World Spins Madly On

I have returned to the world of interconnectedness known as the internet!  My host dad installed the wifi today, and since I have now been here over a week (where has the time gone??) I feel like I can accurately convey the sum of my experiences thus far.

Daily Routine:
I wake up around 7 to get to my bus stop to catch the 8:05 bus.  The stop is really close to my house, and the bus is always incredibly crowded with kids going to the gymnase (which is basically the equivalent of high school) so it's always standing room only.  I get into Nyon in time to meet up with 4 other people from my program and we take the train into Geneva, where we have time to sit around and drink our cafe au laits before class.

My international relations seminar is from 9:30 and 12:30 and is absolutely fascinating.  So far we've had incredible lecturers who are well respected in their fields and still working within their respective organizations.  I'm a little afraid I'll come to wish I hadn't chosen such an academic program (it's pretty intense!), but right now it's a wonderful affirmation that this is indeed what I want to do with my life.  Everything is just so interesting and relevant!

We have from 12:30 to 2:00 to eat lunch and get to French school.  Lunch sometimes consists of going to the grocery store to get supplies for a picnic and sometimes of discovering new ethnic foods in the blocks around school.  It's true, everything is expensive here, but the food is worth it.  Around 1:30 or 1:45 we get on the tram to go to Balexert, which is the complex in which our French classes are located.

French class is from 2:00 to 5:00.  There are six people in my class, so there's definitely no hiding.  The professor is wonderful and speaks only a little bit of English but is great at dumbing down her French for us.  It's helping me to learn, but I just wish I could just know the language in it's entirety already!

After class, I catch my train and then my bus and am home by around 6:15.  Then it's homework, dinner, hanging out, and bedtime!

Host Family:
The Jarriccio family is incredibly nice and accommodating!  They speak French, Swiss German, and Italian. My dad (Alessandro, or Sandro for short) speaks English pretty well, so he helps me out sometimes.  My brother (Roberto) also speaks some English, which is helpful as I struggle to communicate in my truncated French.  However, my mom (Tamara) and my sister (Jessica) don't speak any English at all.  They're very patient with my attempts to speak to them in French and will correct me when I say something incorrectly, which is great.

Living with a host family so far reminds me of staying a friend's house.  It's familiar and it's comfortable, but it's definitely not home.  I do not have total freedom (though, since I am their 5th host daughter, they have very realistic expectations of what I will do with my time) and I am a guest.  At first it was a rough adjustment what with being totally overwhelmed by the language barrier, but now I am truly learning to love it in Eysins and learning to appreciate it for the learning experience that it is.

Life in General:
Everyone in the program is really great.  No cliques have formed really, which is nice because it allows for total social fluidity.  Someone going to a town you want to visit?  It doesn't matter if you've only talked to them once, just tag along!  That being said, real friendships are starting to form and deepen at this point, which makes life so much easier.  I've discovered that sharing your experience makes it easier and more meaningful! Sorry to be the cliche...

Yesterday a group of us went to Montreux.  It only took about 45 minutes to get there by train, and the ticket cost about 21 CHF with our half price pass, which was nice.  It was sooooo beautiful there!  Unfortunately the Montreux Jazz Festival is in July (we checked) but we did get to listen to a mediocre Queen cover band as we ate our picnic lunch on the beach.  I'm pretty sunburned today, but I think it's well worth it.

Short Observations:


1)  Scooters are a legitimate form of transportation here.  From little kids to middle-aged men in their expensive suits (I am not joking), these are everywhere.  Yes, Razor scooters.  It's fantastic.

2) Public displays of affection are much more common here.  I have seen people hard-core making out in a variety of places.  My favorite was a couple on the train who seemed to be in their late 30s.  Her hair was all over the place and he was wearing a white knit turtleneck sweater.  I've said enough.

3) So many people are dressed formally in Geneva.  I like it.  Especially the pinstripe suits with the Clark Kent glasses.  And it doesn't even look pretentious!

4) Smartcar Roadster.  Google it.

5) The chocolate really is worth the hype.  As is the cheese.  The taste is so worth any weight I put on.  I would be ok with 50 extra pounds if it means I can keep eating.

6) Just because you can say a phrase in the language does not mean you can fool anyone.  I can pass as a Genevoise...until I open my mouth.





And lastly:
Check it.
http://picasaweb.google.com/marynb07