A Typical Day...

As there is way too much to write about the four days I have been here- so much has happened and it would take me hours to write everything that I have seen, the people that I have met, and the country I now call home. So, I decided to explain a typical day here in Switzerland for me. Last week, and this week I will trek to Emmenbruke for a German Language Course. This requires me to wake up at 7, after sleeping through my alarm, eat a delicious breakfast of espresso, bread with butter and apricot jam, orange juice and sometimes some fruit. Then I walk to the 'Tell Bus" stop, about 15 min walk to the center of Altdorf, where the bus arrives at 8 am, stoping twice on the the 35 min. journey to the Luzern central station. If the bus is on time, I hop on a train to Sursee, and get off in Emmenbruke then walk a few minutes to the building where language camp is. If the bus is late, then i have to wait for the 9.02 train, which would make me only  a few minutes late. The problem on Thursday was that for one, I don't speak much German, and some of the trains here split, one half goes one way, the other goes the other way. That is exactally what happend on Thursday, Me and Sarah (from Canada) were on the right train, but it split and went the opposite direction of Emmenbruke, when we realized what had happened we got off the train in Meggen, and waited for the next train to Luzern central station. When we finally arrived at lnguage class, we were over an hour late... oops!

There are 11 other Rotary Students, 4 from Canada, 2 (including me) from the US, and 6 from South America (2 from Mexico, 2 from Ecuador, 1 from Venezuela, and 1 from Argentina). The course is taught at a 2nd grade level, and our teacher will translate in both English and Spanish, by the end I have a terrible headache and my head is always spinning. German itself is a language to learn, the conjugation is fairly easy for me- because it is a pattern. I am terrible at pronouncing words, because I either pronounce them with a French accent or an Italian accent, and sometimes the only words I can think of are in Spanish. It makes German quite difficult, but I learn more every day and soon will be able to hold a conversation without my handy German-English dictionary. 

-Emmenbruke-
       ---Train station--

 - There are Swans all around the lake and River, all are very well fed and extremely white.

 Post language course, we take the train back to Luzern station, where I have to wait for an hour for the bus to Altdorf, I usually get ice-cream and walk aimlessly around the city. Luzern itself is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, from the old buildings, the amazingly clear and green water, and the wooden bridges- I love this city. I wander around, staying close to the river so I could find my way back to the train station, seeing what I see, and trying to blend in. I have actually become quite good at it, the only thing that will give me away is when I pull out my camera and start taking pictures- then I really feel like a tourist.

Above: One of the bridges in Luzern, lined with the Swiss Flag and the Luzern flag.
On the Left: One of the many boats, which I can ride   for free with my pass, one of these days I will get on one...