2 days until--I go to Paris for five days with Dina.
10 days until--prom... Swiss style! It's going to be on a boat that crosses the lake and then drops us off in Geneva.
11 days until--graduation!! I can't believe I'm finally graduating from high school. Also, congrats to all my Summit buds who graduated on Friday. I soo wish I could have been there.
12 days until--I leave Switzerland! And head to Amsterdam and Prague for a week :]
18 days until--I leave Europe. Wow. Then it's off to a family reunion at Lake Tahoe.
23 days until--I'm back in the Bay. I'm so excited to see everyone!
28 days until--LINES Ballet summer intensive starts... Five weeks of ballet in San Fran.
65 days until--LINES ends.
67 days until--I head back to Switz for a few weeks at the end of the summer.
85 (ish) days until--I go to Mallorca with Caroline and our moms for a joint birthday trip!! Cheap EasyJet tickets are truly amazing.
92 (ish) days until--I leave Switz for Cincinnati... college!!
I can't believe a year has gone by so fast, and I'm about to leave this amazing country. This time last year, I was frantically packing/cleaning/sorting/organizing/freaking out/preparing before our move... it seems crazy that was only a year ago.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Room with a view
Thanks to the many holidays that the Swiss observe following Easter, we were able to escape to Italy this weekend for a three day vacation on the shore of Lake Maggiore.
The drive itself was stunning. It took us about three hours winding through the Alps on a brilliant clear day.
We stayed in a small, colorful B&B right across the street from the lake, with a fantastic view of the three islands. The first day we took a cable car to the top of Mount Rosa (I think that's what it was called... It's the second highest point in Europe!). From the top, we could see seven different lakes. It was gorgeous, but all the photos are on my dad's camera, so you'll have to wait. I'll post a photo journal of the trip ASAP.
Later, we drove to Lake Orta and the town of Orta, which was a quaint, quiet town next to another gorgeous lake.
On Sunday, we drove around Lake Maggiore, stopping in the cute little towns along the way, before taking a ferry back across the lake to Stresa. Monday, we toured one of the islands, Isola Bella, before heading back to Switzerland.
It was an amazing couple of days. The weather was perfect, and the area reminded me of a cross between Hawaii and the Amalfi Coast. I love living here, as it's so easy to travel to a huge amount of amazing places. Next on the agenda... Paris again, but for longer, and with warm weather!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The drive itself was stunning. It took us about three hours winding through the Alps on a brilliant clear day.
We stayed in a small, colorful B&B right across the street from the lake, with a fantastic view of the three islands. The first day we took a cable car to the top of Mount Rosa (I think that's what it was called... It's the second highest point in Europe!). From the top, we could see seven different lakes. It was gorgeous, but all the photos are on my dad's camera, so you'll have to wait. I'll post a photo journal of the trip ASAP.
Later, we drove to Lake Orta and the town of Orta, which was a quaint, quiet town next to another gorgeous lake.
On Sunday, we drove around Lake Maggiore, stopping in the cute little towns along the way, before taking a ferry back across the lake to Stresa. Monday, we toured one of the islands, Isola Bella, before heading back to Switzerland.
It was an amazing couple of days. The weather was perfect, and the area reminded me of a cross between Hawaii and the Amalfi Coast. I love living here, as it's so easy to travel to a huge amount of amazing places. Next on the agenda... Paris again, but for longer, and with warm weather!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Fine dining with friends
Last week, our friends Joe and Leslie visited us from New York. Though I had school, babysitting and ballet to keep me too busy to accompany my parents and our guests on most of their excursions, I did get to spend Saturday evening with them eating what was probably the best meal of my life. We went to dinner at a restaurant called Auberge de l'Onde that was in a small town near Vevey and had a Michelin star.
First off, I met everyone at the restaurant a little late because I was in Geneva watching my ballet school perform the little mermaid (I was supposed to be in the show too, but unfortunately I fell down the stairs a couple weeks before and sprained my ankle pretty badly. Don't worry, it's just about better now!). Anyways, I took the train to the tiny town the restaurant was in. As you go past Lausanne along Lake Geneva, the mountains get steeper and run right into the lake. So, the towns along the lake there are built practically vertically, reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast (we vacationed there in summer 2007, and it seemed like there were more stairs than sidewalks). The train station at St-Saphorin is practically built on the lake. When I got off the train, it was just past sunset; even though it was hazy, I was still pretty amazing. I'm continually awed by the beauty of this place, despite having lived here for ten months.
The restaurant was elegant and old and amazing. The meal was the best I've ever tasted in my life. Not kidding. And after having tasted food from a restaurant with only one Michelin star, I'm itching to experience a three Michelin star meal.
First off, I met everyone at the restaurant a little late because I was in Geneva watching my ballet school perform the little mermaid (I was supposed to be in the show too, but unfortunately I fell down the stairs a couple weeks before and sprained my ankle pretty badly. Don't worry, it's just about better now!). Anyways, I took the train to the tiny town the restaurant was in. As you go past Lausanne along Lake Geneva, the mountains get steeper and run right into the lake. So, the towns along the lake there are built practically vertically, reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast (we vacationed there in summer 2007, and it seemed like there were more stairs than sidewalks). The train station at St-Saphorin is practically built on the lake. When I got off the train, it was just past sunset; even though it was hazy, I was still pretty amazing. I'm continually awed by the beauty of this place, despite having lived here for ten months.
The restaurant was elegant and old and amazing. The meal was the best I've ever tasted in my life. Not kidding. And after having tasted food from a restaurant with only one Michelin star, I'm itching to experience a three Michelin star meal.
Gruyeres
A couple weekends ago, we took a day trip to Gruyeres... it's the place where they make cheese. Yeah, gruyere cheese. It's in a really beautiful valley about an hour drive from where we live. Down below is a factory that you can tour, with SO MUCH CHEESE.
)
I have never seen that much cheese in my life.
Then, up on a hill is the medieval town of Gruyeres. It's definitely a tourist town, but that doesn't stop it from being impressive.
It's a very well preserved and very cute medieval town centered around a castle that used to be the home of the counts of Gruyeres (that is, until they went broke in the 1500s).
While the weather was not the best (May weather in Switzerland is cold, wet, and gray), it was still a really interesting look into Swiss history and cheese making.
By the way, the French claim that they are the producers of gruyere cheese. Don't believe them; they don't have a town called Gruyeres.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I have never seen that much cheese in my life.
Then, up on a hill is the medieval town of Gruyeres. It's definitely a tourist town, but that doesn't stop it from being impressive.
It's a very well preserved and very cute medieval town centered around a castle that used to be the home of the counts of Gruyeres (that is, until they went broke in the 1500s).
While the weather was not the best (May weather in Switzerland is cold, wet, and gray), it was still a really interesting look into Swiss history and cheese making.
By the way, the French claim that they are the producers of gruyere cheese. Don't believe them; they don't have a town called Gruyeres.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, May 3, 2010
death by exams
It's that time of year.
No matter what country I live in, I can't escape the imminent doom of the AP exams. And while last year I had it easy with just one exam, I'm not quite so lucky this year.
I may have brought it upon myself when I signed up for four AP classes, but pure bad luck has all four of my exams scheduled in a row. Tuesday = Spanish, Wednesday = Calculus, Thursday = Literature, Friday = European History. The nice thing is that I'll be finished with my exams by Friday afternoon. It also doesn't give me very much time to panic. But the not so nice thing is that I have much less time to hunker down and study. Though looking at my current amount of excessive procrastination (ahem... I probably shouldn't be blogging right now... it has nothing to do with Spanish verb conjugations), more time to study might not actually result in more studying.
So, I'm getting ready to dive right in and do my best. After this week, I'll only have to go into school for Philosophy and French 1, so life will be a breeze. Many hours spent at the beach and pool is anticipated, as well as more time in the ballet studio. I just have to get through the next four days...
Good luck to everyone suffering through exams right now... I'll see you on the other side!
No matter what country I live in, I can't escape the imminent doom of the AP exams. And while last year I had it easy with just one exam, I'm not quite so lucky this year.
I may have brought it upon myself when I signed up for four AP classes, but pure bad luck has all four of my exams scheduled in a row. Tuesday = Spanish, Wednesday = Calculus, Thursday = Literature, Friday = European History. The nice thing is that I'll be finished with my exams by Friday afternoon. It also doesn't give me very much time to panic. But the not so nice thing is that I have much less time to hunker down and study. Though looking at my current amount of excessive procrastination (ahem... I probably shouldn't be blogging right now... it has nothing to do with Spanish verb conjugations), more time to study might not actually result in more studying.
So, I'm getting ready to dive right in and do my best. After this week, I'll only have to go into school for Philosophy and French 1, so life will be a breeze. Many hours spent at the beach and pool is anticipated, as well as more time in the ballet studio. I just have to get through the next four days...
Good luck to everyone suffering through exams right now... I'll see you on the other side!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Playdough is a universal language
While I have been vaguely considering job hunting since we moved here, I never really put any effort into it until school and college apps calmed down. Now that that's happened (I only really have two more weeks of school before I don't have to go to any of my AP classes!!), I decided making some money might actually be a good idea.
However, the process for a non-citizen to get a job permit in Switzerland is apparently pretty nasty (think a combination of drivers' ed and wisdom teeth removal... or something equally unpleasant), not to mention lengthy. So I decided to turn to my fall back of babysitting, which doesn't require a permit.
Now, I kinda just assumed that babysitting in Switzerland wouldn't be different then babysitting in Menlo Park... kids are kids no matter where you go, right? What I didn't anticipate was that I might find myself babysitting a four year old who is fluent in French and Italian... and not English.
Don't get me wrong, I definitely made sure the mom knew that my French language skills are still minimal, but she didn't seem to care. And to tell the truth, it didn't actually make that much of a difference. The first ten minutes of having a hyperactive toddler yelling in Italian was a little disconcerting, but once he realized that I understood him much better in French, he calmed down and promptly gave me a tour of his house with in depth descriptions of everything.
I managed to get through the night surprisingly easily. He spoke mostly in French, and I used a combination of French, English and random gesturing (which he found pretty amusing). I'm actually really pleased to have this job, because I think it will be really helpful with improving my French!
And luckily for me, when my poor French just doesn't cut it, Playdough is a universal language.
However, the process for a non-citizen to get a job permit in Switzerland is apparently pretty nasty (think a combination of drivers' ed and wisdom teeth removal... or something equally unpleasant), not to mention lengthy. So I decided to turn to my fall back of babysitting, which doesn't require a permit.
Now, I kinda just assumed that babysitting in Switzerland wouldn't be different then babysitting in Menlo Park... kids are kids no matter where you go, right? What I didn't anticipate was that I might find myself babysitting a four year old who is fluent in French and Italian... and not English.
Don't get me wrong, I definitely made sure the mom knew that my French language skills are still minimal, but she didn't seem to care. And to tell the truth, it didn't actually make that much of a difference. The first ten minutes of having a hyperactive toddler yelling in Italian was a little disconcerting, but once he realized that I understood him much better in French, he calmed down and promptly gave me a tour of his house with in depth descriptions of everything.
I managed to get through the night surprisingly easily. He spoke mostly in French, and I used a combination of French, English and random gesturing (which he found pretty amusing). I'm actually really pleased to have this job, because I think it will be really helpful with improving my French!
And luckily for me, when my poor French just doesn't cut it, Playdough is a universal language.
Monday, April 19, 2010
♪♫ leaving on a jet plane ♪♫
Thanks to Iceland, about negative three percent of the planes that usually fly in and out of European airports are currently allowed to fly. I like Iceland, so no hard feelings, but this whole volcano thing is a tad irritating, not to mention devastating to the aviation industry (which has lost almost $1 billion).
Luckily, I haven't been directly impacted by the flight deadlock, but a lot of people around me are. My history teacher couldn't attend a conference in Britain over the weekend (a short, 2 hour flight), and my friend had to take a taxi back from Lugano (Seven hours!). And I know there are people all over the globe who are stranded.
Hopefully this mess of ash will clear up soon. I know some of the airspace above Europe is being opened again, despite the fact that the darn volcano is still erupting. And last time it erupted, it continued for around fifteen months... :/
Luckily, I haven't been directly impacted by the flight deadlock, but a lot of people around me are. My history teacher couldn't attend a conference in Britain over the weekend (a short, 2 hour flight), and my friend had to take a taxi back from Lugano (Seven hours!). And I know there are people all over the globe who are stranded.
Hopefully this mess of ash will clear up soon. I know some of the airspace above Europe is being opened again, despite the fact that the darn volcano is still erupting. And last time it erupted, it continued for around fifteen months... :/
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