More than words can say.

Well. In exactly 7 minutes, the day is here. July 13th. The end of the end here and the beginning of the rest of my life at the same time. It's a weird feeling. After packing for hours (I. Hate. Packing.), making sure I have my passport, Swiss ID, plane tickets, I'm all set to go. It has not hit me yet. I think it will probably hit me next week or so. All I can say again is thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. From everyone back home to everyone I have met this year, you have all helped me in my year here.

This year has been more than words can ever describe. And that is saying a lot, since I could talk forever. My heart will always treasure this year.

Switzerland, you have done me well. Thank you for showing me your beauty, for allowing me to discover all you had to offer. From your weird traditions to your cheese, to all those gorgeous mountains and lakes. To all the amazing people that this country holds. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Danke schoen.

And to all the people I have met this year, it hasn't been easy saying good-bye to you, and today (now) at the airport won't be easy to say good-bye to the rest of you. But it's a see you soon. Never will I forget you all.

The rest of my life is in front of me now. I just have to embrace it.

I will update my blog with pictures from my past weekend in Italy and with pictures from today at the airport, so stay posted. Less than 24 and I will be on American soil in Kansas. :) See you all soon!

All my love, Laura

On the brink.

Hi everyone!

Wow. Almost a year has gone by. I cannot believe how fast it has gone. It’s a weird feeling being on the brink of going back to Kansas, back home. I remember this time last year, when I was getting ready to head out. Studying up on French, checking my email all the time, seeing if I had a new email from someone in Switzerland, getting out the suitcases and trying to pack for a whole year. It seems like just yesterday when I opened the door that Thursday before I left to see the surprise party my mom and best friend had planned. Just yesterday when I said good-bye to everyone at KOK. When we drove up to the airport and I sadly waved good-bye to everything I knew, my family, my friends, my country, to head to a place where I had no idea what to expect. What was I thinking?! Thinking back on the months before I left, I think I must have been crazy to want to do this. And for all my family and friends. I can only thank them a million times over, because I don’t know if I would have the strength to watch my daughter or best friend get on a plane, knowing it would be a year until you saw her again. This year was nothing that I thought it would be. Not that I really had any idea though. I’ve had the best and worst experiences of my life here. There was a point in the year when more than anything I wanted to go home. To give up, pack my things and go. But I stuck through it. And I am so thankful to God for helping me through it, because the 2nd half of my year is when I truly feel in love with this place. I have had so many mountain-top moments here. Moments where I laughed so hard, milk came out my nose. Moments where we would sit on a train and just look at the beautiful Switzerland. Moments where I agreed to things, even though I didn’t understand and had no idea what I had just agreed to. Then getting to the activity and telling myself that next time, I would translate it before I agreed. Haha. But I think that now though is where the hard part begins. It is when I say good-bye and see you soon. It is when I leave everything and everyone that I now know and love. To go back to everyone and everything that I love back home. Now is the time that I learn to balance these 2 worlds. I have to figure out how to hold onto this year, but yet, let some things go. I’m on the brink of the beginning of the rest of my life. I feel like I have the world at my doorstep, and if I try, and work hard, I can do anything I set my mind to. And while next Wednesday is going to take every bit of strength I have, and even though it isn’t going to be easy to walk through security at Zurich airport, I have so much to look forward to at the same time. I have all of you, everyone that has supported me throughout this year, on the other side of the world, and I can’t wait to get off that airplane in KCI at 7pm and see everyone that I have been anxiously waiting a year to see and hug. It is going to quite the bipolar day for me I think. Haha. This year has taught me to go with the flow. And while I will still call Becky 10 times when I am waiting in Bern train station, because she is 30 seconds late, freaking out that she isn’t there, I have learned that I can’t predict the future. That God has a plan for me. And while I might not always want to follow it, I know that great things are in store. If my train is a few minutes late and I miss my connection, so be it.There will be another. Life goes on. I think that is the hardest thing for me to accept. I want Wednesday to never come, yet it feels like it can’t get here fast enough. After I leave Switzerland, I will go home and see everyone, and realize that life went on. And that even though it may be hard for me, I have to still keep on going. Go to high school. Study. Find a college. Reconnect with my friends. And somehow, though all the amazing moments I know that are in store for me in this next year, I will have to find a way to hold on to some of this past year. My families here. My friends here. The memories. I now have 2 homes. One here in Switzerland, and one back home in Kansas. There are people that I hold so close to my heart in both of these places. It is, like a said, now a matter of balancing the two.

Wow. What an amazing year it has been. I could not have asked for anything more.

But now, let me try to compose myself, I shall tell you about my past week!

Last Wednesday, Mom left for Kansas. But it was a whole lot easier, knowing that in exactly 2 weeks, I would be home. After, I headed back to my house in Epesses, and Becky came over for a little bit and went swimming with my in the Lake. Then she headed home and Brandon, and his friend from Canada who is here visiting, Lauren, came over to my house and we had a BBQ and then went swimming in Lake Geneva too!

Thursday, I packed up my things once again. No matter how many times I pack up my life here, I still dread it and put it off until the last minute. But, I am proud of myself, as I did start a day ahead. After, I hung out with Simon, my little (15 year old, soon to be 16! Happy Birthday Simon!) host brother and my host sister.

Friday, I finished packing and then hung out with Simon and Line again! Then, around 5pm, my counselor, Francois came and picked me up, and I said good-bye to my host family, since they were leaving for Colombia the next morning. It is so weird saying good-bye. Because it is just so surreal that this time is here. It feels like I will be back tomorrow. Hmm. My counselor just lives in the next village over, Rivaz, with his wife. Once there, we had a “Kansas BBQ”. I love it when the Swiss try to make an American BBQ. Always bring a smile to my face. Partly because it is so cute and thoughtful, and partly because they are so far off. . .  

Saturday, I headed into the middle. Of. Nowhere. Literally. For those of you that know me, I am a girly girl. If I see a lady-bug, I run away screaming in terror. I love cleanliness, I love organization, I love having a shower at least once a day, never leaving the house without my hairbrush in my purse, etc. So when I headed out with Laurence (his wife) and Francois to their house in the Alps, I was a little worried. But, I was looking forward to it, as I wasn’t sure exactly what was in store.

This so called “house” turns out to be a 2 room hut. Haha. No toilet. No shower. No hot water. No electricity. No warmth at night. Bugs everywhere. And right behind the house, cows. Because you see, here in Switzerland, in the summer, the farmers go up into the mountains with their cows so they can eat the fresh herbs up there, plus it is less hot. Then in the fall, they take their cows back down the mountain in this big parade and then the cows eat the herbs in the valley during winter. So there are all this little “houses” up in the Alps for the farmers to stay in summer with their cows. So Francois owns one of theses houses, but doesn’t have cows. But there is someone else that keeps his cows there, so when you opened this one door in the kitchen, there are cows. Right there. In the back room. It was crazy! The whole place smelt like cow you know what though. Haha. Oh. I forgot to mention there is no street that goes to this house. You have to hike there.

So, first thought when I got there, after the hike to get there, was what the heck was I thinking agreeing to this.

It ended up being one of my favorite memories here. We had such a great time! The view was so beautiful. Since there was nothing else to do, we would either sit on the front lawn and just stare at the mountains, or we would go hiking. And we were only going to stay for 1 night. But Laurence and I decided to stay an extra night, since we just didn’t want to leave! I mean, going pee outside wasn’t all that bad! And to shower, since there was no hot water, we set water out in the sun in this case and the water by the end of the day was burning hot! Just because of the sun! It was fabulous! And having to set a fire up in the bedroom at 7pm, so it would be warm by 11 when we went to bed was part of the experience! 

The view from the house to the left!

The house! The front is the actual house part, where the farmers would live, and then the back of the house is where the cows are! They are let out at night, when there aren’t so many bugs and it isn’t so hot.

The whole view from our house!

That first night up there, we made fondue! We had to start a while in advance, since we were using a wood stove, which took a while to heat up and get the fire just the way we wanted it! Once the fondue was good, we went out and ate it while staring some more at the mountains!

That night, we all slept in the same room, since there was no other place. But all night long, all I heard was the cow bells. Because here, all the cows wear these big, loud bells. And since the cows are out eating and walking around at night, they made quite a bit of noise. Haha. But it was all good!

The next morning, I woke up to this. The cows staring in while waiting to be let into the barn for the day. Oh, how I will miss my Swiss cows.

Room #1. The kitchen/dining room!

Here you can see the stove we used to cook with, and that door in the back of the room to the left, with those postcards on it, is the door that you open up if you want to say hello to the cows!

Sunday, we went hiking for a good few hours up to the top of this mountain. Look at that view! I was so tired and sweaty in this photo. Haha. I was so relieved when we made it to the top!

Laurence and I at the top!

After our hike, we went back to the house and made lunch, where Laurence and I decided to stay an extra night. Francois had to go back home though because about 4 years ago, he built a sailboat. He never had it inspected, because the guy who is in charge of those type of things said it was totally fine and didn’t need an inspection. Well, a few months ago, that old guy retired and a new guy came in. And decided that Francois had to have his boat inspected. So, he had the inspection on Thursday, at 2pm, but he had to go back early so he could work a little on it and make sure it was all in working order.

So, as we had to hike to the house, we only brought as much food as we would need for the 1 night there. And since there is no fridge or anything, there was obviously not a huge supply of food or anything there. So we had to make due with what we had and we made some potatoes for dinner and then watched the sunset!

Monday, we spent the whole day basically sitting on the front lawn in our P.J.’s, staring at the beauty of the mountains. Since we had only gone up there with the 1 car, and Francois had taken it to go back home, Laurence and I were going to have to get back home via buses and trains. A little hard when you are in the middle of nowhere. So, the nearest bus stop was a 2 hour hike. So we set out with our backpacks at 3, so we could make it to the bus at 5. Well, when we were almost to the stop, after 1.5 hours of hiking, this old couple pulls over and offers us a ride! So we gladly accept, but then Laurence, being the true Swiss person that she is who loves hiking, realizes that this now gives us time to go do this other hike she wanted to do with me. So the couple drops us off at this other place, and Laurence and I figure out that we have exactly 1 hour to do this hike to get to the other side of this gorge to the bus stop. There are these yellow signs all over Switzerland, that give the name and time off all these places here. So we see the yellow sign when we are starting out, that says that our destination is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Now these signs are set up for the average Swiss hiker. But we only have 1 hour.  This means that I was going to have to work my butt off to make it through this thing and to the bus on the other side on time. We did it in 45 minutes. That is crazy impressive. I mean, I am a slow walker, so the fact that I was able to cut ONE WHOLE HOUR off of that hike and beat the normal Swiss hiker, is rather impressive. I was proud of myself. Haha.

A waterfall in the gorge!

Basically running through these gorges.   Haha.

At the end. I survived! We then continued and made the bus, and then took the train back to this one place, where Francois came and picked us up. Once back at the house, Laurence and I showered, since according to Francois, we smelled “horrifying”. Then we went out for Chinese food, and Quentin, my counselor's son, but who lives in a different canton with his mom, was with us. It was in the middle of this Chinese dinner that I realized that it was the 4th of July. I guess you lose track of time when you go up to the mountains for a few days, totally away from civilization. So, we then went back to the house and had a little celebration, complete with singing “Star Spangled Banner” and mini American flags. It was quite the sight to see! Haha!  

Tuesday, I got up early and went with Francois and Quentin to work on this infamous boat! Turns out that a bunch of the wood was rotten, and that it was going to take a lot more than 2 days (like originally planned) to finish this boat. So I threw on some of their old clothes and headed out to the port! And let me tell ya, I was quite the little boat building assistant! I was doing (basically) everything that Quentin was doing! Another shining moment in my life. Haha.  

The infamous boat at the beginning of the day!

The car, packed full with supplies.

Quentin hard at work on the boat.

Francois forgot his hat at the house, and so he made this one. It was rather hilarious. Especially when the wind would blow and pick it up. He just needs to grow out his bead and he’ll be Arab!

I think we took a break for ice cream at least once an hour. It was SO HOT. And especially since we were in long sleeves and warm pants! Francois kept buying us food and ice cream I think though as a bribe. Like “if you just sand down this last piece of wood, I will buy you a popsicle!” It worked. Haha. Here Quentin and I are in one of the many break during the day. Enjoying some chicken nuggets. First time I have eaten them since I lived here! I was so excited. Haha. It’s the little things in life.

In the afternoon, we had to make this chemical to coat on the boat, but first we had to mix it. It was SO FUNNY. Since this thing was really dangerous, we had to roll our sleeves down, put on a hair net, rubber gloves, a mask and eye protection. Then we wipped out these chemicals, and had to weigh them on a scale so we could mix the right amount of each one. But we had to do it in the shade, so there we were, all protected, weighing these chemicals on a scale, under those bushes in the back. We totally look like a drug maker, or whatever you call it. Haha. It was quite amusing. There I am all ready for work!

Look at that beautiful progress we made! Cut, sanded, fit. Wow. We are such craftsmen.  

At the end of the day. The boat crew. Complete with matching shirts.  

Wednesday, while the boys were back out working on the boat, Laurence and I decided to go hiking again! We were going to take a gondola up to the top of those mountains you see there, but in the end, we hiked up. Those mountains. Yes. It was steep. And scary. But we persevered! I have learned that while hiking is not enjoyable in the moment, once you get to the top, it is totally satisfying.

Lake Geneva!

Mountain top moment!

The French side of Lake Geneva. That is what I wake up to every day.

The final ascent! When I saw that, I was a little worried. I mean, that was one steep hike.

On top!

Self explanatory.

Forget me not.

Laurence and I at the top!

Thursday, the boys headed back out to the boat, haha, while Laurence and I headed to a 5 star hotel in Montreux, a beautiful town on the lake, to go to the spa, swim, work-out, and then lounge in these amazingly comfy chairs. It was a nice morning and afternoon.  

Then, in the late afternoon I headed back to Chexbres to hang out with my 2nd host family a little and then I went back to Rivaz and made dinner for Francois and Laurence! Mexican! And I am proud to say, it turned out amazing!

The house in Rivaz.

Friday, I got up and packed my bags. At noon, Francois drove me to the train station and helped me get my bags on the train and then I said good-bye, since I won’t be going back there. It is so surreal.

My last photo of Lake Geneva.

After leaving the French part today, I headed to Bern for a little party! Here is Veronica and I!

Brandon hugs have become Swiss famous. Haha. I’m going to miss them so much!

 

Brandon and I!

And last but not least, my little Ecuadorian, Cris,  and I!

After this, I headed to Weinfelden, where I am currently stationed, and will be here until tomorrow. Then I go to Italy with my 2nd family for a few days, come back to Switzerland for a day. And then go home to Kansas. Insane.

I will see you all in 5 days! So much love!

The Wehmeier’s invade Europe.

Hello all! I know it has been SO LONG since I have written, and I apologize. I have just been SUPER BUSY and have not had a moment to sit down and write my blog. But alas, I am here now!  

I have been doing non-stop travelling since I last wrote. I have never had such little sleep in my life. Haha. Now. Be prepared. For this is the longest post ever. I believe.

We shall go way back in time to June 10th. So. I left Epesses (where I live) to head to Bern because I was getting together with a few of my friends for a little last party thing. We we all met up and then headed to Brandon’s house which is outside of Bern in a city called Burgdorf. So we had about 10 people over (I didn’t take any pictures. Sorry. But I shall steal Cris’s and out them up later!) and we just chatted, ate, watched a movie, and just enjoyed our last Friday night all together. So everyone had left by 11:30 except Cris and I, and of course Brandon. And I was spending the night at Cris’s so I could get to the airport at 7 the next morning. So we are walking to the train and then decide to run just to make sure we make it. Since we thought it was the last train back to where she lives. So we make it to the train station and still have 5 minutes to make it onto the train. So we go the platform and try to open the doors to the train, but they won’t open. So we are banging on the door like trying to ask these people on the train if they will open it from the inside and they wouldn’t! So we decide to try to other doors. All locked. So then we see that the conductor is standing outside the train. So we go up to him, wait for him to get off his cell phone. So he gets off and then Brandon asks him, in German, if he will open the doors. The conductor says nothing, gets in the train, and drives it away. EARLY. 2 minutes early. So we are just standing there, dumbfounded. Like seriously, what a jerk! We were there. On time. And he just leaves. Ridiculous. So then I proceed to have a miniature panic attack that I won’t make it to the airport in time in the morning now, since all my stuff is at Cris’s, etc. So everything is closed and we have no way of looking up train times unless we walk back 15 minutes to Brandon’s house, so we call one of our friends, who looks it up and MIRACULOUSLY, there was another train! So we waited 30 more minutes, made sure we got on that train, and then got home at 2:30am. We went to sleep and woke up again at 4:30. Yay for 2 hours of sleep! Once we were up, we got ready and headed off the Zurich airport to pick up my family!

At the airport! Cris and I got there just in time! We met up with Vera and her parents and waited for them to come out! It was so crazy seeing them again!

We went and got some coffee then and then went and bought their Swiss train passes. Then I proceed to attempt to teach them lesson #1. When I say “RUN! The train leaving!” It means RUN! THE TRAIN IS LEAVING. So I see that the train we want is leaving in 1 minute, so I tell them to RUN, and what did Becca and Mom do? They stop to take a picture by this random statue. Oh how I have missed them. Haha. They are lucky we made that train. . . . .

We headed into Zurich and met up with Brandon and Veronica, and we showed them around Zurich! No time for rest for them!

Becca and I on her first train ride!

After an hour in Zurich, we headed to St. Gallen up in the northeast corner of Switzerland and toured that city a bit! Then we headed back to Weinfelden!

We allowed them a little time to rest, but then we decided to show them a bit around Weinfelden! And, since when Martin came to Kansas, Dad took him around on his Harley. So when Dad came to Switzerland, Martin took him around on his Vespa.  

Becca and I with my Swiss cows After our nice little walk through the hills, we headed back to the Vock’s for dinner! And after, I allowed the kids to head to bed. As they were rather tired.  

Sunday, I made them wake up super early (6:30am) and head to Bern so we could see Noemi! No chance they were going to sleep through precious time in Switzerland! So, off to the trains we went and we headed to Bern! Noemi and I showed them around Bern, the bears, the river, the cute old town!

After Bern, the clan and I headed back to where I live! Once there, I introduced them to my host family, and my host dad, being the vineyard owner that he is, gave my parents a little wine tasting! Becca was so funny because she had never had wine before and she would let it sit there until he would come around with the next wine, and then she would chug the one before so she could try the next one! Classy. After that, my host mom drove us around the area that I live in so that way they could see! It was a little hard because my host mom speaks no English what –so-ever, and so I had to translate everything. I won’t lie. It made me feel smart and awesome. But still, always having to pay attention. It’s hard work. Haha.

The next day, I took them on a little walk along the lake in the morning! Here is Becca and I standing outside my house! Yes. I wake up to that view every morning.  

After our little walk, we headed with my host family, my counselor and his wife, and my real family to the Jura mountains! The Jura are a mountain range that divide France and Switzerland and run all the way up the western side of Switzerland. We drove a little over an hour out there, to this little restaurant all alone up on a mountain so the ducklings (as I refer to the Wehmeier clan since they would just follow me around like little ducklings) could have some traditional Swiss food!

Mom, me, Line (my host sister), Simon (my little host brother) and then Becca on the mountain!

Mom and Dad had fondue for the first time and Becca had some yummy alpine macaroni! So Swiss. And the end result was, they loved it. I mean, who doesn’t love Swiss cheese?!

After lunch, we hung out on the mountain for a little bit mingling with everyone, and then my host dad drove us back down and dropped us off at the Chateau de Chillon! I won’t post pictures, since I have been there so many times this year and have put up lots of pictures of it already, but I figured they would like it Then, as we were getting ready to take the train back to Epesses, Mom realizes that she left their Swiss train passes at my house. I had my GA (my magical train pass) though. So Dad, in his mission to save money, made my go back to my house, get the passes, and then go back to the Chateau to get the ducklings. So, 1 hour later, I have fetched the passes and taught them lesson #2. Always make sure you have your GA before you leave the house. This one they learned the hard way. Once back at Epesses, we walked up to my village (since I live outside the village).

Where I live!

Epesses! My village! Population 315 (including me!)  

Tuesday! We headed to PARIS! They got to sleep in a little bit (until 7:15!) and then we got ready and got on a train. Destination. Paris. 3 hours later. We were there! We found our hotel really easily, dropped our stuff off, and then headed out to do some sightseeing!

The Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart) Basilica!

On our way to the Eiffel Tower! We were just walking along the Seine, trying to get to the Eiffel Tower, and then all the sudden, BAM, it was like there! I felt like I was seeing it in a picture. It was so surreal that we were actually there, in Paris!

We had gotten advance tickets to go up in the Tower, so we only had to wait a few minutes in line. Then we got on the elevator (I cannot believe some people walk all the way up that thing. That must be torturous!) and we on the 2nd level! (there are 3 levels total).

So after being on that level for  minutes and taking lots of pictures, we got in line to head up to the very top. For this, you had to have advance tickets, which we had, so all we had to do, like I said, was wait in line with the other hundred or so people that had advance tickets as well. We waited, and we waited, and we waited. Finally. After 1 hour in line, we made it to the front of the line. There was only 1 family in front of us and then it was our turn to go up in the elevators. Then, my luck strikes. They shut down the elevators.

Are you kidding me?! So everyone in the line is standing still, not moving, and this worker is telling us they are shutting the top down due to “mechanical problems and this is for your safety” (bull, because when we got down and were walking away, we say the elevators going up and down). So then this one guy in line yells “There’s going to be another French Revolution!” Haha. And then they brought security guards up! So, we are still just standing there, and so then we ask if we can get our money back, since we paid to go to the top. Then they tell everyone to go get in this other line. So EVERYONE does this mad dart to get in the other line to get refunds. Great. So as we are standing in line, this lady comes by and gives us a paper, saying we have to mail in our request to have our tickets refunded and that it takes a minimum of a month for them to process the form. So, all in all, we never made it up the Eiffel Tower all the way, and we probably won’t see that money again. But, can I really complain? I mean, I was in the Eiffel Tower after all  

Mom and I after we got down and say the elevator working again  

Wednesday, we got up early and headed to La Conciergie, which is a prison that was in use during the French Revolution. Marie-Antoinette was even held there! Then we headed to Notre-Dame Cathedral!

After walking through the church, we were able to hike up to the top of the towers! Let me tell ya, that was a whole lot of stairs. Haha. But it was totally worth it once we got to the top! Look to the left behind my head, see the Eiffel Tower! Everywhere we went, we could see it! So cool!

After climbing the stairs, we got on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour that took us around to the main sights of Paris! And let us relax for a minute  

Then we got off and went to this bizarre museum (Do not go to the “Paris Story” when in Paris. It = waste of time but a nice dark area to take a nap in). Then Mom and Dad went to this wine tasting, while Becca and I went to the wax museum! It was so scary! I mean, we couldn’t tell who was real and who was fake! Haha!

While there, I had a nice chat with my future granny-in-law, Queen Elisabeth II.  

After a quick bite to eat and costume change on my part, we headed to the Louvre! We only had a little bit of time before it closed, so we didn’t see much, but next time I go to Paris, I will spend days there! It was amazing! I mean, wow. So much history! Like paintings I remember learning about in AP European History last year and in English class were there! It was just so surreal!

Dad, Becca and I by the Code of Hammurabi!

Mona Lisa anyone?

Next we headed to the Arc de Triomphe! And hiked up more stairs! Yay!  

Aw!  

The next day we got up early (what’s new?) and headed to Versailles!

Becca and I in front of the palace! And yes. That would be gold.

The Hall of Mirrors! It was amazing on the inside. He had these HUGE rooms decorated with gold and marble. I mean, it is easy to see why the French people revolted! They were out on the streets starving, while their King Louis was dining on silver platters and sleeping with Egyptian cotton! Go French people for revolting!

The back view of the Palace! After walking through the Palace, we wandered through the gardens to get to Marie-Antoinette’s house. Since when living in the Palace became to much, she would walk 10 minutes away to her own personal huge house in the gardens. What a rough life.

The famous fountain that I forgot the name of!  

After wandering a bit, Mom and Dad went back into Paris to go on a romantic boat ride on the Seine and left Becca and I to wait an hour until the Marie-Antoinette house opened up. (I was determined to go in!). It’s funny. A year ago mom and dad NEVER would have left Becca and I alone, in Versailles and expected us to make it back into Paris, find Becca a Paris t-shirt, and then make it back to our hotel. Now, it is me who is worried about them getting on the right train, understanding the signs, etc. But I am proud to say that they are learning. *tear, tear*. They are growing up so fast Figuring out which platform the train comes in on all by themselves!

While waiting an hour in the rain to go into Marie’s house (like I said, I was determined), Becca and I had a quick lunch consisting of green olives and Zone bars. Fancy.

After we saw her house (she had it rather nice), Becca and I got a crepe and then headed back into Paris. Then we got her a shirt, and headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags. Then we headed to the metro station that we were supposed to meet the kids at, but they were LATE! So after 15 minutes of panic and me trying to call them but it not going through, they show up. Claiming that their metro train had stopped on the tracks for 10 minutes. Sure. Sure. But there was no time to yell, for we had a plane to catch! So we headed off to the airport! Once there, we got some food, went through security, went to the gate and boarded on our Easy Jet plane! How I will miss Easy Jet next year. No more 12.95 franc flights to Barcelona.  

Mom snapped this photo while we were on the plane. We made the most of our time on the plane and slept   We got to Rome around 8pm and then made our way to the hotel! Once there, we dropped our bags off and went out for a late night Italian food run!

Friday morning, we woke up, went and bought our Roma Passes and then headed out to Vatican City! 

Mom and Dad in St. Peter’s Square!

St. Peter’s dome!

Standing in front of the church overlooking the square! We went into Vatican City with a tour group, so that way we could have things explained to us, and so we didn’t have to wait in line to get into the museum and into the church. And when we saw the line, we were more than happy that we spent a little extra to skip that line! The museums were crazy huge! I mean, I had no idea that that many sculptures existed! And that they used to be painted! I figured that they were all just that light stone color, but they used to be painted these beautiful colors! Something new! You could spend days in there as well, just staring at statue, after statue, after statue. It was crazy!

In St. Peter’s Basilica! It was crazy huge! This picture is pretty blurry, but the paintings, the decoration, everything! It was beautiful!

After spending most of the day there, we were going to try to go to the catacombs. So we took the metro to this stop where we would catch a bus to the catacombs, since they are outside of Rome. So we find the bus stop, and these guys tell us they have been waiting for over an hour for the bus. And it was hot out! So they must have been dying. So we decided to wait. So we waited about 20 minutes and alas, the bus came! So we got on and get right around the corner, so basically 2 blocks away, and what happens? The bus breaks down. Of course. Haha. So we tried to catch a taxi. There were none that were empty. So we gave up. And decided to try again in the morning, but for the time being, we took the hop-on, hop-off bus tour of Roma!

Becca and I in front of Constantine's Arch!

And the whole clan in front of the Coliseum! Yet another one of those things that I can’t believe I actually saw! We decided to wait to go in the Coliseum until the next day so we would have more time, and then we headed back to the hotel and had dinner at the same restaurant as the night before! It was just so good! If I ever lived in Italy, I would get so fat. Eating pizza, pasta, gelato, cheese, all of it! Yum.

Saturday, we got up and headed straight to the bus stop for the catacombs. Dad was determined. Haha. We met this American family there who were wanting to go to the catacomb too, and so together we waited about 20 or 30 minutes and alas, the bus came and DIDN’T break down! We made it to the catacomb (photos weren’t allowed ), but it was so cool! I had no idea really what a catacomb was, but that was impressive! I mean, wow! That was like a whole city almost down there. They had it so organized, with all these different symbols. There were so many people who were buried down there! Who thought something like that could be cool. Haha.

Next, still hanging out with our American friends, we headed back into Roma and headed to a Roman bath! Now, it is in ruins, but still, it’s impressive!

After that, we went and had lunch with our new friends! Such an American thing to do. Haha. After an amusing lunch, we parted ways from our new friends. It’s funny because we don’t even know their names. Yet we had lunch with them. So American. Swiss people would never do something like that. Haha.

After, we headed back to the Coliseum and went inside! Did you know that it was left abandoned for hundreds of years?! I just do not understand how they could just let it fall into ruins! I mean, such an impressive structure like that! It baffles me. At least you can still go in it today though! It was amazing!

Under one of the arches!

Becca and I in the Coliseum! I totally wish I could go back in time and see how it was back when it was in full use! It would have been amazing!

Mom, Dad, and I listening to our little audio guides. Dorky. I know.  

After we finished touring the Coliseum, we headed across the street and toured the Roman Forum, the old Roman Palace and other things that I can’t remember the name of!  

Next, we were wandering around Roma, in search of the Pantheon, and on the way, we found the Italian Parliament building! It is beautiful! All white, with sculptures everywhere!

The Pantheon!

After wandering some more through Roma, we got some gelato! Do you see that super legit gelato?! He is in the shape of a mouse! LOVE IT!  

And last, we headed to the Trevi fountain! The place was PACKED, so we didn’t get a very good picture, but it was beautiful!

Sunday, we got up early (yet again) and headed to Florence to visit ERICA! Our first ever exchange student! Last time she saw us, I was in 6th grade and Becca 4th. Now we are in 12th and 10th grade. So it had been awhile! She was exactly the way I remembered her to be like and we had such an amazing time with her and her family!

The churches in Florence were unlike any I had ever seen before! They were so beautiful! Just look at the colors and the paintings on the front!

We saw DAVID!!!!!!

After touring Florence a bit, we headed back to Erica’s house and we had an amazing Italian lunch. I mean. AMAZING. Fresh salad, tomatoes, mozzarella, and then you add your own olive oil and pepper to it. It was just so fresh and so good!

After a great lunch with Erica and her family, they drove us a little outside of Florence and we visited another church and then drove through some of Tuscany! Here we are with Erica and her parents over looking Florence!

Since there wasn’t enough room in the car, Silvio, Erica’s dad, took dad on his Vespa. It was even funnier with dad and Silvio then it was with Martin, because Silvio is this big Italian man, and then were riding through the streets of Italy on this tiny little motor bike. I loved it.  

After touring through the BEAUTIFUL FLORENCE, we headed back to Erica’s for a HUGE DINNER. Just when we thought dinner was over, more meat was brought, and after that, more salad, and after that, more bread, and after that, more cheese. It just kept on going! I have never been so full! After dinner, we went on a late night gelato run!

Just like old times  

The next morning, we woke up and went around souvenir shopping. Then, at 10am, we left on a train and headed back to Switzerland. We were there for exactly 24 hours. Florence was by far my favorite of the 3 cities, and seeing Erica only made it that much better! I hope I can go back and visit her soon!!!

We took the train back from Florence through Milan, and then from Milan, we took a train all the way back to little ole’ Epesses. Then we headed back to Chexbres, to visit my 2nd host family!

We had dinner with the whole family, plus 2 of my neighbors there, and then after dinner, us kids played some Ninja.  

The Ninja playing children!

My crazy yet amazing 2nd family Complete with Mr. Gypsie, the dog. I’ll miss them so much!

And the whole crew!

Tuesday, we left early again and headed to Zermatt, to go up to the Matterhorn! It was such a clear day that when we got to Zermatt, we say the Matterhorn right away! It looked so different since it was summer time, and not winter like the last time I was there!

Zion came with us, so that way she could met the family! Here we are going up in the gondolas!

It was a lot more enjoyable this time, since it was not freezing cold! Last time, it was SO FREEZING that I was literally getting frostbite which made me miserable because it hurt. This time, it was cold, but it felt good, since it’s getting so hot outside! Here is Becca in the Ice Palace at the top of the Little Matterhorn!

Last time I was there, this was closed because it was frozen over. This time, it was open. It is a sled run! In the ice! So cool! You just grab a sled, go to the top, and then sled down! So awesome!

Ice sculptures in the ice palace! Last time, this was a different sculpture, it was a Christmas tree, since it was almost Christmas! Now they are typical Swiss houses!

Mom and I by the Ice Mountain!

“Welcome to the world’s highest glacier palace! 12.736 feet up!”

German. Check. French. Check. English. Check. Italian. Check. Japanese? Check.

SNOW! How I have missed it!

At the base of the Matterhorn with Mom and Becca in June 2011.

At the base of the Matterhorn in December 2010. Look a little different?  

Me and my mountains. I’m going to miss them.

Zion and I back down in Zermatt. We have a photo in this place back from when we were here in winter too.  

Funniest thing. While we were in Zermatt, they had a group of 200 high school and college students that were on a singing tour through Europe from Kansas!!! None from Gardner, but it was just too funny! There was even a sign that said “Welcome Kansas!”. Quite the coincidence.

After wandering around Zermatt some more, we headed back down through the Alps and then back to Epesses, where we had a dinner with my host family and then had a little photo shoot. Now, my host family hates photos. Haha. So it was a really funny photo shoot since people kept closing their eyes, looking away, etc. Haha. But in the end, we got the pictures!  

Jean-Francois, Margarita, Simon, Ben, Line, and me!

Self-timer with everyone!

My host parents!

The annoying ones. Ben, me and Simon! And yes. Simon is wearing a towel in all the photos. Haha.

And now with Line! Haha  

Line and I!

After the photo shoot, Jean-Francois took mom and dad on a tour of the wine cellar, since he makes all the wine right here at the house! And Line and I found this hat. Made out of cork! Did you know cork came from a tree?! I didn’t. And thought that hat was pretty legit.  

Wednesday, we headed to Weinfelden again. I took the ducklings to Konstanz, which is a town just over the boarder in Germany, since Dad wanted to go. Haha. So we went, took a picture, then left. He was pleased.  

And back in Weinfelden, we made sausages and s’mores for dinner!!!

Thursday, Gabriela came with the ducklings and I to Liechtenstein!

Then we went to Chur, which is where Vera’s sister lives, and we saw her and her apartment!

Then we went to Austria!

Becca and I had a photo booth shoot!

Once back in Weinfelden, we headed up to the mountains where we ate at a restaurant that over-looked the town! It was so beautiful!

Then we played on the playground. . . some things never change. . .  

The whole crew!

Sisters forever!

And again. Some things never change.  

Friday, Becca and Dad left from Zurich in the morning, so we rode the train there with them and then Vera went into the airport with them and got them all checked in while Mom and I went to Ballenberg! Remember when I went there before? It is an outdoor museum that has houses from all over Switzerland that you can tour and learn all about Switzerland! Basically a crash course on Switzerland  

Friday night we went back to my house in Epesses and then Saturday morning we left and headed to Neuchâtel, a city in the French part to go tour this castle. Now, I have been to Neuchatel so many times to try and go in this castle, but it was always closed. Saturday was no exception. It was closed. I feel that it is just not meant to be that I go in that castle. Haha. So instead Mom and I  got some pastries and just wandered around Neuchatel before I had to go to Aarau, since I have my last ever Rotary meeting here in Switzerland.   Crazy. And then Mom headed back to Weinfelden to meet up with Vera’s mom, Gabriela, and she went to a Rotary event with them!

After the super boring meeting where we talked about nothing important, Brandon, Becky, Veronica and I went to Zurich to hang out by the lake one last time. This is what we did so many times this year. We would get some bread and cheese, and then go sit by the lake for hours on end.  

Veronica and I! I will have to travel to Roswell, New Mexico, land of the aliens, to see this one next year!

Becky and I!

Brandon and I! Road trips to Canada next year? I think yes.

After a few hours lakeside, we had to make it home, so Becky came with me to Weinfelden so she could come with my mom and I on Sunday to the Italian part!

Becky, Mom and I left early on Sunday morning to head down to Tessin, the one and only Italian speaking canton in Switzerland! Becky and I had been to 2 of the 3 major cities down there, so we decided to take Mom to the one that we hadn’t been to yet, Lugano! They have a beautiful lake there and this thing called the “Swiss Miniature”, where they took all the major castles and landmarks of Switzerland and made mini versions of it! It was really cool! They even had little trains going everywhere and little people! I loved it!

Chateau de Chillion! The mini version!

The streets of Lugano with Mom!

Becky and I!

On Lake Como!

We saw these little paddleboats on the lake, and wanted to take one, but assumed they were expensive. But then we saw it was 8 francs for 3 people (SUPER CHEAP FOR SWITZERLAND!) and decided to take one! So we got this little paddleboat that was basically a car on a raft with peddles! Becky and I worked off some of that Swiss cheese we’ve been eating all year!  Haha  

Becky and I “driving” the paddleboat through the beautiful Italian part. While Mom just sat back and relaxed. Not fair.

Monday, Mom and I went up to a tiny little canton called Shauffhausen, in which part of the Rheine River flows through!

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Horrible photo of me, but oh well. Mom and I took a boat ride on the Rheine!

On the river!

Today, Mom, Vera, Gabriela and I went up to Santis! It is a really big mountain in the cantons of Appenzell, up in the north of Switzerland! We took a gondola up to the top! 

That building at the bottom is where we started out! See how steep that mountain is?!

Vera, Gabriela and I at the top!

“Santis. The mountain.”

Now those are some cow bells!

Mom and Gabriela!

Mom and I at the very top! That building was the first one built on the top of Santis.

All over Switzerland, they have these yellow signs, that tell you how long it will take to hike to a certain place and shows you the direction in which to start. And I just learned today that if it has the red and white stripes, like the ones on the left, it means that it is a really difficult mountain trail. A.K.A. A trail I should avoid. Haha.  

Vera and I!

We tried on some traditional Appenzeller costumes!   Do you see the 4 of us?!

Swiss cheese!!!  

Being with Mom, Dad, and Becca felt I saw them just the other day! Mom begged to differ, but it was just so normal to have them here, I guess. I can’t believe how fast the 2 weeks passed! It’s crazy to me how fast this year has gone by too! I leave in 2 weeks and 1 day from today. I can’t believe. It’s bitter sweet to leave. I feel like there is so much I have to do in these last 2 weeks! So many people to see, places yet to visit, etc. Tomorrow, Mom leaves. Friday, my host family is leaving, so I am going to live with my counselor for a week, and then go to Weinfelden for the last few days before I go home. It has been such an amazing year and I couldn’t have asked for anything more! As for right now, I must go live up these last 2 weeks in la Suisse! But I will see you all soon!!!

With so much love, Laura