How to spend a weekend in Italy with the cost of two packages of batteries

It was absolutely amazing!!! And the most amazing part was that the only thing I had to pay for during the entire weekend were the batteries for my camera. AHHH! I took soooo many pictures which I will post after I describe the trip. I was so lucky to be able to go because Mr had to go on a business trip which allowed me to be able to go in his place. The Mrs went to the University to get a Masters in Law and this weekend was the yearly trip of the Alumni.

Friday
After picking O up from school in the morning we made our way to the ferry to cross over the lake of Zurich (I think) and through the Alps into Italy. Once in Italy Mrs needed my help navigating (oh my . . . can I just say that Italian roads are extremely confusing!?! How do they do it on the Amazing Race WITHOUT a GPS!?!). She then proceeded to tell me that the only time throughout the year she and her husband argue is during this very trip. HAHA! So I told her that as long as she didn't yell at me I would do my utmost to help, lol.

We were making it okay until we got to Santhia, missed the turn, had to drive further to find a place to turn around, making it back to Santhia and while I said to go one way we went another, lol, and had to pay the toll again until we finally got on the right road. The tolls there, instead of paying a certain amount at the beginning, are paid by how far one drives on said road. Another thing is that North and South are never mentioned on the signs, one just has to know where that road ends to make sure one is going in the right direction. Hence using a map, and understanding it, is essential. We finally arrived in Romano Canavese and made our way to the "Relais Villa Matilde" and I was absolutely mesmirized. Italy is so romantic, especially the country areas, and I definitely felt like Lucy Honeychurch. The Villa was 35 km from the first capitol of Italy, Turin, which is also located near the Castello di Masino we visited on Saturday.

Once we arrived we checked in and walked to a nearby place for Gelato, which was fantastic. During our brief stay I learned, Buon giorno (good day), Gratzi (thank you), Prego (you're welcome), and per favore (please). Their language is so pretty and I love the lilt of their accents. After our ice cream we went swimming, then had an amazing meal in the restaurant which used to be the stables. Our meal consisted of several courses. The first was a variety of thinly sliced meats, the second a delightful ravioli "con funghi porchini" (what kind of mushroom is a porchini!?!), the third was veal with sauteed veggies, and for dessert this hazelnut cake, which was more nutty than sweet, but still rather good. Then came the coffee and more talking, lol, supper was three hours. ;-)

Saturday
We woke at a decent hour, had a lovely breakfast in this room which had such delicate paintings all over the walls with huge windows opening over the front lawn. We then drove about 15kms to Torino, I believe, to see the "La Venaria Reale" which was so beautiful and I believe someone said it took 400 years to build and was still unfinished, but now is a school for careers in Restoration and horse riding!?! There was nothing in English for me to read, lol, so I shall have to check out this website, http://www.lavenariareale.it/.

After our tour we went to this adorable little cafe and had a panini with yummy mozzarella and tomato and then back to the Villa for more swimming and then on to the Castello di Masino. The group was so kind to have a tour guide speak English so that I could understand!!! Yay! This was so fascinating! Everything was so beautiful and the view was absolutely gorgeous and the one thing that made it better than anything else was the fact that until the last 20 years the last heir and his mother resided in this castle and all the furniture was their's and many rooms had remained in the same decoration and style, untouched really, for at least 200 years!!! There had been theft of course, some of the stolen paintings had recently been found in Los Angeles, lol. The one sad thing was the fact that the last heir died in 2001 without any children, thus a line that had lasted for hundreds of years was ended.

For our meal that evening our host treated us to a place he had found in a small village (http://www.ritorantedelmonte.it/) with regional cuisine and wines which were fabulous. It was such a treat for me and I know y'all will absolutely hate me! :-P The host kindly sat beside me during our meal and talked to me in English about his travels in Africa, Columbia, China, and so many places. He told me about the typical days in Columbia, how in the agricultural areas they have tremendous knowledge of natural medicine and have such tricks to cure skin problems, issues with mosquitos, and other ailments, which are unfortunetely being lost since the younger generations are running to the cities. We told me about traveling in Africa and tried to help me understand an Arab's concept of time and making promises. Lol, he said he had arranged to meet with a gentlemen and when the man never showed up he simple explained that God did not wish it. lol! I learned that the Swiss think Germans are arrogant and loud, while the Swiss are a quiet people and think instead of "making a show", one ought to demonstrate quality through preformance in one's character. Lol, he also said that they like Southerners because they are very kind and helpful, but he said that they also think we are superficial. He explained that the Swiss are very closed off at first, but once they grow to trust an outsider they are extremely open and believe in being friends for life, whereas they feel that Americans are too open, therefore making it difficult to become close to the people. We also talked about Bush and the War (:-)) and all about wines.

The meal itself began around 8pm, with Champagne (not from France, but cannot remember the regional name), then came fish from a stream within walking distance which was sauteed in a medley of herbs and served with a white wine (so incredibly good! It was called Erbaluce Di Caluso, http://www.orsolani.it/. Then so many courses with roasted vegetables, veal with hemp, potatoes, pasta, and so much more. We also drank a regional red wine which grew in the hills around Canavese. After all this came dessert! We had creme brulee with fresh raspberries from the garden and this dessert wine (my favourite, called Caluso Passito) and after that . . . lol, they brought Espresso with these little cookies (now it was after 11pm :-P). The funny thing during the whole meal amidst everyone's chatter and the friendly looks from other Italians was the fact that one of our party walked out the door into the narrow street to look into another house to see the Euro game score on a TV. Lol, they love their soccer here, what can I say?

It was so much fun and absolutely wonderful!

Sunday we had our lovely breakfast once again, packed up and then drove home this time taking a different route through the Alps.

I love Europe . . .

Today went a little bit better. I was mentally prepared . . . Lol, I mean it wasn't THAT bad, I just have J all day while O is in school and so he is still testing me and everytime I tell him to not do something he loves to ask me why a hundred times.

Just a few days more and then Italy!

If it works out, I might also be going to London in July!!! *does a little jig*

Only this week and next of the first part of the German course and then we'll go two weeks into the 2nd part and have a break until 01.09.08, but Mrs is looking into getting me into these private on-my-own classes in Zurich.

Auf wiedersehen!

Hoi! *listening to Brad Paisley's "I'm still a guy", lol!*

I am seriously craving scrambled eggs with sauteed bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and cheese. I also want homemade bisquits with canned strawberry jam. Send me some mum!!! :-P

Today I am being delightfully lazy, and working on my Deutschkurz. Toodleloo!

I am off this weekend! :-)

Friday I had class and then one of the students (from Egypt) and I walked down to this little stand that sold Turkey cuisine and I bought this wrap (not really sure what it was, lol) and it was amazing! So incredibly good! We then went over some homework and he gave me his notebook from when he took a German course in Egypt so that I can copy the notes. He helped translate some stuff, haha, cause it was in Arabic and then he walked me to the Bahnhof. I am working on rewriting my notes really neat and in order to make it easier when I review. This class is 12 hours a week (a bit of overload) but I am really glad it is intense (when I can understand it. ;-) ) because it keeps me into the language. Watching TV helps too because even though I cannot understand it, I am hearing how the words are formed.

I then watched the kiddos while Mr and Mrs went out for a date. We watched the chipmunk movie and that was really wierd. Highpitched singing in German, really odd.

Come to find out the Aupairs are going to the Alps next weekend, which didn't work out for me because that is when the kiddos and I and the Mrs are going to Italy!!! I am so thrilled! I also found out that during the Holidays (the two months kids are out of school) I will be going with them for a week or so to Barcelona, Spain and we will be driving through France. Not really sure where in France we will be going, but we are going!!! Ahh! This is just too surreal!

Today I slept in super late and then took at walk, did the recycling, ate, finished the laundry, and worked on the garden area. The garden had not been attended to in several months therefore branches were clipped, spiders were slaughtered, the sitting area was swept, and the chairs aired out. I also attempted to get the little push mower to work and somehow managed to get the tiny grass area cut. I moved the furniture around and now it looks rather nice. Once I get some citronella candles and I am certain the spiders are dead or resigned to stay in the corners then I'll do my homework out there, read and be lazy in the sun.

Off to call the family and work on some homework. :-P

I Finally made it to the aupair group! Yeah!

This morning I had a yummy breakfast of cereal, coffee, and water and then I left to catch a train into Zurich. Once there I made my way to the Starbucks and walked to the lower sitting area and found a few girls there with wee babes so I jumped over and introduced myself asking if this was the aupair group. I tiny Blonde with a decidedly New Zealand accent (no, I did not ask her any LOTR questions. ;-P) said yes and the four of us started chatting as more and more and MORE came. Apparently a few are leaving to go back home and many came from all around to say goodbye. There were a few new girls and a few more I wasn't able to speak with. The girls come from all over (New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA, Great Britain) and all have such amusing personalities. It was so nice to be able to actually talk to somebody, lol, its been awhile, and I have been invited to go snow tubbing in the Alps on Saturday, however I may not be able to because apparently first I need a half price ticket (with that I only have to pay 70 CHF, otherwise I'd have ot pay 150CHF) and I need ski clothes, which I do not have (I am now regretting the fact that I did not bring my water-resistant pants. :-P) We shall see. If not, lol, of course there will be so much more to do, I was just so flattered they asked me right away. They all keep in touch through Facebook as all are in different aupair agencies. It was a lovely two hours and I am so looking forward to next week.

Afterwards the lady who organizes the aupair group through her church invited me to lunch and so the two of us meandered down Bahnhofstrasse to the Restaurant above the Migros. I spent WAY too much on lunch, but now I know how to work the system so next time will be better. One thing I do not like is the fact that their glasses are so small. I spent 2.50 for a Rocks glass of tea. While we ate (the food was awesome and it was just a simple cafeteria meal) she told me about herself and how she was an aupair in Zurich and when she went home to Canada she met her future husband at a Swiss/German function, which she said was amusing because she had always said she would never marry a Swiss. They have now lived here for about ten years and she has two children about my age.

We said goodbye and she gave me directions to various places, but this afternoon I wanted to get lost. So having made myself familiar with Bahnhofstrasse from the Haubtbahnhof to the Lake I felt confident in attempting the other streets. Aunt Saundra would have been so proud! Lol, I did not turn the map!!! The cobblestone streets were so adorable, and throughly confusing. There were stores everywhere and cute little apartments with window boxes full of flowers, the church bells ringing and people sitting outside sipping kaffee. I walked past several churches which will be explored soon, walked along the Limmat river, walked over the Munster Bruke (bridge?) and walked down many curvy streets until I found a cute little bench with pigeons, shady trees, and a lovely fountain. The place was Stadlehofen Platz and after a bit of a rest I went in the other direction until I found myself walking along Limmatquai towards the Landesmuseum. I went inside this beautiful Schloss (it was once a castle) and paid 10CHF for a ticket and spent two hours roaming the house absolutely infatuated with everything! I shall look up the history of the Schloss soon and I was able to buy some postcards for my scrapbook on the way out.

Then t'was on to the HaubtBahnhof to catch the train back to Uster and write this account of my glorious day. Now I must leave y'all and run to pick up the kiddos from daycare. Toodles!

Edit: I am back now and will study some more, but today I received a birthday present from the family and it was a fan!!! I am so excited to go to sleep tonight! Lol, I have a horrid habit of falling asleep to a gentle humming noise usually provided by an old box fan, however I wasn't able to bring one, of course, and have such difficulties falling asleep when it is quiet, lol. ;-)

Today is my birthday!

Today I worked, but thankfully another lady that comes to help out came today and I ended at 5:30pm instead of 8-9. :-D

This morning when I was warming the kiddos milch (milk) in the microwave I saw at my place at the table a card that O had made for my birthday (J helped too of course ;-) ). I was so surprised and it was truly adorable!

After dropping J off at his fussball I walked around a bit and went to the Migros. I bought some stuff for my classes and an adorable penguin keychain (mwahaha) and then wandered into the Florist shop and bought myself some flowers for me day. I bought a wee minature rose plant and I think some African violets. Please do feel free to correct me, I am not good with plant names, unfortunetely. I then walked back made myself some supper and called me family. ;-)

Love y'all bunches and thank you so for all the birthday salutations. :-D

I finally snapped some pictures of the lovely little walk towards J's fussball! ;-)

When I asked the Mrs about this place she said it was a place "to create things." lol. It is very interesting and a clever concept. One can come and build a house or whatever and if one doesn't keep coming then the house becomes someone else's creation. It is rather cool. The "garten" has an awesome dragon's mouth one can climb into or out to go in either direction.

Mondays seem to be the longest day of the week . . . I feel like I am now falling into the routine better. I don't have to think of every little step along the way as much now, lol.

This weekend I stayed in the apartment mostly cleaning and messing around, watched the beginning Euro 2008 games. I asked Mrs how it all worked on Sunday when we were at her husband's mother's home. It was her birthday on Sunday, mine on Tuesday, and her husband's is on Wednesday. Lol, isn't that hilarious! I've learned too that businesses do not stay open late. Very few stay open after 8pm, or rather 20:00, lol, I have to get used to telling the time. :-P

Sorry this is so short, but I have to run, work on some more homework, and be ready for another long day tomorrow. :-D

Au reviou!

My first afternoon in Zurich

Yesterday I worked, watched the littles, cleaned, walked J to futbol, went to the market, and made supper. However, when I checked the mail I saw something in my name for the first time!!! It was a slip for die Post saying I had a PACKAGE!!! Woo hoo! J and I walked to die Post and there it was . . . a beautiful package sent from my dear grandmama! Lol, thank you so much grandma! It contained DVD's of our last outing to Florida in April and other care package items. ;-P

Today has been a wonderful day! Today was my day off, so I woke up early, made myself up, had a leisurely breakfast and walked to the Bahnhof. Unfortunetely, as I was walking up the ramp the doors closed, I ran and started punching the grun (green) button (this was the last train in order for me to be on time to class), but t'was too late and I was obliged to wait for the next train to Wetzikon, much to the amusement of a certain elderly gentleman observer. So I took the opportunity to look over some German words our teacher had us translate. When I made it to Wetzikon and walked through the Migros into the Klubschule, the class had been moved to another zimmer (room) due to a Cambridge final thing and when I went to the zimmer where the paper said it was, haha, it had been moved again. After a bit of serching I finally found the classroom and walked in 15 mins. late, while the class giggled (I did too) and the guy from Agyptin (Egypt) helped me catch up.

Class went really well, and I was able to ask the teacher, "Was ist das?" It was all I could do to keep from doing a jig around the room. GLORIA! We went over the family again and in one bild (picture) was a man saying, "Das ist meine frau" literal translation, "this is my woman." I could not stop laughing!

After class while waiting for the bus one of the girls (she's from Turkei) came up and started talking to me. Lol, she doesn't speak English, at all, and I don't speak Turkish, haha, so we communicated with hand signals, lots of laughter, and the few German words we know. She showed me pictures of her family and told me briefly about them and it was highly amusing especially to those listening to us as I am sure they were. :-P Before we got on the bus a car drove by with a little boy with his face pressed to the window making faces. LOL, he stuck his tongue out at me and when I did the same he started laughing. It was rather cute.

Once back in Uster I made some lunch, dropped off my books and walked back to the bahnhof this time to go to Zurich. I grabbed Agatha Christie and enjoyed the train ride. However, when I stepped off the train in Zurich I had to prevent myself from standing there, gaping. I had to walk up at least two escalators to get to the street level and then it was even more amazing. It was so HUGE and so many people and so much going on for a second I definitely felt like a minnow in a gigantic ocean. I gathered my wits and then proceeded to desparetely appear European, lol. Mrs. had said that when I find a huge screen then that is the exit to take because then I'll be near the Bahnhofstrasse. Once I found that, I made myself small in the crowd and was so thankful for the light rain that had been falling all day, because now I could hide my fascination under my lavender umbrella. Incidently I found myself strolling behind an English tour group! Once I found the Starbucks the aupair group meets in I went in, ordered a hot chocolate, walked downstaires, and dived into my book. It has always been a foolish notion of mine to read in a European coffeeshop and while Starbucks is a bit ordinary, my imagination made up for the rest. Besides, who could be more delightful to read about then that amazing little Frenchman, Hercule Poirot!?!

About an hour or so later I left, strolled down to the waterfront, which looked absolutely gloomy with all the fog (I loved it!) and then walked back down the strasse taking note off all the amazing shops, Dior, Armani, and so many others. I happened upon an English bookshop and finally bought my Deutsch/English dictionary and then went to Sprungli (an amazing chocolate shop!) and bought two truffles for later (Bacardi and Bailey's). :-D By then the museum had closed and so I walked back to the Bahnhof and actually found the glies my train was leaving from! Yay! There were so many levels and instead of maybe 3 glieses in Uster, there were up tp 50 in Zurich. O_O

Then a bit of shopping in the Migros for strawberries for supper and then back home to freshen up. I am so glad I spent my afternoon there so now on Wednesday I can hopefully look like I know what I am doing. I did feel better when I realized there were people from everywhere and when I passed some Americans talking. And it did tickle me pink when I was waiting for the tram to pass and a women asked me directions in Deutsch. :-)

Now off to make some supper, have a bit of compy time and fulfill the family tradition of Friday movie night, now if only I had some of momma's homemade pizza . . . ;-)

Today I was suppossed to go to the aupair meeting, however I overslept and missed the train so just enjoyed staying in today. :-)

This morning I had a bowl of the Chocolate Muesli and oh my, that is definitely better than a dessert, wow!

I then spent the morning and early afternoon working on letters, journaling, listening to music (celtic and Jewel :-P), cleaned, did my nails (they're so lovely!), and researched stuff to do in Zurich. I am now planning on spending the rest of my day after class on Friday, just rambling around Zurich. I hope to find the Starbucks where the aupairs meet and go to the museum, and a special chocolate shop. I'll also go to a book store that this website mentioned so that I may buy an English/German dictionary. There is also a Schloss and lots more but I'll save that for another day. ;-) This way I'll have a better idea of everything so that next Wednesday I may find my way without worry, hopefully. ;-)

I also spent some time today practicing tatting and now that I've learned how to make the ring I need someone to teach me how to connect them into designs.

Then this evening I picked O&J up from their day care and we had dinner and they got ready for bed and then back home for me. Now I must finish some homework before bed but first what happened last night?

Last night the kiddos took me to a special Schwingfest at their school and unfortunetely I didn't get any pictures of the kids fighting but I did get photos of some of the musicians and the awards being handed out.

A Schwingfest is Swiss wrestling! For more info and pictures, check out this website. http://members.fortunecity.com/marbanks/schw/wcschw02.htm

Music inbetween and after the wrestling. These horns were really interesting. I'd never seen them before and they sounded absolutely beautiful!

It was really fascinating. It was also so cute to watch these little people wrestle and then once one had won a match, he'd pick up the other and brush him off, too cute! The girls in their German folk dresses (can't remember the name, sorry) were lovely!

Monday I started my second week here!!! Woo hoo! The kiddos are started to get used to me and are testing the waters, but it is going well. It cracks me up though because they argue in German and I have no idea what is going on.

The German classes are indeed intense, but then I remember that I have a year to grasp it and I am not going to be communicating well at the beginning, so I must take it slowly. Mrs said too that for a bit I won't understand it, but then one day it will all just start fitting together, so I feel better about that. It is hilarious though because my teacher (she speaks very good English) absolutely REFUSES to speak English to me. Lol, so if I have a question because I cannot understand the German, she'll answer by speaking more German. Haha, so one afternoon I just left and said thank you and O helped me out later that evening. Thank goodness the family is willing to help me out otherwise this would be extremely difficult. We practiced numbers and professions again yesterday and today and also today talked about family members. Wow . . . it is fun, but after three hours I am definitely ready for a break.

Tonight is absolutely perfect *it's raining!!! I love it when it storms*.

Yesterday J and I walked to the big recycling area and did the newspapers and we also had all these books to get rid of so instead of throwing them away we put them on these bookshelves should anyone desire them. I saw a copy of T.S Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" (Andrew Lloyd Webber used these poems for the musical Cats!) in German! I was so thrilled I immediately grabbed it and then to my IMMENSE satisfaction I discovered that it is also in English! How glorious! I also grabbed an English copy of an Agatha Christie novel. Yehaw! Now I have something to do on the train. ;-) I shall definitely have to buy an ipod now. I've resisted the temptation of buying one, but now I do believe t'would be very practical. ;-)

This morning I wasn't needed at their house as Mrs. had an appointment, and so I almost overslept and thankfully woke in time to have 30 mins. to get ready and walk to the Bahnhof before I would have missed my train. :-P

This afternoon O and I ran to the Market and I bought Chocolate Muesli at the suggestion of a friend and tomorrow will buy the hazelnut yougurt. :-D This evening we went to a special fest thing at the kiddos school, but unfortunetely I don't have the paper so I shall tell you about it tomorrow.

Tomorrow I only have to work for a couple of hours in the evening so I am going to attempt to find my way to the Starbucks (yes, crazy.) in Zurich to hopefully meet the other English speaking aupairs! I am really excited. I hope to find somebody I can drag to the Operahaus and possibly one of the Euro 2008 futbol games and some other stuff. Lol, I need somebody to be ridiculous with. ;-)

Guess what!?! I found out a couple of days ago that I'll be going with Mrs and the kiddos to Italy at the end of the month!!!!! Ahh! Oh, I am sooo excited. She also mentioned something about going to Barcelona!?! Wow . . .

Guten Abend!

I finally caught a beautiful glimpse of the Alps today!!!

Yesterday was a nice slow day. I washed laundry, worked on homework, and cleaned, and then watched the kiddos so the parents could go out.

Today I slept and slept and slept and then went over to thier house for lunch. I had grilled lamb (lammfliesh) and honeydew (melone) all on a teller (plate, of course ;-) ) and then we went one a nice long walk to the lake and on our way we saw a few sheep, cows and even funnier was wheat growing in the middle of the city. Haha, too weird. Like on one's merry little way to underground Atlanta while passing the park one passes a wheat field. After arriving we bought a yummy icecream and just soaked in the gorgeous view! There were so many people out biking, walking, swimming, and carring on. Unfortunetley, I didn't take my camera, but I will definitely be walking back again and will get some soon. It was truly one of the prettiest views I've ever seen. I was definitely "Julie Andrews singing and dancing happy". ;-)

My first Scottish Country Dancing!!!!

Today was an absolutely awesome day. Woo hoo! I am really loving it here, absolutely.



Today was my day off, so I took my time getting ready this morning and just laid in bed listening to the World CNN news this morning about which Royal Brit was the handsomest . . . lol . . . and all the "eligible" royalty around the world. Wow, how limited my knowledge is . . .



So yummy breakfast and then on the the train and the bus, this time sitting with a classmate from Marokko (Morroco) and class today was a bit long, but still good. We practiced our numbers. It makes sense to me how the Germans say them, because of lovely Jane Austen. Of course in her books if a woman reaches "five and twenty" and still unmarried she has most decidedly lost the bloom of youth and her prospects are greatly limted. Haha, so in german it is said the same way. So soon I'll be 21 and I would say, "eins/und/zwansig", 1/and/20! They laugh at me and tell me to take it slowly, but everyone in the class can already speak it except for me!!! *sobs* They are only there I guess to learn to write it well. Oh my . . .



Once in Uster I bought a 6 times ticket into Dietlikon and transferred the rest of my money. Yay! After that I was on my way to the Migros and made eye contact with a fetching German male (mistake) and he started talking . . . oh no . . . lol, he was trying to sell something I guess so then I said "Sprachen Englisch?" Not sure if this was right or not but it worked and he talked haltingly in English about joining some organization. Lol, we kept hunting around for words that he was trying to say and a brief conversation that ought to have taken 10 mins lasted about 20. So we talked about how the media controlls the information in America and how average people unless they find out for themselves are just completely ignorant of what's happening in their country. Lol, it was really interesting and we started to touch on 9-11, but he was so limited in his English that it was only mentioned.



At the Migros I bought candles, schkolade (my first taste and it was heavenly!!!), incense sticks (raised eyebrow), lol, orangina (I LOVE this stuff), and crochet thread, so that I might practice the tatting skill a friend from back home showed me. :-) Once home I made lunch, watched a bit of Anne of Green Gables, cleaned and disinfected everything (tomorrow I'll do the outside) and then made myself ready for a delightful evening of dancing! :-D



Last night I had figured out the way to Dietlikon by bus and I am so proud of myself that I was able to get there and find the place. So I made my way to the S15 train to Wetzikon and once there looked on the map thing to see which glies (track) it was leaving from and then took the s3 to Dietlikon. Dietlikon is such a quaint stadt (town) that I will have to just ramble one afternoon. I made my way to the building and introduced myself and discovered that this was the last dance since the group was falling apart, but the good news is that these same people go to Zurich for Scottish country dancing and that in Dietlikon there is Countra every month and barn dancing balls and sometimes they carepool I guess to big functions. Some of them travelled to Munich for one big Countra gathering and there is one in October!?! *SCREAMS* So awesome!!! I met the teacher (thoroughly British gent) and another Scottish man (very thick accent, and hilarious when I heard him speak German!). My previous experience with Highland dancing indeed came in handy as I was able to do some of the steps right away and recognized some of the ceilighs (lol, not sure how to spell gaelic) and all the men wore gillies!!! So great! Gillies are the highland dancing shoes, I believe. We had a great time and then it started pouring so the lady who calls for the contra dancing gave me a ride with the rest of her family and dropped me off at the Banhof (very kind) and then I made my way home!

On the bus. :-)

The funny thing about this is the fact that I was sitting in the business class area and a minute after I took this the train conductor (or whatever he's called) asked to see my ticket (I felt like I was in an old movie *giggle*). I showed him my ticket and then he started talking to me very firmly. Eek! I waited and he contined and then I said, "I really cannot understand what you are saying . . . ) He then looked at me like I sat there on purpose fully knowing that I should not have done so. He then bade walked through a door into the next cabin, I guess, (marked with a 2) and told me not to sit in the business class again and walked away shaking his head and mumbleing. *chuckle*

Hallo! Guezse!

Ah . . . how glorious . . . it is about to storm! *beams*

Today was another long day, but it went smother so hopefully I am adjusting alright. ;-)

This morning got ready, did the morning stuff at their house and started on the lunch for when I returned after class. The evening before Mrs demonstrated the sauce and we portioned everything out! Lol, so much different than back home. :-) Each person was allowed 100 mg I believe (lol, I think about 3/4- 1c.) and then on to catch the train and the kiddos to school.

I met a classmate at the 8:05 train (he is from Brazil) and he helped me with the bus system once we arrived in Wetzikon, lol, and wow, I arrived in time and it only took three minutes to take the bus when walking takes 15. :-P Class was great. I was very boggled for a bit but I am so glad the guys help me out. They all speak English but it varies, so if all are talking to me between the three than lol, I usually end up understanding. And I am so pleased that I can start sprinkling my speech with german. I was tickled to death when I asked the teacher to schrieben (sp?) student. Lol, it isn't impressive I know, but thrills me to be able to learn it. I hate it that I cannot speak to random people, but hopefully soon. ;-)

Once back we ate and then the kiddos went back to school and I went to the Migros for the shopping and recycling. Lol, so I thought I was doing it right until I realized I put some of the cardboard into the cans as a lady passed by. *sigh* I felt like an idoit! Lol, I can't blame her though because it was rather funny, because after I realized what I did, I made a weird gutteral sound and tried to get it out and then realized how futile that was. Oh my . . . So then I just stolled away, looking important, and made my way to the market. I was able to find the other recycling after asking a lady (who spoke english!!!) Enschuldigung (excuse me) and she helped me out a bit. Thank goodness! Once finished I checked out (a triumph because I gave the right amount and was able to say Danke!!! ;-) ) I walked back with the groceries and O and I went out to pick up the dry cleaning and buy ice cream.

Then this afternoon I opened all the windows to air the house and cleaned the floors and we read some English magazines and everyone walked to ballet and futbol. While watching J play I worked on some homework and once Mr and Mrs arrived I walked back to make O and me supper which consisted of cheese, fruit, yogurt, bread, cold meats, and water. We then read Olivia books (about the pig, they are so cute!) and it was off to bed for her and back home for me. I walked in about 9pm after a rather long day, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Now I must go to look at the train maps to find my way to a new place tomorrow and be ready for class. :-)

Gute Nacht!

My lazy day . . .

Wow . . . today I slept a lot! I am starting to get a sore throat, bother, lol, but it isn't too bad so I shall be alright. I've also noticed how badly written my previous posts have been, which I will try to improve upon. Honestly, just too tired to correct them, and shame on me. ;-)

In about a couple of hours I shall pick the kiddos up from their day care and then we will have dinner and just hang out at the house until their parents come home. :-) I am going to bring some of the books I brought, but, haha, they'll probably be too much for now. ;-)

Today I got up, ate, organized the rest of my stuff more throughly, while listening to Blondie, and made schedules and lists. Yay! Lol, I am not usually this good, but it makes me feel good to know everything is neat and tidy. :-P Tomorrow night or Friday morning I'll clean everything and then I shall feel very much at home. Mrs. mentioned something about us working on my garden, however I do hope it stays fully green and we don't trim too much. I like my privacy, lol.

Now off to finish updating my journal/scrapbook and watch the rest of Jane Eyre, before I get ready. :-)

Guten Abend!

My day in Schwiess (Switzerland)

Today has been another LONG day, but tomorrow I only work for a few hours in the evening so my plan is to take it easy, get some food, buy a ticket to Dietlikon for Scottish dancing every Friday (Freitag), and transfer the rest of the pocket money I brought into chf (canton hellveic? francs, otherwise known as Swiss Francs). I was going to "get lost" but after today I think I'll just rest my feet as much as possible and try taking the bus after the train to OberWetzikon.

My day started again at 6am, and 7-8 at their house. I changed the kiddos beddings, put them in the washer, and got breakfast ready (always just cereal, basically I just set the table). Then we left for school and I made the 8:10 am train to Wetzikon, arrived at 8:15am, started down Spitalstrasse and then became VERY lost. Lol, it would have been okay, if I was just rambling, but I only had 15 min. to walk to the Migros and I walked around for 45 min. before I finally made it to class. Yes, I was 30 min. late. Thankfully the teacher wasn't to upset and I was able to hop in thanks to the help of the guys that sit on either side of me. After class I found the original shortcut I was trying to use this morning and it was exactly 15 min. and I made the train 30 sec. before it left. *sigh* Thursday (Donnestag) I must just try to take the bus since it is only like five minutes.

Once off the train I made my way to their house without getting lost!!! WooHoo! Thankfully I had set the table earlier and then I just had to make lunch. We had a lovely brace of coonies. Lol, yes, yummy rabbit and it was great. I definitely like rabbit now. Then it was the chores. Watering the plants, hanging up the bedding to air dry (no dryers) and fold the previous days laundry. Once done I did my homework while O learned French. The two of us (J was in school) just messed around and then she had ballet and when J came home we walked (again O_O) to his Fussball (soccer) practice. I waited for him there, actually said grutze (sp?) to someone, and fell asleep for 10 minutes while reading my lesson. Grutze is the shortened original meaning of the word meaning "greetings from God", I believe. :-)

Once J and I walked back, another lady that helps on Tuesdays picked of O and had already set the table with the dinner which is basically the same every night. The table consisted of cold meats, put on plain bread, fruit, yougurt, cheese, and jam and/or honey (honig). We ate and then my day was over. Lol . . .

Now to make some calls on Skype and then off to bed. ;-) *I get to sleep in!!!!*

finally a head set ot talk to people!

Things here are ridiculously expensive. I wanted to buy a cheap noisy fan to help me sleep at night and not only are all the fans SUPER quiet (what's the point?!?), they were soooo expensive. A fan the size of my hand costs 20 SFr. when it would only cost $5. Oh well, maybe they're not made in China . . .


I am so tired and Mrs. said it will take me a week to adjust so that I am not "tired on top of tired" so hopefully soon I shall be able to do more in the evenings and still do my other stuff. ;-)

My morning started at 6 am at which time I thought, "please, not morning yet!" And while the radio BLARED, "come all ye fair and tender ladies", I thought perhaps I ought to crawl out of bed before I woke the whole apartment building. At 6:59 I ran out the door to go to their house. She took off work today to help me with the first day, so she showed me the laundry process (clothes air dry) and the morning duties. Then 7:45 we were running out the door and then on the the Banhof to catch the 7:55 train to arrive in Wetzikon at 8am. Lol, we just barely made it! I've never walked so fast before without running!!! Once in Wetzikon she walked me to the market where the school is held. Bizarre, yeah, but whatever. Lol, like going to school in Walmart!?!

Class was indeed interesting. Haha, so many different nationalities there that the teacher only spoke German so when she asked me a question it was only in German and somehow I had to figure out what she was saying. Truly challenging, but I couldn't help laughing because now I understand how other people felt. Lol, whenever I talk to someone we can only understand each other with hand signals and a few words in english and a few in spanish, if they cannot speak fluent english. So odd, but rather fun too . . .

Class lasted 3 hours (O_O) and then practically jogged to the banhof again to catch the 11:45 train. Tomorrow I must find a shorter route! Once back at their home Mrs. showed me how to make the meal and then we had dessert, cleaned up, went over the week's schedule, and then it was on to recycling the papers.

Nothing is ever wasted here and after we "did the papers" she walked me to the recycling plant where wine bottles and corks, different coloured glasses, wires, metals, computers stuff, these little espresso cups, plastic peanuts, and so many other stuff. Name it and there is a place for it. The even had a trash area for clothing, books, and other misc. items. The papers had to be tied a certain way so that the school groups that got them out of the trash dump things could take them in one bundle . . . lol . . .






After the recycling we walked over to the English women's club where I shall become a member and be able to get english movies to rent and books (to rent a movie for two days is basically $8!). This way I can read to the kiddos and help them to read and write English, hopefully. The club is for women who want their children to be fluent in English and their is a small school there as well, lol, there are schools EVERYWHERE, even a Japanese school of about 20 students.

So after walking back again, lol, maybe 6 miles today in all possibly more, I had a brief break, resisted sleep, and then in was in the car to go to IKEA and the media store in Dietlikon. I now have three pillows!!! Tis so odd, here they only sleep with one pillom and the fold the blankets to make the bed instead of lying them flat?!? Anyways, Mrs. also bought me new curtains, a long mirror, and a scale in kilos! Woo hoo! Haha, how to convert kilos . . . Then I bought a headset for skype so that now I may call everyone very often. Unfortunetely not tonight because I am too exhausted, but tomorrow sounds like a shorter day so possibly then.

It is now after 9pm and I must get ready for bed and do my german homework. O_O

Toodles!

WOW! I am exhausted! It is almost 5pm here and I am taking a short 30 minute break and then must go out again to Ikea and some other places to learn about. :-P

I will definitely try to write more tonight, but we shall see. ;-) I have homework and other stuff to do first. ;-)

The first class went great, except I thought, you know that if I had a question I could ask the teacher in my mother tongue, but NO she spoke throughout the WHOLE class in GERMAN. Lol, thankfully there was a guy from Egypt who spoke English fluently (among 7 other languages) who helped me out tremendously. Haha! Then I rushed back to the train station, but more detail later.

Another thing I am shocked about now is that Americans really waste everything. Tis rather said . . .

Oh, goodness, here I go . . . ;-)

My first party!

Let us start with this morning! Last night I went to bed super late, but got up at 8:30 and had breakfast. My breakfast was cereal, orange juice (definitely not Florida juice), cappuccino, and yogurt (normally I hate yogurt, but this was AWESOME! Didn't have that weird aftertaste). While I ate my lovely meal I opened the windows and heard the gorgeous church bells toll and people chatting . . . Btw, the milk only lasts up to four days here before it goes bad. WOW! Alrighty, so now a tour of the room!

The bathroom


My bed and earring gadget (made by me!)

The bat was made by a friend from my old community college!

The bookshelf

The living area complete with computer, couch, chair, T.V, closet, fridge, microwave, and the garden.

The Foyer

This afternoon the parents brought me with them to a fellowship gathering with other mutual friends. We traveled to Muhen (I think that is spelled correctly. It is pronounced like a cow mooing, "mooin", lol). Muhen is absolutely gorgeous and reminded me of my Grandmother's cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I was introduced to everyone and now know the European greeting I guess. In the States we just hug or shake hands or whatever, but here they put cheeks together three times or so. :-) A few people spoke English to me briefly but most of the time it was my turn to listen, lol, so while they chatted I listened to German and Spanish and sometimes French find its way into conversation. It was amazing to how even though I have only had maybe a year of Spanish, I was able to recognize certain words and even though it has been at least three years since I've heard ANY Spanish, I remembered! Twas great. So then I listened more carefully and was so funny to listen to the women talk about the children or black hair and so forth. Lol, they could have been talking me, but lol, it was all rather fascinating. :-P




For the meal each family brought their own meat to grill and all the ladies brought various side dishes.



O took me up the trail and we had a nice stroll before dinner.


After supper we listened to the women from Colombia, Uruguay, Peru, and elsewhere, sing and compare folk songs from their countries. A grandmama brought her guitar and sometimes the men would stop talking and join in. It was very neat to hear. They kept saying something about singing an American song but I laughed and said no and just enjoyed their culture.

O and I then played with the napkins before we left and made all sorts of weird and pretty napkins. Lol, we even made a fan with the napkin and a skewer. I proceeded to tell her about the language of the fan, but I shall have to check myself to make sure that it is correct. ;-)



Well, off to get ready for bed and tomorrow's new day. I have my first German classes EVER tomorrow and I officially begin work as an aupair. :-D



Guten Naucht!

Sweet Tea made by a Southern Gal using a Microwave

Yes, I will die from radiation or whatever it is that is bad about microwaves . . .

What does one do when craving Sweet tea and living in Switzerland!?!

So yesterday, I wanted sweet tea. Problem? Yes! Luckily, I'd brought some Luizianne tea bags with me and found some sugar cubes in the drawer (I am NOT going to think of how old they might be!) and attempted to make this work.

So I grabbed a tiny glass bowl which held about 1 1/2 c. of water. Put that in the microwave and steeped my one wee teabag. Then after it was dark enough, proceeding to put in sugar cubes (lol, how many I put in is MY secret. ;-) ) and then found a pint size pitcher (must learn the metric system all over again *sigh* ) and added cold water and was immensely satisfied!

Lol, a bit of home for this southern gal!

Saturday 24 May, 2008

This morning, my day started with breakfast at their house and then the parents left for the gym and O helped me clean up while J got ready for his futbol match. We then walked about 15-20 min. to his match and watched him play. The parents came and then Mrs. and I went to the market and and the cleaners and then back to the house where she made a homemade tomato sauce and we ate dinner and then i had a lovely break and we all went tonight to this absolutely amazing Greek restaurant, fantastic! I had Gyros, which were so much better here than in the states and we had kaffe and again our meal lasted close to three hours. :-P 'Tis amazing how the portions are SO much smaller here and yet the meals are so filling! In the store to, everything sold is in tinier packages. No wonder Americans are so fat . . .