I guess we have been back in Switzerland for about three weeks now. We have done a lot of fun things. My favorite thing so far was going to the Busker's Festival. This is a yearly event that Bern hosts each summer. Downtown Bern turns into 20 small music stages and performers from all over the world come and perform live music, rain or shine. It's really a lot of fun. Thomas and I went with our new friends, Katie and Jeremy on a Friday night. (Katie and Jeremy are Americans working at the US Embassy in Bern.) We went out and enjoyed some drinks and live music. Not a bad Friday night. This night is virtually free as well, which isn't usually the case here. You can donate money to buy a wrist-band and that money goes to give the performers a free hotel room while they are here. At the end of each performance, they send baskets around to collect money for themselves. Very fun. It is on my list of things to do next year!
I also went on another hike with Katie. This one was a doozey. We hiked up to a small village called Wengen. This was an up-hill walk the whole way. I think it took us about an hour and a half to get to this village and we stopped every 15 minutes to catch our breath. Did I mention it was a hard hike? This was half way up. Look at that breath taking view.
Then when we made it to the village, we took a cable ride up to the Männlichen mountain. Incredible view up there! Once at the top, we bought a tasty beer and had a little picnic of bread and cheese. Incredible. Our hike wasn't done yet. We wanted to go up higher so we went to the peak. Wow! My heart was pumping! I counted 40 beats in 10 seconds, too high but don't worry, my heart didn't jump out of my chest.
We also went to a soccer game! Herzog has some pretty good seats at these games, right up front. I really do enjoy going to those games! YB won, that's the Bern team. Yippee!
This last Friday, Thomas and I went to an Open Air Movie Theater. It reminded me of a drive in movie theater. It was a great night. There was a grandstand for the seats and when it was dark out the screen made it's way up. We watched "It's Complicated" and that was a very funny movie. (Also on my list for next summer.)
Oh yeah, the movie was in English but with German subtitles. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Comedies are hard movies to watch here. There have been a few times that the actors say something funny, but I can't hear what because everyone else read the sub-titles and are laughing right when the actor says the punch line! I miss the punch line!
Thomas and I spent our Saturday at the river again. We had another picnic there and spent the day relaxing and enjoying the sun. I've been told not to expect any more days like that this summer. Sunday, I went to another river and laid out with Katie! It was a great weekend.
We also had a birthday party for Lucie! Happy Birthday Lucie! It was a nice evening with Thomas' family. I guess you could say it was my first dinner party with more than four people. I think it was a success!!
Work is going ok. It's going to be so much different than last year because we have a lot of new kids. On Fridays there is only one other student who speaks English so I feel a little left out and at a loss of what to do. Guess I should feel that way when I live in country other than America! Last year, we made a video for the Feusi web-site. It's finally on-line so I thought I would post the link. It's really sweet. This is what I do during the day!
http://www.feusi.ch/angebot/english-preschool/
Some things are happening around here which are good and not so good. First of all, tomorrow begins my alternating work days. I get every other Friday off from now to the July! That is great!!
Beginning Monday Thomas has to start his three weeks in the military. He thinks he gets to come home his first weekend there, but then it's two weeks straight. That's the not so good news. For those of you who are unaware, any eligible Swiss man must be in the military. Switzerland is a neutral country, but they must be prepared for any possible invasions. We have all of Thomas' equipment in the attic just in case this country was ever invaded. He could get his stuff and get moving. Thinking it's pretty safe to say that won't be happening any time soon. I have some things planned which will keep me occupied though! I have started scrapbooking our wedding. (I'm not very creative so it's terribly hard). Surprisingly, I also have a few evenings planned with some girls next week! I am getting dinner with a mom from work, I'm getting dinner and then going to a movie with another teacher at work and then I also have a work dinner/party.
Another great/bad thing will be happening once Thomas is done with the military. I am leaving for Nebraska. He gets home on Friday and I leave for a week beginning on Saturday. The day I leave is also Thomas' 29th Birthday! You can see why it's good and bad. When I return, it's Valentines Day! This will be our first Valentines Day together! In the past, we have spent Valentines Day via Skype. Not the best.
Something else happened last night! Thomas and I booked our first trip to Nebraska together. In April, we will be spending a week and a half in Nebraska and before we head back to Switzerland, we are heading to New York City! It's funny, I move to Europe and travel in the US. Guess I have my entire life ahead of me to travel around Europe!
I have a bunch of things to share tonight. I was doing pretty well at updating, but this time of year is busy! To start, every teacher (except me) has been sick at work. Since there isn't any substitutes where I work, if one teacher is sick, the others have to cover. It is difficult. I miss the days of Subfinder, the program at LPS where you can get online, put in the information and a Substitute is found for you. Those were the good old days.
So, where do I begin? Last weekend, Thomas and I went to downtown Bern to meet up with his (our) friends, Patrick and Christina. We met at the Christmas Market and walked around for a few hours. During Christmas, the two main squares downtown and filled with different vendors selling crafts and other things. You can find all kinds of things down there. It's fun! The best part for me was the hot wine, gluehwin. It is super yummy. It is a mixture of red wine, some kind of tea and spices. It tastes very good and it warms you right up!
Thomas and I also went to see the bear park. Bern means bear in German so the city animal is the bear. Near the visitors center, there used to be a cement pit where two bears lived. I thought it was very sad that they had to live there. Anyhoo, over the last year or so, they remodeled the area so the bears have some grass and they can get to the river and they are no longer in a pit. We went to see the bears and also to find my name. Thomas bought me a brick with my name on it! I think it was a way to fund the new bear park and I think it is super cool. My name will forever be on this brick which is on the sidewalk at the bear park. I love it.
Well, back to the bears. We didn't see any of the bears. Apparently, a few weeks ago a man went into the bear enclosure and the bears thought he was lunch. A police officer had to shoot the bear to get the man out of there. Luckily the bear was only injured. He must have still be recovering because we did not see any of the bears. Poor bears . . .
We saw this while we were downtown. Surprisingly, we weren't the only taking pictures of it!
My German lessons are coming along. I think I probably know more than I am aware but everytime I say something to Thomas, it's wrong and he has to correct me. Hopefully soon we will learn how to put a sentence a together. You can't just translate an English sentence into German. Very difficult for me.
Last night we went to a party at the American Marines House. There are 5 marines stationed in Switzerland to protect the embassy and they have monthly parties at the house. Last night they had three different reasons to celebrate. First was the Arny v. Navy Football game, second a new Marine (?) is moving to Switzerland and last a family is leaving. The family leaving is a family at my preschool. It's going to be very sad to see them leave. This family had twin boys and they are a lot of fun. Thomas is actually my BFF, or so he says everyday. I'm going to miss them dearly. I'm also going to miss the food they bring me from the base! Hope I can live without them. And it's sad that I just started to get to know the parents on a personal level outside of the preschool. Guess I have to get used to that since most of the Americans I will meet at my job leave after two years. "My Thomas," that's what I would call Thomas to the twins, Thomas and Jackson, enjoyed the T-Bone steak tremendously that they served at the party. I snuck Arwen a bone to enjoy as well. I wrapped it in tin foil and put in my purse to get it home. I was a little embarrassed but anything for Arwen!
The US Ambassador was also at the party. Everyone whispered "He's here, he's here" when he arrived. I guess he's kind of famous around the embassy. I don't know.
We left the party right as the game was starting so we could celebrate Christmas with my family via Skype! That really is a wonderful thing. I was able to watch everyone open gifts, here everything that they were talking about and be apart of it all. Thanks to my family for putting up with the computer! Everyone positioned themselves around the computer so we could see. After the gifts, I was taken into the other room so I could chat a little easier with the fam. Gotta love that. Ryan and Jackie gave my parents a camera to hook up to their computer and Craig and Jamie bought a camera last week! I am actually waiting for Craig to get back to Lincoln so we can chat some more. Not that it matters, but they are 30 minutes late . . . .
What else, it is finally cold here and it snowed all day. This time the snow was flurries and it was windy! It felt just like home. Hopefully we will have a white Christmas in Switzerland, once my parents arrive. Which by the way, my mom and dad will be here in one week. I am so excited for them to see where I live and work and play and to see my new life in Switzerland. I'm not sure, but I am guessing that they are pretty excited to be coming as well.
I just had to share this picture of Arwen as well. She actually doesn't mind wearing this pretty pink sweater when she goes outside. She is down to a few hairs these days on her belly and chest so I imagine she gets pretty cold outside. She is still allergic to everything she eats. Not sure what to do about her. I have tried changing her food, no bones, no treats, but nothing helps. AND what is life without all the perks of food.
Since I am so excited about my parents to arrive, I thought I would share our agenda! They arrive on my birthday. We probably won't do much on that day because of jet lag. If they are anything like me (and I think they are) they are going to be exhausted after the traveling. We are going to make mini pizzas in the raclette grill. The grill is a traditional Swiss thing. I think usually you put small potatoes on your own little plate and put Raclette cheese and other veggies onto the grill where it cooks. The grill sits on the table with you. I'm not a big fan of that so we are going to do pizzas! I am big fan of that!! It's my birthday and I can do what I want! :-)
Then the next day, I think we are going to go to Germany, just a day trip. We may try to see a concentration camp, hopefully it doesn't damper our moods too much. On Wednesday we are going to go to the Christmas market and see downtown Bern and that evening we will be going to yet another hockey game as VIP's. I think some of Thomas' family will be joining us for that. Should be fun!
Christmas Eve we will be spending with Thomas' family at Yvonne (his sister) and Marcel's house. I think we will be eating Fondue Schinou (I have no idea how to spell that and Thomas isn't around and googeling isn't helping). This is traditional Swiss. This fondue does not involve cheese luckily. You put your raw meat into a spiced water and it cooks! It tasted very good once you get over the raw food touching your plate that you eat off of. I actually have to get a second plate because I just can't get over it.
Christmas will be just the four of us. Thomas, myself and my parents will hang out, watch A Christmas Story, open presents and eat a turkey dinner. I am very excited for that. We will also be going to the Holiday House in the Swiss Alps for a few days and we are going to visit our long lost relative, Gisela, that Craig met and found over the internet! We are excited to meet face to face and not just over Facebook.
I guess that's it for now. This is kind of a long post. Sorry. I just got back from getting my first hair cut here. I was very nervous. Luckily, the hairdresser spoke English a little and what he didn't know I knew in German! It worked out great! It was only 78 Francs, which is expensive compared to Nebraska but kind of cheap for Switzerland! Yippee!
Take care and have a Merry Christmas!
More photos here.
Wow, what a crazy few weeks. It's been a long time since I have last posted, I need to get better. I have been busy and have been on a roller coaster of emotions. So, here is my update!
I started German classes. I guess they are going ok. I have been going for three weeks now, can't believe that! I now know about five different ways to say, "My name is Haley," and a few other things. I can actually understand the Finnish teacher while she is explaining everything to us in German. There are 15 of us in the class. We are from Canada, Finland, China, Scotland, Italy, France, Albania, Norway, Israel, India, Macedonia and me, from the US. Everyone speaks English except the 2 Italian girls. Those two girls, the Canadians and me are the only ones who know one language. The others know at least three. Amazing. The teacher struggles with the Italians because English is the common language so sometimes she will resort to English to help to explain. Luckily, the Albanian also knows Italian so he helps translate to them. Amazing. Did I mention that? It's been interesting to see some of the words I already knew written down because how it is written is not how I would have imagined. I am such a visual learner that seeing it has helped me. For example, you can say "Chuice" to say goodbye (pronounced kind of like juice) but really it is spelled like, "Tschuss". I didn't know that was the word I was looking at when I saw it!
Ok, what else. I joined the American's Women Club of Bern this last week. They celebrated Thanksgiving a week before Thanksgiving. It was my first function that I went too. I'm not sure how I am feeling about it. The lunch was good, we had turkey and stuffing, potatoes and I was so excited about the Ranch dip I brought. The only problem was, they didn't put it out!!!!! After everyone went through the line, I had to go tell the people in the kitchen that they forgot to put it out. I was disappointed. (I also brought a vegetable tray). Let's see. I was by far the youngest person there. I did meet one nice woman though. She actually lives very close to where I work so she dropped me off at work afterwards! (On Thursdays, I work 9:00 to 11:00 and then 3:00 to 5:30). She e-mailed me today and invited me to lunch this coming Thursday! She married a Swiss man 20 years ago and has been here ever since.
I hurt myself again this week. I was going to take Arwen outside and I was taking a shortcut. I jumped from some cement over the dirt to some rocks and I slipped. I flew up, twisted around and landed right on my knee. It was excruciating pain. It just got worse and worse as the night went on. Thomas touched it about three hours later to see if it was hot or cold (I don't know) and I have never felt such pain, three hours later. It almost hurt worse than when it actually happened. I was seriously wondering if I broke my knee cap. Well, four days later it is better but not completely. Still hurts to squat, walk up or down stairs and there is no way I can get on my knees. Ouch.
I actually have some good news! A mom at work has invited me to a movie with her next week. Nina is from Germany but just moved to Switzerland from Canada. (She has the cutest little guy) Anyhoo, she was asking me about movies here in English. She asked if they really have German and French subtitles. I told her yes, but assured her the movie will be in English. Well, she invited me to Twilight next week. (I wasn't going to see this movie because Edward isn't as pretty as I imagine when I read the books.) It was funny because she was nervous about asking. She made the comment that she was asking me out on a date. I told her I may go and buy a new outfit for my date! Needless to say, she is someone my age with a 2 year old and another due in April (Sound like Lindsay? I'll see if Lindsay reads this now...)
Last thing, I had to go to a First Aid class, in German. Didn't get much out of those four hours!
So, that is all for now. I just thought to myself that if this is too long, people won't read it. So, I will write again later about the roller coaster I have been on!
One month from today I will be 28 years old and my parents are coming!!! That is the best birthday present I have ever received. Love you mom and dad!!!!
The Nebraska state insect is the honeybee.
P.S. I miss Nebraska.
