November- come back!

 I don’t quite know how this month is already ending.  I don’t understand it at all actually! It feels like I was serving Halloween candy to Trick-or-Treaters a few days ago.  Every once and a while (usually when writing this blog) I realize the date and think- oh my gosh, where is this time going!  This week was ridiculously fast, because I have just done so many cool things.  Here we go folks- let me tell you about another Swiss week for Stephanie. 

A Clear Choice

I wrote a paragraph in my blog last week about my future and the varying lifestyles I have dreamed or thought of.  I know it was a little wild and crazy, but I try to be honest with my thoughts- no matter how silly or unreasonable.  One thing is, however clear.  I need an education.  Where, what, and when is another story entirely- but this week I have dedicated some in-class day-dreaming time to my educational future (where I will hopefully concentrate better in lectures).  I talked to my dad about it on Skype too.  There are universities in Ontario which offer exchange programs to places like England, Ireland, and Australia- which I just think would be so amazing.  My dad made an interesting suggestion, which he may be somewhat regretting now, about going way out east for school.  So much to think about- but I thought I’d give my parents some peace of mind and assure them: yes, yes, I’ll go to school. 

Gymnastics Recital

I have no idea how to directly translate my Friday night’s activities into English (weird, I know) but the best I could come up with was “Gymnastics Recital”.  Daria had her performance, and Andreas and I went to watch.  The theme of the night was foreign countries, so each dance/gymnastic number was to a song from a different country/famous city.  It started out with little three year old lions from Africa who didn’t have to do anything in particular to get an enormous cheer from the crowd.  They jumped from a box to a matt for the entire three minute song and it was the cutest thing I’d ever seen.  Daria was Paris, London, and Switzerland (three different songs) and I was totally amazed.  She is so tiny so she was always way up in the air doing something cool that I would never dare to attempt.  The second youngest group was more advanced than what I was proud of accomplishing in my gym class.  Embarrassing.  However, perhaps not more embarrassing than the old men’s group in frilly white dress shirts who did gymnastics dance as Spanish matadors.  The whole night was lively and entertaining, with tons of decorations, skits between numbers, and great performances.  Oh yes, and of course bratwurst and beer, because what is a Swiss gathering without that?

I didn't take this- Cause I'm a dumbie and forgot my camera...but they did do this!

Rotary Takes over Zermatt

On the weekend, all of the rotary students in Switzerland met in Zermatt to see the Matterhorn and pretty much wreak havoc on the small town.  111 exchange students do tend to take up a lot of space.  We had two complete train cars booked, and still had two or three people to a seat.  For the last hour of the trip I had someone on my lap and had to be careful not to step on the person sitting under my legs.  I have never been in such a noisy train.  We stepped out into the beautiful town of Zermatt, a little (but very famous) ski village and I was in love.  The snow twinkled from the mountain tops, the sun shone to make everything look like a post card, plus I was there with some of my favourite people in the world. 

We started our day with a crazy scavenger hunt.  We went around the town performing ridiculous tasks (like getting a restaurant to make us free eggs, taking pictures of a stranger’s wedding, and inquiring hotels about their most expensive rooms) and frustrating a lot of local people.  The best part of this game was that we were given an item of little value that we were to trade with strangers for the best thing we could find.  Our toothbrush eventually turned into a Swiss Army knife and a free kabob, a pen turned into a bedside dresser with clothing inside, an eraser turned into a restaurant umbrella and a hockey stick, a pencil turned into a television, a marker into a pair of silver earrings, and many more crazy trades.  It’s amazing what the possibilities are when you have the courage to ask something totally out of the ordinary. 



Task: Take a photo of a wedding photo...or just find a real wedding!



Our youth hostel had the view of a five star resort and the whole weekend I just couldn’t stop thinking about how truly lucky I was. We spoke German our room because one of the girls didn’t speak English, and it felt strange speaking to exchange students in German.    It was probably a good thing though, because I noticed when I got home that my grammar was unusually bad and I was forgetting worlds very easily. 



View from the bedroom!



We saw the Matterhorn Museum, which was semi-interesting, but I’ve never been the museum type.  I fell asleep during the short film presentation, but no one seemed to notice.  For dinner we went to a cheese fondue restaurant that was completely booked with our group.  Between six girls we managed to finish off three bread baskets, and an enormous pot of cheese.  Was so good at the time, but we weren’t exactly thinking ahead.  After devouring a few kilos of cheese we headed to the “disco” (a little club).  The club was also booked for our group and we packed the room entirely.  Since the majority of exchange students are not yet eighteen years old, it was a law that the latest we could be there was 9:30 at night.  One of our Rotex (Swiss group leaders who have been on exchange) said something that couldn’t have been more correct.  “Only a group of exchange students could go to a club without alcohol from 7:30 to 9:30 and still have an awesome time”.  We danced, sang, made fools of ourselves, and had a really great evening. 



Cheese Fondue Champs



We went back to the restaurant for the rest of the evening and had a celebration of countries where we all sang a song from our home.  Canadian’s somehow missed the instructions of “no national anthems”, so we sang ours, along with the good old hockey game.  We all wore our Canada mitts, with maple leaves on our foreheads and sang at the top of our lungs.  When I was home, I knew I loved my country, but being away has made me realize how truly proud I am to be Canadian.  I wouldn’t trade that for anything. 



Hayley, Morgan, Steph, Danielle- My Canadian Girls!!!



The Americans sang the baseball song, the Aussies sang something about kangaroos, and the New Zealanders sang a rugby chant.  Some people had to sing alone for their countries which I thought took SO much courage- I for sure would not have done that in front of one hundred and twenty people! But four foot tall Maiu from Japan sang alone to represent her country and seeing so much national pride and confidence was a very special thing.  



Representing two very important countries <3





Glacial cave with my cold Hawaiian girl



The next day we went up, up, and up to over 3000m to see the Small Matterhorn and go the glacial caves.  There was not a cloud in the sky, and happiness and laughter was totally infectious.  I have looked over my photos at least ten times since and had to remind myself “Yeah Steph, you actually saw this stuff”.  The things I am seeing here I never, in a million years could have imagined. 

Small Matterhorn

A taste of Matterhorn!

The weekend was over way faster than anyone would have liked.  Time spent with exchange students always goes by much too fast in my opinion.  But little did I know…I’d be seeing them the very next day!

Zibelemerit

Even though I was feeling wholly sleep deprived when I returned from Matterhorn, I decided to ask my host-mom for permission to a special event. 

“I hear there is an onion festival at 7.00 in Bern,” I said. 

“Yes,” replied Barbara, and then jokingly said, “are you going?”

“May I?”

And that was that.  If there was one thing I learned from the next door neighbours in Tessin about early mornings, it that they are worth the loss of sleep.  Therefore, at five o’clock in the morning yesterday I was up and about to catch a train to Bern to celebrate onions. 

Four of us met in the Bern train station at 7.00, and I was very thankful for Carly’s unlimited energy to wake me up a little more.  Soon we were armed with confetti, plastic squeaky hammers, rainbow onion necklaces, and were ready to face the crowd of onion worshipers. 

Now- one may ask, “What in the world is an onion festival?” And the fact is I’m not quite sure how or why it started.  I do plan to look it up, but the only thing I know now is that I had the time of my life.  Rows and rows of booths were set up with onion spreads, breads, artistically arranged bouquets, post cards, necklaces, pies, and more.  This however, was not the most interesting part.  It was the whole energy and feeling of the morning.  For some reason everyone was running around with plastic hammers and bags of confetti ready to attack any stranger at random.  I was woken up completely when a woman stuffed a pile of confetti in my face and I nearly choked. Any of the stereotypical Swiss/European cold personality was nowhere to be found.  Everyone had a smile on their face and everyone was in the onion-y spirit.  Today I still have a little confetti stuck in my hair and my bedroom looks like someone had a new year’s party just from getting undressed.  I don’t know how to put the pure happiness and joy of yesterday morning into words, but maybe these pictures can help me out!

Pure Happiness

Onions, onions onions!

Going for the kill

Canadian girls love 5am mornings!

Breakfast anyone?



Onion Turtle



Onion Clock



I am home sick today- probably from a lack of sleep and so much time outside in the cold, but I have lots to do.  I just finished making a campfire with Luca and his little friend who called me “Shtephadine” or “Shtephan”. This was certainly not on my list of planned get well activities, but put a smile on my face all the same.  I tried to tell them that I needed to go inside to sleep because I was cold and sick, and Luca said that he’d make the fire bigger and that I could have his little chair to sleep in outside.  I said something about moving and the crestfallen look on Luca’s little face nearly broke my heart.  I will miss my little friends- my first friends here in Switzerland.  This week will be a busy one with packing and organizing to move on out, and so I hope you all have enjoyed my last blog from Untersiggenthal.

 Because I know my host family occasionally reads my blogs, I would like to say thank you for everything you have done for me.   You have made these first four months in Switzerland more amazing than I could have imagined.  I never realized that a host family would become so meaningful to me. You will all be close to my heart forever.  Daria, Barbara, Andreas, Wimi, Natalia, Lidya and Luca- yes I’m moving, but you aren’t getting rid of me that easily.  I’ll be back visiting!!!

Next stop- Farm-town Freienwil! Thanks for reading everyone.

Thinking of you all <3

Busy is Better

This past week was a crazy week for me, and I found that it helped me to focus on the positive things going on and enjoy every minute of my events here.  I had something going on every single night/day and I remembered how much I love a packed schedule.  Going back to my school week:

The Weird and Wonderful of Swiss School

Weird: On last Wednesday, I was required to stay at school until ten o’clock at night to participate in a special series of lectures on modern advancements in science and technology.  This may sound like it’d be cool- but it wasn’t.  Not even the Swiss people paid attention! In my first lecture,  our teacher spoke in Swiss German.  I felt so bad that no one was attentive so I tried my very best to nod at appropriate times, look interested, and appear to comprehend all of the information.  It seems my acting skills are more developed than my Swiss German. 

Weird: Gymnastics.  I still haven’t quite understood the concept of gymnastics in sports class. I never feel like I have exercised, and I always feel sore and achy afterwards.  However, we had our first test.  Mini trampolines, high jump mats and big wooden boxes we had to jump over.  With much help from the more graceful girls in my class, I managed to pull off a 5.75/6 for my final grade.  I was so happy! My report card will look hilarious with zeros across the board and then an awesome gym mark. 

Wonderful: In my German class for exchange students, we are all here on different schedules for different periods of time.  The boy from Italy is leaving soon, and so the teacher from our class invited us all over for dinner.  We all enjoyed Raclette, which was, as always, delicious.  I was able to keep control of myself this time and not eat half my weight in cheese before soccer practice. 

Wonderful:  I do not fully understand the concept of what happened Friday to my school schedule, but I had the entire afternoon off! I think it had something to do with the fact that the kids in my class went to school on Saturday, which I politely opted out of.  I had so much time out of school last week, it one hundred percent made up for the TechNight. 

The Love of my Life: My GA

My GA is the pass that takes me anywhere, by bus, train, or tram, in Switzerland for free.  It has saved my bank account (which would be fully and totally emptied) and allowed me to see so many things. 

On Thursday I went straight from my last class to a city a half hour away to go ice skating.  It was the first day the sun was shining, and I was quite comfortable wearing a warm sweater and a skirt.  I got a lot of funny looks from the Swiss people skating.  One man was dressing in so many layers of fur it was hard to decipher whether he was a man at all.  When the sun shines here, I am automatically in such a good mood.  Everything is so much more beautiful when you can see it without a white cloud of fog blocking the way. 

On Friday I planned to meet another Canadian friend in her town an hour and a half away.  The city was called Thun, and it was so beautiful.  Old city, right on the river, lots of things to see and do.  We saw the castle, and took some hilarious pictures.  Carly comes from Victoria Island, but as it is with so many other Canadians I’ve met- I feel like I’ve known her for a long time.  We laughed so loud we got dirty looks, took the touristy-est photos ever, and spent all of our money on food throughout the night.  After seeing Thun, I asked her if she`d ever been to Interlaken.  She hadn’t, and there was a train leaving in five minutes, so we hopped on it to see something new.  Neither of us realized how long we`d been talking in Thun, because almost immediately after we got in the train the sun went down and it was pitch black outside.  I can`t tell you the first thing about Interlaken, except for the fact that there are pretty lights on the hotels, that there is a Hooters bar, and that there is nothing to do there on a Friday night.  I think I’ll have to return with some sunshine, or a flashlight.  We went back to Thun and found something that made us both extremely excited- a Canadian Pub! We marveled at the hockey jerseys, wood cabin style decorating, and various Canadian souvenirs hung around the room.  A man came up to us (who had clearly been drinking there a while) and told us we spoke beautiful English.  “We should,” I said, “we are from Canada.” He didn’t speak English, but immediately pulled up a chair and the three of us talked for the rest of the evening.  He was able to tell that I didn’t come from the city because of my “Aargau Kanton Accent” which I thought was cool (we were in Bern).  Getting home was a bit of a nightmare, (the first problems I’ve had with Swiss transportation that weren’t my fault) and it took me a few extra hours than expected.  I was home really late, but it was well worth my awesome evening. 

Castle of Thun

City of Thun

Who knew Casper'd be there?

We thought this sign was the funniest thing to see on the castle.

My Canadian Carly! <3

On Saturday, my GA once again came in handy when I met up with more exchange students and went to Konstanz (Germany).  It is right on the border, but it is awesome for shopping (wayyyy cheaper!).  We spent the day enjoying the ability to afford the clothes we wanted and stocking up on cosmetics that were less than half the cost of the same products in Switzerland.  On my way home, without realizing, I took a very bad choice of route.  I fell asleep (go figure) and when I woke up, I thought something felt a little strange.  I tried to seem casual as I asked the girl beside me what country we were in.  Germany.  My Swiss GA does not cover travel within Germany.  I was extremely lucky that no one as checking tickets, because I didn’t have a cent left after my day of shopping to pay a ticket price- or a fine. 

Ethiopian Culture

On Saturday night I went next door for a big dinner to celebrate the Ethiopian culture (where Lidya and Luca come from).  The entire living room and dining room was full of tables and other families with children from Ethiopia were also there.  Wimi and Natalia know a woman from Ethiopia who came to the house and cooked all of the traditional food.  There were beets, chickpeas, spicy meat, chopped potatoes, carrots, beans, and a kind of gravy.  It was all served on top of large crepe-like bread.  Using another crepe, you rip off pieces and pick up the food with your hands.  The crepe is supposed to keep your fingers relatively clean, which only worked for about the first thirty seconds in my case.  I was completely stuffed afterwards with delicious, fabulous food. 

Wimi serving up!

To Keep the Hands "Clean"

Final (Incredible) Product

I was also exhausted- the dinner table took more concentration that I would have thought.  At the far end were people speaking Swiss German, in the middle there was High German (for me) and at the other end was all English for a woman from Hawaii who speaks no German.  It was unbelievable how hard I had to focus on the middle conversation to try to block out the English.  By the end of the night it became impossible and I sort of just zoned out altogether, unable to separate the babble of multi languages.  After dinner, I was reminded by Wimi that I have less than two weeks left in Untersiggenthal, and I felt my eyes automatically well up with tears.  One might say exchange makes you stronger- more immune to difficult emotions.  It doesn’t.  When I’m sad, nervous, embarrassed, or overwhelmed I still feel the tears coming- no matter how I try to stop them.  It’s just who I am- and my family right now knows that, so I don’t try to hide it.  They pretty much know everything about me now- all my strengths, all of my faults.  Maybe they should send a warning to my second family about my crazy ways…

Planning the Future

Being here, in a totally new place has got me thinking about what I want to do in life- who I want to be.  Trust me- when you don’t understand what’s going on around you- one has a lot of time on their hands to think.  I see so many new ways of life, new styles, new activities, and I have come to a conclusion about my future: I have no idea what to do.  I want to learn more languages and travel the world.  I want to become a doctor and do mission work.  I want to have a fancy car, designer clothes, learn to walk in high heels, wear red lipstick and drink from fancy over-priced coffee shops.  I want to wear second hand unique clothes, live simply, drink green tea, throw my makeup away, start riding my bike and learn yoga (or at least how to cross my legs). I want to have a great big fancy house on the water, where I can have the most amazing parties, spend free time in my boat, and smile as people take pictures of my mansion from the bay.  I want to have a little log cabin with a wood fire in a remote place where only my closest friends and family can come. I want to shave my head bald for cancer, I want to let it grow past my bum.   I want to go to school for years and learn everything there is to know.  I want to skip school all together and just work, and live in a million different places.  I learn how much I love to be Canadian, and I realize how much more I want to learn more about new cultures.  I said something to my mom on Skype the other day that even surprised me.  I said “I am sorry mom, but I hope that you know when I come back to Midland, I’m not staying there.” So I guess I have figured out only one thing absolutely and certainly- there is far too much I haven’t seen yet to make any decisions. 

Thanks for reading everyone, 'till next week!

xo

Foggy Foggy Days

Despite the fact that the sun has not shone at all in the past week, it has been more or less a good one.  My Kanton here is famous for the everlasting fog in autumn while the others are experiencing an Indian summer in the sunshine.  I have been wearing lots of track pants and sweaters, which is seriously frowned upon in such a fashionable country, but I am fully okay with it.  This week was a bit of a mix between totally wonderful and seriously difficult, but, as always, I got through.  I am still here (and happy!) to tell my Swiss tales.  The adventures of my week:

Dudelsackspieler - Bagpipe Player

Drehorgelmusik



Apperantly Jimmy Hendrix






My Girls

As you all know, I love my friends with a passion.  They are not “the girls” I hang out with; they are “my girls”.  On Monday I was lucky enough to Skype with Nat back home and have some much needed catch-up time.  It was the most satisfying feeling in the world to know that even though I have seriously changed and grown in only three months, it was like no time had gone by.  We talked about funny stories, mistakes, lessons, experiences, and what great food we have eaten lately.  I love my girls.  Speaking of my friends, I have also had the best time ever with my friends here in Switzerland.  Hayley from Alberta came over on the weekend for a sleepover.  I met her at the bus stop and after sprinting into a hug, she immediately presented me with a Tupperware container.  She had cooked her family a thanksgiving dinner, and thought I’d be in need of a little home-style turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes.  It may seem funny, but it was such a sweet and kind gesture to be thought of, and to be able to experience a taste of a much loved holiday I missed out on.  We stayed up well into the night, laughing, eating too much chocolate, and devouring the maple candies we know we are supposed to be giving away as gifts.  When life is overwhelming- have a pyjama party with a good friend and good food.  Everything seems lighter.  Another cool thing I did with my friends here was on last Thursday.  We had the afternoon free and just hopped on a train with no specific destination in mind.  We ended up at a delicious chocolate specialty café (someone`s host parents owned it, therefore free goods).  Then, we went and saw a castle.  How cool is that? Hmm, today let’s see a castle.  Who knows what we’ll see this week?!  With the girls from my class, I went skating after school last week.  I was one of two women on the entire full rink wearing “men’s skates” (as they call them- hockey/normal skates as I consider them).  I was extremely glad that I had improved my skating skills last year because wearing my Canadian mittens; I realized I had a bit of a stereotype to live up to.  It felt so good to be back on ice and the girls and I spent the whole time laughing, talking, and enjoying the beautiful full-mooned night.  I occasionally would plow through a group of figure skaters, standing on one leg with the closest to ballerina arms I could manage.  It didn’t look all that grateful, but it’s important to at least pretend to fit in sometimes- or to make people laugh at you.  I have gotten very good at that. 

Lenzburg Castle



TGIF- Thank God It’s Friday

Last Friday started out like any other, I was beyond exhausted, but otherwise in an exceptional mood.  I tend to like Fridays, TGIF of course, but things started to go a little downhill.  I went to my first class and was happily reading my children’s stories in the back.  My good friend suggested I try the exercise they were doing, because it wasn’t very difficult.  Or so she thought.  It was an exercise to write about our favourite person/friend/family member and explain the characteristics of that person.  I wrote “Meine Schwester” (my sister) at the top of the page, and then without warning- broke down.  A mix of exhaustion and a moment of overwhelming homesickness left me tearing in the back of the class.   To make matters worse, the class then began to read from the book.  The teacher, who always like to joke around with me, asked if I’d like to read aloud for the class (he was joking- it is very hard text).  He hadn’t seen me before, but then he and the rest of the class were staring at me as tears were pouring down my face.  Nothing makes me more uncomfortable than feeling stupid and embarrassed.  I just couldn’t keep it together.  Finally, I composed myself, and he asked again to the class if anyone wanted to read aloud (I thought).  I just started to read, trying desperately to prove I wasn’t a baby, but he stopped me after a few sentences.  “Stephie,” he said lightly, “I am very sorry, but I didn’t ask for people to read yet.” Thank god no one laughed, or mocked or giggled.  It was hard enough as it were.  Any one of those things I would have been able to handle on its own, but all together I was feeling broken and just went home.  When I got there, I read with the kids next door, talked to my mom on Skype, and got a very special e-mail.  My best friend from school sent me a message that said, “I am so proud of you.   I think it’s really cool you tried to read.  There is no way any of us in class would be brave enough to do that.” That, was enough to turn my day around. 

Rotary

I attended my second rotary meeting last week, in order to meet our new governor general.  He is the third youngest governor general in the world, at fifty-five years old. It was amazing how much more interesting an hour and a half meeting is when you understand a good portion of going on.  I no longer had to watch the other people to find out when it was appropriate to smile, laugh, or look concerned.  I just knew what was happening.  I introduced myself to everyone again (most of them had forgotten who I was and were confused to see a young girl in the midst of fifty old men).  I gave my little speech (hi, I’m Stephanie, I am your exchange student, I come from Canada) to one man and then waited a solid ten seconds before I realized he hadn’t heard a word I’d said.  Turns out he was the one who wanted to talk to me the most and I spent the rest of the evening yelling across the table until he’d heard me correctly.  The time flew by and it was incredible to be part of the conversations instead of sitting in and listing to what sounded like gibberish in August. 

Seriously Soccer

When I was having the trouble with my soccer licence, I ended up telling my German teacher about it in a class.  She was appalled, and immediately took charge of the situation.  She contacted her friend, who within three days had found me another team in Baden and took me there personally to make sure it was clear I would get a licence.  In between this process I received the licence for my first team Obbersiggenthal (where I played my first game), but I decided to check out this second team anyways.  I am so glad I did.  The coach was so excited to see me.  He said he understands my situation is special and will be helping me whenever possible.  He has started trying to find me warm-up uniforms to borrow, gave me a team list, talked to me about practice schedules, and told me exactly what I have to do to get a new licence.  We trained harder than I have yet in Switzerland and it just felt so good.  We practice Tuesdays and Fridays.  Tuesdays are outside, and Fridays are inside.  It is now Monday, and I am still sore from the intensity of the workout on Friday.  I love it.  The girls were incredible, always helping me, always speaking in High German, and always making sure I was happy.  They asked if I would come out with them next week after practice and it turns out one girl and I live in the same town.  She has a ski house in the mountains and said she`d love to have me in the winter.  It was just such a cool atmosphere and for once I didn`t feel like I was just totally and completely lost.  Sometimes things just fit, it just feels right. 

Recording

On Sunday I spent the whole afternoon with my dad in his school playing around with some recording.  He spent hours and hours of his time, and it was so cool to have such high-tech equipment.  I have tried to attach a few songs- I hope it worked! Country roads was one of the first songs I learned from Daria and Falling Slowly is what I always used to sing with Livi back home <3

Meine Schwester

One of the hardest things about leaving my family now is the fact that I will be leaving my host-sister Daria.  I the last few weeks we have had a lot of fun together shopping, talking flea marketing, exploring, photo shooting, and laughing.  I really feel like I have gotten to know her and it will just be weird to be in a family without her now.  On Sunday we went to Basel (yet another new Kanton for me!) and spent our day in an enormous Christmas market.  We ate roasted chestnuts and checked out all of the hippie stands.  I ended up buying a warm headband for winter.  My hair is so long now (I can’t afford a haircut for Swiss prices) and I no longer fits comfortably under my hat.  I think my headband is pretty, but I was just told by the chef in the cafeteria I resemble Jimmy Hendrix.  Great.  Not the look I was going for.  Daria and I also spent the good portion of an evening last week being totally ridiculous and conducting a photo-shoot in the basement.  We were both up way to late, but we were practically peeing ourselves looking at the hilarious outcome of our shots.  Thanks for sharing your family with me Daria, and for being just an awesome Host-Sister <3 Here are some pictures from our week:

We may be a little crazy...

or very much so!

Doing what we love <3

Nope, I haven't learned guitar here
No, Daria doesn't play the drums
...but we sure are happy pretending :)

Ein Viertel Schon Vorbei

“A Quarter Already Gone By”

During my period of homesickness a while ago, I was so down in the dumps that I actually counted my weeks here- how many I’ve been here, how many to go.  This turned into a positive thing, when I realized this past Wednesday marked one quarter of my exchange year.  My emotions suddenly changed from feeling like the end of this year would never come to freaking out because it’s already gone by too fast! I had a really great week, and once again, as always, much to say. 

Multi-Language Life

Here, I here so many languages and I find it beyond interesting.  I really hope to learn French when I get home, and I may even start studying it later while I’m here.  Daria and Andreas just started speaking French the other night at dinner, and I was surprised when I understood some.  In choir I am singing in Latin (and have written a second line of pronunciation reminders).  In my private class I am singing Italian.  At home I am listening to Swiss-German rap.  It’s amazing.  It’s not that I understand these languages; I just like hearing the different sounds and feeling like I’m more culturally educated than I am.  In choir we are also learning an English song.  There was a five minute pronunciation lesson which was hilarious, because the conductor clearly didn’t speak great English.  I half wanted to interject, but I never want to come across as a know-it-all.  Plus, every time I consider it, I suddenly wonder if I’m wrong and I’d just be embarrassing myself! I also think I need to look into Spanish a bit.  I was with a lot of other exchange students Saturday night and we were dancing.  My lack of rhythm and ability to look cool is exaggerated more so than in Canada when I’m dancing with six Latin girls.  I also realize I’m the only one who has to mumble the Pitbull lyrics. While my Spanish is non-existent, my ability to understand Swiss German is finally started to improve- even though it’s only slightly.  However, sometimes I don’t even recognize that it’s Swiss German I have understood! Yesterday I took Luca to Lydia’s theatre production.  He only speaks Swiss German, but I actually understood him.  The play was also in Swiss German, but I found that with only one person talking, and the rest of the room dead silent I was surprisingly able to translate into High German.  I have realized that now I don’t always have to translate High German into English.  Probably most of the time, but not always.  It’s not like I’m changing everything around in my head now, because what I am hearing, or saying, just makes sense in German.  I understand what I’m hearing in German, and so I am naturally starting to think in that language.  It’s a little hard to explain. 

School

School is also becoming easier, slowly but surely.  I had a bit of an embarrassing experience last week though.  They were correcting a test in geography (which h of course I didn’t write).  I was bored out of my mind, and extremely tired.  I figured it’d be okay for me to close my eyes for a second until they were finished.  A while later (still no idea how long) I was suddenly aware that things had gotten extremely quiet.  The teacher had stopped his lecture and was looking directly at me, along with the rest of the class, completely passed out in my chair at the back.  I suddenly felt as if someone had lit a fire by my face and I knew how red I must have looked.  Thankfully he wasn’t too angry.  As a way to make up for my lack of concentration in geography, I decided that I would one hundred percent, whole heartedly, pay attention for the entire double period of history.  With the love of my life close by my side (my dictionary), I prepared to try my best.  The first forty five minutes left me totally in awe.  I had understood. Everything.  It was some lesson on the hierarchy of law and power in Siena, Italy a long time ago.  After these forty five minutes I was totally exhausted, and my concentration for the day was totally used up.  But, it was pretty cool. 

In other news: I got the results from my biology test last week. Here, grades range from the points 1-6.  A 4 is a pass.  I took my test and checked to the top corner.  I wasn’t nervous, just interested how things had actually turned out.  My mark was very special.  Different than any other in the class.  I simply had a smiley face and- “Great try Stephanie!”   It was fabulous.  I don’t know what would have been more embarrassing, a 1, or a J.  But I was okay with it!

In better news: last week I understood the gym teacher properly and there was no more gymnastics.  Our rugby lesson was totally unbelievable and fun.  It reminded me a lot of elementary school.  I used to go to school in my worst clothes I owned because I knew for a fact I’d be returned, muddy, bruised, wet, limping and possibly bloody from the day’s tackle football experiences.  We were inside last week, but it was still so much fun.  Everyone put in full effort in every sprint, every tackle, and every throw.  I made a couple of appreciated plays, but ended up flat on the ground with no ball more often.  Injuries were limited, to pulled muscles, bruises, a fat lip, and minimal bloody scratches or gym-floor-burns.  These girls are tough. 

In art we had another photo-shoot, but this time our theme was “Recycling”.  I ended up being dressed up in newspaper and asked to pose like a ballerina.  This was going well, except for the occasion time I would try a new pose and hear a big ripping sound occurring somewhere in my wardrobe.  We had a large role of tape that was necessary the entire photo-shoot for fix ups.  My outfit was surprisingly most durable and stable- the other two girls in my group were dressed in maple leaves and toilet paper! I laughed so hard that tears rolled down my face reviewing the pictures, deleting ones with clearly visible (and embarrassing) outfit malfunctions, and seeing the hilarious pictures we came up with.  I really love the girls in my class- we have so much fun together. 

Soccer

Just when I had totally and finally accepted that I wouldn’t be playing a soccer game this year, something crazy happened.  When I had packed my cleats away, and stopped showing to practice, I got a phone call.  I got my soccer licence!! Isn’t that how it always goes? My first game (and last- season is now finished) was on Wednesday just after I got a call saying I was finally approved.  I was nervous out of my mind, totally unprepared for being in a game.  I suddenly realized I don’t even know who is forward, mid, and defence…I didn’t even know who our goalie was! I showed up at our meeting point Wednesday night and tried to get a grip on my nerves.  We dressed in our gold, black, and red, each got identified by the ref with the book of licences, and stepped onto the field for our warm-up.  I hadn’t even realized before then that I am playing in a women’s league until then because my team is really young.  I realized just how little I knew about this league, and this game.  We all shook hand before the game (Canada we always do it after), then held hands and bowed to the crowd (a few old men smoking on the sidelines).  I was thankful not to be chosen for first string, and watched attentively to see how we play our game.  Our right forward was starting to slow down and my coach was getting frustrated.  I tried to telepathically send him messages (along with making obvious puppy eyes) to get me on the field.  When he told me to start warming up I practically shot of the bench.  I have never been so happy to be asked to do high knees and accelerations.  I ran my heart out on the field, took a few women out when necessary and just tried as hard as I could.  I knew I had to prove my play to start second half. At the half, we walked into the change room to relax, have another team talk and get something to drink.  There was colored liquid in plastic glasses served to us, and I was so happy because I thought it was Gatorade (with a weird-colour).  Turned out to be hot tea.  Leave it to Switzerland.  Second half I played centre mid, and felt pretty at home.  Even though we lost brutally, I went home like a kid who just got their first goal.  I had totally forgotten how much I love the sport.  I am looking now for a new team that is accessible from my next two houses.  This means…a new license.  Wish me luck!

Halloween

A lot of people have asked me if they celebrate Halloween here and the answer is not really.  We had about 10-15 trick-or-treaters, even though there are tons of kids in town.  There were no decorations, parties, or orange and black clothed people.  However, on Thursday night last week I did go to a kind of festival that takes place every October within Swiss (and German) towns.  All of the kids in kindergarten or younger are given a vegetable that I have no idea what is called in English.  It’s somehow a large, round-ish root vegetable that is purplish, orangish white.  Sorry for that horrible explanation.  The kids decorate these during their school day (carving them in the same way we carve pumpkins).  At night, the street lights and house lights in town are all turned off and the children walk in a parade of candle-lit lanterns and sing songs.  Afterwards people drink tea and eat cake.  It was really interesting to see!

Movin’ on Out

Since it is less than four weeks before I go to me next family, I went there on the weekend so see my new house and bedroom.  This was the best possible idea.  Before I was so nervous, not because of my next family, just of dealing with the change.  I have already met my next family before and I know they are wonderful people, but it’s hard, and it’s scary starting all over again when I am just now starting to feel totally grounded in my home.  Then again, what is this year if it’s not a learning experience? Anyways, I am feeling one hundred percent more confident after seeing my gorgeous next home.  An old farm house completely renovated into a totally cool, edgy, modern, black and white, hardwood floored, big home.  My room is huge, and the only problem is that I have so much space I don’t have any excuse in the world for spreading out my possessions over the floor.  Out the kitchen window is all rolling hills of farms and looks like a post card.  I can’t wait to run there.  The bus system isn’t great, and it’s too far up on a steep hill to bike, but just seeing this place has reassure me it’s going to be okay, and I am going to be just as happy in my next third of my exchange. 

Have a great week everyone.  Hugs and kisses to all around the world who still take time to catch up on all my adventures and such.  Love from Untersiggenthal <3 !