Two weeks of glorious vacation time . . .

First of all . . . Gutes Neues Jahr!!! Woo hoo to a fresh new year and what it may bring to us all. :-D Prost (cheers) to all the good old times of last year and to new expectations and hopes for this upcoming year! Despite the weather, I am thoroughly loving January! T'is the month for starting anew . . .

My two weeks off while the family went to Egypt were lovely! Most of the time it was quiet and laid back, but was just what I needed. I was able to stay up late and sleep in and roam around and be flexible, hehe. Having said that though, it is good to be back in the swing of things, although my sleeping patterns are still a bit erratic.

The beginning of the holidays involved me taking the exam for A1 German, which I have yet to get the results from and the Aupair Christmas party! We started the holidays off right! ;-) Then it was to ICF on that Sunday evening to watch the "Donkey & CO" production in which Amanda and I enjoyed being amused by certain costumes. The production was amazing and FREE!?! Afterwards she and I went to meet Jess in Zurich at the singing Christmas tree for one last fellowship time before Jess left for Canada. :-(

That evening I went over to Sankt Gallen to spend the night with Amanda and walk around Sankt Gallen. Her family's house is insane! Glass floors . . . an indoor cinema complete with plane seats . . . a glass elevator, monogramed . . .and so much more. Seriously though, why would you monogram your elevator? I mean what if you moved, right? Let us hope the buyers have the same initials . . . hehe.

Sankt Gallen was beautiful to see again and this time Amanda showed me the Cathedral and we had the cheapest lunch possible in CH at the IKEA!!! Haha, I thought for a moment I was back in the states because I could keep refilling my coke and it was only ONE FRANC!!!! We messed around for a couple of hours, made sugar cookies, watched movies, and had spaghetti and then I was on my way back to Zurich on my Gleis 7. :-D Oh, how I love being under 25 and having all the discounts! *grins*

The next day I enjoyed sleeping in as usual and that evening Nikki, Amanda, and I made or way to Lance's for a Bond movie night. Haha, that was a fun time and it is official that I am NOT to be trusted with directions, hehhe. ;-) Then t'was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and those days I just enjoyed relaxing in my room calling family over skype!

The rest of the time was enjoyed with shopping, walking around the city, and spending time with friends. New Year's came and went. Amanda, Kate, and Myself enjoyed an amazing meal at Sandra Notz's home with her wonderful family. We had Swiss fondue with the kirsch on the side, prefer white wine fondue myself, and raclette too! There was so much food and it was truly a wonderful time! She also served us Gluhwein, which is amazing. Lol, guess I just had a bad batch. Overall, my two weeks off were great even though I just stayed around Zurich most of the time. :-D

Mein ferien bilder! My holiday photos . . .

Cathedral in Sankt Gallen . . . Also houses the gorgeous Stifktbibliothek!

Apparently I didn't take as many photos during the holidays as I had originally thought too, lol. Ah well, here are a few and I'll save photos from Bern for afterwards. :-)

Bond night at Lance's apartment in the Niederdorf

Nikki

Me realizing how incredibly awful I am at playing Wii

One last glimpse of the lovely tree on Christmas Eve!

Danielle has returned from Canada and we went out on New Year's Eve for yummy pizza and a walk along the Niederdorf in Zurich and towards Bellevue where a gentleman helped us down the icey streets and commented on our lovely names. ;-)

She kept throwing snowballs! So mischevious!

hehehe . . .

It was so cold and the wet snow seeped into our boots and our feet were wet up to our ankles!!!

Aupairs last night out before Christmas!

Under the huge Christmas tree in the HB!

So beautiful!!!

The gals getting together before Christmas holidays! Jessica, Nikki, Merissa Mani, Nicole, Miriam, and Bridie

Hehe, adorable Jess!

About to taste Gluhwein!

Wasn't all that great, but the next weekend I tasted some homemade and that was amazing!

Hehe, us with the Wise men, apparently there are actually four . . . ;-) We got lots of chocolates!! Thanks y'all!

Haha, looking for gumdrop buttons!!!

Romeo scaled the wall in order to be admited into a party . . . wow . . .

hehe, some random hat!

The next day at the Singing Christmas tree in Zurich . . . lol . . . crazy Matt!

Severin and Nicole

Jonathan, Merissa, me, and Bridie!

Enjoying the cool winter air and chatting away!

Frohliche Weihnachten!!! (meaning Merry Christmas Y'ALL)

Christmas Eve produced a miraculously amazing discovery for myself, of which I am supremely happy . . . I don't even think having a fiance could compare! Haha, well, maybe not true, but definitely one of the happiest moments of my life! I realized after sitting through an entire conversation at my host family's house Christmas Eve that I understood . . . yes, people . . . I understood!!! *cries* Can you even imagine how positively amazing it can be to be able to hear a language other than your mother tongue and hear it and not even translate it into your mother tongue, but to hear those foreign words and to understand them!?! The bare naked words . . . no smothering and trying to fit it into an English equivilent that doesn't make any sense whatsoever, but just hearing and visualizing the beauty of a language without confining it in anyway!?! Little things like this truly bring joy in life . . . I still haven't started dreaming in German yet, but looking forward to that glorious night. ;-) May I also add that the conversation was sporatically spiced with Spanish, of which I understood a small bit, and while Spanish might not be my particularly favourite language, I am seriously considering learning again. *sigh* I am so content at this moment. I can hear and read high German to a small extent, but speaking . . now that is a horse of a different colour. :-)

Christmas Eve was spent at the traditional english church in Zurich where all the candles in the advent wreath were lit, listened to a lovely sermon, and sang various Christmas carols, with the gorgeous organ being played in the background. One of the carols was sung in latin which was so beautiful as it filled the stone church I was mesmerized! We also sang "Silent Night" in German and I was invited to join the Choir!!!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!

Alles schlaft, einsam wacht

Nur das traute, hochheilige Paar.

Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,

Schlaf' in himmlisher Ruh'.

Schlaf' in himmlisher Ruh'!

After service I made my way to my host family's house where the Christmas tree was lit with real candles and we opened all our presents and shared dessert and espressos. The grandmama gave me a yummy box of chocolates and the family gave me a cute purse with kangaroos and also waiting for me was a small package from my Grandparents in Florida! My other presents included a gorgeous scarf and bracelet with earrings as well as family photos from my Grandma and a few little gifts from friends!

Christmas in Zurich is really an interesting experience! About a month in advance the huge main train station (Haubt Bahnhof) has a gigantic tree covered in Swarovski crystals and hundreds of Christmas booths placed throughout selling various traditional and modern and hmm . . . even naughty items for sale. "Wise men" walk throughout the booths on weekend evenings handing out Ferrier Rocher chocolates to pretty little girls. ;-) Gluhwein is there for the brave in savory consumption. One almost doesn't even mind being squeezed inbetween hundreds of people who stand in the middle of walkways never moving! ;-) Lol . . . However, having said that and *gasp* I never thought I would miss the annoying commercialism from back home, but t'is true . . . I do . . . It has however prevented me from becoming homesick so that is great, but as corny as it sounds it is hard to get into the "feel" of Chirstmas in the air without the goofy lights and Bing Crosby and the Andrew sisters playing on every station and in every building wherever one goes. I do however LOVE Christmas in Europe for all it's traditional old-world spirit! Oh, and Gluhwein, by the way, is thoroughly disgusting . . . It is basically red wine that has been heated in a copper pot with mulled spices and oranges, which would sound great, but instead tasted like cheap red wine that has been sitting in a copper pot for too long. *gag* However, the "Witch's brew" Matt, Lindsay, and Amanda and I had near the "Singing Christmas tree" without alcohal was amazing. ;-)

Christmas trees are bought and set up two days before Christmas I believe, adorned with real lights placed in these special holders securly fastened to the branches, and set aglow Christmas eve while presents are unwrapped. :-) "Samiclaus" actually visits Swiss Children here (via appointment) and gives children sussigkeit (sweets) and nuts and manderines, although I believe this takes place around the 6th of December. If he is too busy to visit, children set their shoes out by the door with a carrot for his donkey and in the morning find little toys and treats. Lol, I've heard that in Finland Father Christmas doesn't even visit because he has too many children around the world to see, so the children dress up as elves and do his work for him, going from house to house delivering gifts. Sounds pretty cool too me! ;-)

Overall . . . I thought my first Christmas away from home would be really difficult. I have enjoyed it immensely! Who can say they've spent a Christmas devoid of family in Europe!?! Lol! ;-) It has truly been a lovely one and great fun!

Milano!?! YAY!!!!!!!!

Once walking out of the Bahnhof in Milan turn left and there is one fantastic restaurant across the street with yummy pizza!

Italy just isn't as clean as Switzerland! ;-)

Trying to escape the park that we took a little stroll in, never realizing that every single gate was locked until too late . . .

After seeing historical momuments "up close" we went to the local library to use the bathroom for free and nurse our wounds . . .

The things we did and saw in that park . . . memories for a lifetime! ;-)

PDA's in Europe . . . hmm . . . get just a bit too naughty . . .

Beautiful Italian woman singing an old traditional isirh melody called, "down by the Salley Gardens".

It was down by the Sally Gardens, my love and I did meet.

She crossed the Sally Gardens with little snow-white feet.

She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree,

But I was young and foolish, and with her did not agree.

In a field down by the river, my love and I did stand

And on my leaning shoulder, she laid her snow-white hand.

She bid me take life easy , as the grass grows on the weirs

But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears.

A wedding occured in the Castle in Milan!

At the Duomo. Unfortunetely we didn't have time to go in, but we enjoyed being attacked by disgusting pigeons . . .

Lol, we were tuckered out! ;-)

Miriam and Danielle

ROFL! Oh, the fun times we had on this trip!

I think I almost like traveling by train better than flying as there are no security checks and the views are amazing!

We are amused by life's little pleasures!! :-D

Me and Miriam

Lol . . .

Haha, i love this photo!

Lunch while walking to the Castle! Nothing like fresh bread and a few slices of meat! ;-)

Miriam, Danielle, and me!! This was just before we were harassed by African men selling "Bling, Bling" . . . grr . . .

Woodland faery! ;-)

Haha . . .

Us gorgeous gals!

Nursing our wounds inside the library . . . lol, the stories, the stories . . .

We LOVE the camera! ;-)