch...and it was gross. Its called Rivella and its made from milk, very strange.  Its biter actually.  I'll stick to coke.  We all laughed about our time here already, talked about missing home, but loving Switzerland at the same time.  We all agreed that it was nice to meet some friends, as none of us have had any until today!  I shared my embarassing stories of kicking the ball during handball, wondering why the bus doors wouldn't open for me (i didn't press the "OPEN" button, damn). And it was just nice to hang out with people who are in the exact position I am.  Its a connection, and i love it. 

Our class started with a multiple choice test of our knowledge, which was when I truly discovered...i have very little. Some people flew through it, and so did I! Well, that's because after the first 10 or so questions (of 50) i totally guessed. I'm serious. I evern stopped reading the questions after a while.  BUT, whoever told me "when in doubt, circle "c"" thank you! I somehow managed to land myself in the higher level of the two groups we were separated into.  The teacher only spoke german the entire day, and it was great. Sometimes i was surprised by how much i understood, and sometimes i just laughed at how lost I was, but we all helped each other and got throught the day.  I hope to learn a lot in the next few weeks.  My host dad has a theory of working very hard for a period of time, then letting it go until the next day, so after dinner, we speak english and he helps me with my homework.  Tomorrow, i will again work hard in German. 


Transportation

The public transport is pretty much amazing here, its unbelievable. Trains and busses every fifteen minutes (give or take) to wherever you need to go. ALWAYS on time.  Today, as I mentioned, was my first time doing it on my own.  I was nervous on the way there, and did fine.  I was confident on the way back and, well, different story!! The train was great, I got off at the right time, but I got on the wrong bus.  I didn't know that there was an East and West bus pickup.  I live west.  I went east.  So i hopped on my bus and started going, with a certain feeling that something wasn't right.  We started heading up a very steep hill, and I knew then that i was on the complete wrong side of the city!! SO, i pressed the stop button to get off the bus, and stood on the side of the road, contemplating what to do next.  I now have a very succesful step by step process to getting "unlost". 

1. Don't panic
2. Start walking to landmarks to you know

When this doesn't work...

3. Try to decipher signs, and follow the millions of bus stops backwards

When this doesn't work, and you still can't find your bus...

4. Go to the mall
5. Buy an Xtra large, still warm, extra flakey croissant from the bakery.  With butter. (DUH)

Now that you feel better, ask around, and people will try to help you. 
Finally, i got back to Untersiggenthal, and was so happy to have figured it all out on my own.  I had a long very distressed text ready to send to my hostdad, which thankfully could be discarded. 


Happy Things

I went with Daria next door to visit with my host cousins, and they are just the sweetest.  I gave Luca a hockey ministick with a canada ball, and Lydia a Canada teeshirt.  Both of them got Maple candies also.  The were so happy, Luca hugged and kissed me, and Lydia just smiled so much.  It made me so happy just to see them so excited.  When Daria was going to read them a goodnight story, I said goodbye, but Luca shouted "nein, nein!" and grabbed my hand and pulled me to their bedroom to hear the story.  Lydia held my other hand and tucked me into her bed.  When i went downstairs, i found a picture she'd drawn that says "liebe stefani" (i love stephanie).  SO sweet.  Just did my homework, now heading to bed.  Another wonderful day in Schweiz!

Ciaou <3