First week of School!

Last week was my first week of school, normally at home it would not be a big deal. A lot of paper-work to get signed, new classes, and teachers, but nothing out of the ordinary. This was different. For one everything is in German, and when the class is done they talk to each other in Swiss German- which to me still sounds completely foreign. I introduced myself to every teacher, I apparently have a very good accent. In Switzerland, you have different classes everyday and in total I think I have 12 or 13 different classes. It is a really nice balance for me, and I definitely like this system a lot better than how school is at home. We also have mostly the same students in every class with a perfect size of 16! My smallest class will be with 2 students, me and Yuka from Japan on Thursday afternoons to learn German. Everyone was so wonderful and nice to me, and took me to where I needed to be.
     On Monday, I don't have school until 9:20 which allows me to sleep until 8 am. Even with the extra sleep I still need at least 2 espressos every morning. I shower, then get dressed- trying to look the least foreign as possible: skinny jeans, stripped H+M sweater, and flats. I apparently succeed in that task. For my first day, my host mom drove me the 10 minutes to school! I was to meet the 'Projektor' of the school and he would take me to my first class. I was very proud of my self to have been able to find his office without any problem, walk trough the front door and up two flight of stairs. He met me at 9:10 and took me to English, my first class on Mondays. That was most likely the absolute best class to start school with. I wasn't lost when the teacher, who is from New Zealand, spoke and I was able to understand everything that was going on.  After one period of English (40 min.) we then had a 10 min. break and off to Informatik, basically computer programming. We have ten minutes between every class, which you need, because for some classes, like Informatik , you trek up the street 5 ish minutes to the 'Seminar' building. Informatik itself was not too difficult, because we were just writing some letters on a grid. Ok, so it wasnt that simple, there are specific places to put the letters, but it wasnt too hard. At 11:50 we are done with class and have school off for lunch until 1:30. I take the bus back home for a wonderful meal, more coffee and back to school. I then have a drawing class for two periods, with a short break in between. We drew portraits using fruits and vegetables. It was strange. Then Biology, were studying genes- a part of Freshman biology for me-. Then off to German, they are reading and analyzing literature and poems. Needless to say, I was completely lost. When school finished, at 5:00 pm today, I was completely exhausted.
    Tuesday...my first class is at 7:30, whoop whoop!, meaning I set my alarm for 5:45, allowing myself 15 min. to wake up before taking a quick shower. I think Tuesdays will require three espressos before heading off to school. Thankfully the days started with one period of English. Then my first Geography class, which was pretty good, were studying India. Then French was next, we had a test, which I took, but I don't think I did very well because there was a large section of German-French translating... I doubt that test will count. Port french, I have Phisiks.. which went right over my head, for one my teacher is a little bit crazy and everything was in German. He also didn't explain anything- or at least to my understanding, but its not just me who is completely lost. Then I have chemistry, which was actually alright, because I took chemistry last year and was able to understand how do work out the problems. I was so glad to be able to home after 5 long periods in the morning. I even got a 10 min. power nap in before heading back to school! When you are in the 4th year of Kollegi, you pick a main subject to study, and I have drawing/art with half of my class- the other half have music. We are studying photography and learned how to develop film! The school has a dark-room, which I didn't even know existed. There is also a bomb shelter in the basement. Thankfully, school was over at 3:10 and not 5:00.
    Wednesday which I think it will become my new favorite day of the week. I was able to sleep an extra hour, until 7 and started my day with History. This is normally one of my favorite subjects, but it was all in german, so basically I was completely lost. After history, half of the 4th class heads out to 'Swimmbad Altdorf' for Swimming class! I have never had swimming in school, and I was actually really excited. There are 3 levels of swimmers; the worst, the middle, and the best. I didn't have to take a swim test, and was put in the middle group. I think swimming was my least exhausting class because of the very little German spoken. Yes we did some really strange and at times strenuous exercises, but our teacher just demonstrated. We have two periods of swimming, and then the bus takes us back to the Kollegi, but I was able to get off at my stop, as it was then lunch time. After a wonderful lunch, I headed back to school for math class. Were studying Geometry currently, and thankfully I have a wonderful teacher. I have not been good at math the past two years, but I think this year I will have a much easier time. Another reason why I will love Wednesdays, were done with school at 3:10! After school I went out for ice-cream in Altdorf with two girls from my class. We also walked up to the Monastery in Altdorf, where you can see all of the town and the other four in the same valley. I imagine it would be beautiful at night! If only I had brought my camera...
    Thursday: I never liked Thursdays, but these might be alright, but definitely not my favorite. For one, I have to wake up bright and early at 5:45 because I have three periods of a special art class which start at 7:30 until 10:00. We looked through photography books, and then our teacher talked for a really long time, and I didn't understand very much at all. I almost fell asleep. Then off to Geography for more of India studying, working on a map with the major cities and neighboring countries. We then had Physiks, and not just normal class but a test. All in German, with one page of English that I was able to do. The rest, I sat there with my German-English dictionary trying to understand what the question was asking me. It was extremely frustrating. I felt so much better when I came home for a fantastic lunch of; something similar to macaroni and cheese, except so much better! Then back to school for math, still wonderful, and a very confusing German literature class. I will actually have a special class on Thursday afternoons, a German intensive learning course, but that starts next week.
    Friday: FINALLY! Unfortunately my Fridays start with a 5:45 alarm and two periods of sports, whoop whoop! Normally sports is split between girls and boys, but on Friday we had it together. We played soccer, or Football for those non-Americans, this weird sport with Tennis rackets which are used to move the ball across the ground, and then went up to the field to spin Soccer balls around. I then had English test, I didn't even bother studying. I then got to go home... at 10:10 and did not have to be back at school by 1:30. I slept, for an hour. After a wonderful 3.5 hours of break, I headed back for two periods of French. That and English are the two classes I actually understand!! We didn't have any 3-5 class, teacher meeting, so I headed home.

I don't think I have ever been this mentally exhausted in my life. I am constantly trying to translate and understand what people are saying to me. When I get home, all I want to do is sleep, but I have to continue to remind myself that I am not on exchange to sleep, I could do that anywhere. I am here to learn a new language and culture and have the most changing and wonderful year. I know that once the language begins to 'click' I will have a much better time, but for now it is really difficult. Well that's all for now, I am off to bed, its 11 oclock here and I have to be up early to go to Luzern for a Rotary function.

Simba: the Musical

Singing 'Can you feel the love tonight"

Last night, Martha- my host mom- and I went to the theater in Altdorf to see 'Simba'. Basically, it's 'The Lion King' except everything was in Swiss German; the songs, the program, and the speaking. Other than not being able to understand anything, it was a very impressive production. Absolutely wonderful costumes and spectacular actors. We sat in the third row and had a fantastic view of the stage. I might not have understood what was being spoken, but because I know the story of the Lion King very well, I had no problem understanding where they were in the story. There was wonderful dancing numbers and musical numbers. I found it quite strange that all the songs were in German, I recognized a lot of the tunes from the Original musical. My absolute favorite moment of the night was the final number 'Can you feel the Love Tonight',  of course it was in German, but I sung along in my head in English. It was so strange to hear it in German, because that is not how I learned it. I was completely exhausted when the show was over, because for one I had just sat through 2 hours of so of straight Swiss German and I had just finished my first week of school. I was really happy to have been able to take these pictures of the show:

Its a perfect day for a Swiss Wedding!

     Yesterday was the perfect day for a wedding, the sky was blue, sunshine, and the most perfect water on Lake Urnesee possible. Elizabeth, my oldest host sister- who I met Friday for the first time- married Thomas, her boyfriend of 8 years.
     The past week has been absolutely crazy, my two other host sisters; Manuela and Marion and their father have practiced their piece for the wedding, the music to be played in church, they were constantly arguing in dialect Swiss German, which unfortunately is still a complete mystery to me ( the only Swiss German word I know is 'choki' meaning chocolate, but it is the only important word) the only parts of the arguing I understood were the tone and expressions, and even that was hilarious. On Friday, the day before the wedding, the three of them (Manuela, Marion, and Martha- their mother) were up until 3 am finishing a power point of photo and a photo album for the couple. I decided at around midnight it would be a very good decision for me to go to bed, and leave all the wedding drama.
     Thankfully, we were able to sleep in, or at least I was because the wedding was not until 2 oclock in the afternoon, but we left the house at 12:30 first to pick up Marion and her boyfriend and drive to Brunnen, about 20 minutes away. Once there, I met almost everyone who was a guest at the wedding. It was the same introduction over and over again, 'Hi, Kelsey, exchange student living with Martha' of course I introduced my self in German (whoop whoop!). We waited outside a hotel along the water for a few minutes before boarding a boat that would take us to Bauen, and to the church. On the boat, you had some absolutely beautiful views of the lake, clear and green it was absolutely perfect. Orange Juice, Sparkling water, and White Wine were served on the boat as it took us to the church.
     The temperature was perfect for a wedding, warm but not humid and hot. Once we arrived in Bauen, we walked a little to the church, a small almost chapel, old beautiful church. Inside were massive old paintings and marble decorations. I sat with Thomas, Marion's boyfriend, he doesn't speak any English, but we were both in a similar situation, hardly anyone knew who we were. Because it was a church wedding, it was quite long, and of course being in Switzerland all in German, but not the German I have learned-Swiss German, and a different dialect than I have heard. Of course I was absolutely lost, and completely exhausted after listening to the priest. I attempted to follow the ceremony, but I had no idea what was happening. When they recite-ted vows, I didn't have any clue how they got to that section so fast. Even though I didn't understand a word, it was a beautiful wedding. I really enjoyed the fact we had real bread, not the wafers I am used to at church, but real bread. It was absolutely delicious.
    After the ceremony we headed back outside to the boat dock to await the boat which would take us on a hour long trip back to Brunnen, for the reception. There were lots of appetizers and of course more drinks. After congratulating the couple, its three kisses on the cheek in Switzerland to greet someone, we ate a little food and moved out of the sun to the back of the boat to  enjoy the shade and beauty of the mountains and water. I really enjoyed the appetizer hour on the boat, it was very relaxing and extremely beautiful. After the wonderful boat ride around the lake, we had more drinks on the patio while the reception room was being prepared. My feet were killing me, and because Manuela and I have the same size shoes she let me wear her brown heels, which were way more comfortable than my flats, for the rest of the night.
  We then headed into dinner, I was seated with people who spoke English - finally!!- we had a first course of salad, which was really strange and served with smoked Salmon. I spent a lot of the night talking to Markus, who speaks perfect English and was telling me of his world travels, he has been to 54 countries! In between all the courses, were presentations from a variety of people, school friends of Thomas who wore these really strange Orange hats and got really drunk, parents etc. After salad, was a Lemon Soup, which was absolutely delicious. Then beef, with potatoes, and veggies. For dessert, we had a huge buffet, with every thing you could imagine; fruit, cake, tarts, tiramisu, chocolate mousse, creme brulee, panna cotta, the list goes on. The dinner was extremely long, we didn't have dessert until half past 11!
   There was dancing, bride and groom shared a lovely first dance, and then more people joined in. It was a really beautiful wedding, and compared to weddings I have attended at home, it was very similar. The only difference was that everything was in German. People were very nice to me, and for the basic questions I was able to answer in German, but once you get to 'Why are you in Switzerland' I cannot explain it well German.
    The wedding began to die down around 1 am, but it was 'too loud' in the reception room, so everyone that was left went to the bar for more drinks. I left with Marion and Thomas- her boyfriend- at 3:30 am, and was completely exhausted when I was finally able to sleep. I slept in today, and later we are going to bike ride to school so that I can find my way tomorrow, for my first day of school!!

First Rotary Meeting!

Today, as I do not have to go to school - its presentation week, and I was not put into a group, so I do not start until next week. At around 11:45 my counselor, Micheal, picked me up and took me to the 'Holfi Hotel' in the center of Altdorf for the meeting. When we arrived, I was introduced and greeted by every member who was there. To me, this was a new custom, at home when I go to Rotary meetings there are more than a hundred people there, and I only talk to maybe 10 or so in one lunch. There were about 45 people there today, and I met every one of them. Apparently this was a large group, usually only 30 or so come to the meetings and there are 72 in total for the Rotary Club of Uri. After introductions, we sat down for the three course lunch, offered with red wine. First we ate the salad course, with Gorgonzola croztini and pear salad. Then a main course of duck, in a pepper sauce, with rice and green beans. For dessert was a beautiful plate of home-made apricot mousse, in a huckleberry sauce, and fresh fruit. That lunch was fantastic and all the Rotarians were so warm and welcoming. Post lunch, I was formally introduced to the Rotary club, by Micheal- my counselor, and then we had a speaker. What he talked about, I could not tell you because his presentation was in Swiss German (I think...) and I had no idea what so ever what he was saying, but I listened intently, and I think I did a very good job at faking it.

2 Weeks!

Its official, I have been living in the wonderfully amazing country of Switzerland for a  whole two weeks! It does not feel like it has been two weeks, it feels as no time at all has past. In some ways if feels as though i have been here for a lifetime, but when I look at the calender and realize that today is September first, everything changes. I realize that in such a short period of time, I have learned so much:
1. First and probably most importantly I have finally figured how to get home from the Luzern-Altdorf tell bus, with out getting lost, while carrying a map.
2. I have discovered how to get to Luzern by train, without getting lost.
3. How to figure out witch coins are witch without really looking.
4. The amount of German I have learned still continues to amaze me. I can hold a conversation, with about a 2nd grade level, and understand quite a lot if people speak slowly.
5. That you really should never say no to an adventure, because you never know what you'll miss out if you say no.

Today, I was able to go on a lovely hike with my host mom and her sisters dog. When we left, I had no idea where we were hiking, how long we would be gone, or really anything we were going to do. We drove just outside of Altdorf, to the Eggberge (it is a small gondola) where we parked and went inside to buy tickets. Once the gondola itself arrived to the building, from the top of the mountain, we boarded with the dog and rode up the mountain. It was one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen, as the gondola climbed higher and higher into the sky the town below became smaller and smaller. You can see everything from the top, and I was completely awestruck by the beauty of these mountains.

The spectacular view from the top, after the 5 min. Gondola ride
We then set off hiking to a little restaurant and over to another Gondola
Which would take us down the mountain. 

Oh the places you could go, but I don't remember which direction we went...

Notice the church in the background, I was surprised at how many people live this far up on the mountain. There are no paved roads, and you need a special car to get up and down the hill. While walking along, we saw a lot of other hikers, some mountain bikers, and a lot of local people. I cannot imagine living so high up, on a mountain with very seldom going into town

Happy cows are not from California, 

happy cows come from the mountains in Switzerland. 

Oh and did I mention the quantity of cows who live here, in Summer they wear these huge bells which make such a wonderful sound. They are all very friendly and love it if you will pet them on the head. These cows are completely pampered, they get to roam free and eat all the grass they could ever want. They are all dairy cows, I think, and are very well fed. 

Some of the bikers we saw, they had a really hard ride

 the hike had very few down-hill stretches. 

.

The hike itself was very tiring, not only was it extremely hot, but we were hiking up hills and through the forest. We didn't see any wildlife, unless you count cows... but a lot of people and very beautiful scenery. After about 2 hours of hiking, we arrived at the little restaurant on the mountain, for something to drink and apple cake. There was a lake just below, but it looked really dirty, some of the mountain bikers were brave enough to jump in. After a snack, we set off for about another hour of hiking, finally some down-hill, until we reached a gondola and set off for home.