Why hello there! Guess what?! It's exciting news. . . . I have officially survived my first week of school in Switzerland! AND, that's right, there is more. . . I have also offically been in Switzerland for over a month now! It is so crazy that a month has gone by already. It feels like I've really only been here for a week. Well, after my horrible, sucky, making me want to run into every corner anf hide first day of school, the rest of the week was great:) I made new friends, I am attempting to understand my teachers, and I am no longer going down the path of becoming a hermit here. School here is a lot different than at good ole' GEHS. Not that at GE it's strict, but here the atmosphere is just a lot more relaxed. Like, there are a few periods a week when I don't have class, and you can jsut do whatever. Bring your laptop to school and get on the internet, go to the library, leave (I would do this but it takes me too long to get home and back), and stuff like that. For lunch, you can leave, or like yesterday, since it wasn't freezing, we walked to this cute little park like thing on campus and ate. I feel like it's a college atmosphere, not that I know what that is, lol, but it's like what I imagine it to be like. I think I am for sure improving at French. When I got here, I had no idea how bad I was, but now, I am actually able to somewhat hold a good conversation and understand French better, although for some reason, I can never understand my host dad. He will say something, and I'll look blank, and then my mom will say it and I get it right away. It's the weirdest thing. Some of my teachers are really nice and making sure I understand what's happening. There is one that I don't think knows I am an exchange student, even though I introduced myself and all, because he was asking me these history questions and I was like, "Je ne sais pas!" Again. Lol. I think he thinks I'm dumb. (That means I don't know by the way, but I didn't really yell it, but I was thinking it that way in my head). The hardest thing is I don't know what is expected of me. I don't know if I am expected to understand the assignment and do it perfectly, or what. But I will figure it out eventually, I hope. Ladt night, I made my first American dinner here. It actually turned out pretty good, except the pie for dessert was a little off because the brown sugar is different here and there is no cinnamon. But otherwise, my dad sad it was 3 forks out of 3 forks up:) Winner! Here are some pics. . ..
The kitchen before I started, nice and clean. But when I finished, it still looked nice and clean too, so there was no need for the after picture:)
For the entree, I was making cole slaw, potato salad, and fried chicken. My mom got the cabbage and it was the biggest cabbage I have ever seen! And it weighed like 10 pounds! Seriously, I was amazed.
When I broke out the mini flag, and my mom asked if she could keep it, and I was like sure, and now, it is being displayed downstairs. She was excited about it:) For the appetizer I made mini PB&J's. They have never heard of this before and never use peanut butter, (like Swiss people in general don't use peanut butter, not just my family), so we found some at a store and they were a hit!
After the 4th of July, I went to Target, and you know that great little dollar section when you first go in? Well, I found these American flag glasses and got two pairs. So I figured last night would be a great night to break them out:) My mom was saying "Oh yeah baby, Uh huh!" as I was taking this pciture. It was sooo funny!
Jean-Michel and Magali, with the glasses:) And my sister is wearing the USA shirt I got her (she wears it all the time, I feel so special!) and has the mini American flag. Now they are Belgian-Swiss-Americans:)
After our PB&J's, I brought out the main course. Now, I've been to a few BBQ's here, but they are not true American ones, so I explained that we always have potato salad and cole slaw at ours:) My sister loved the potato salad! Well done, Laura. Well done.
Here is Magali and me! I should of been wearing my matching USA shirt, but I wasn't. Darn.
So far, the only thing I had given them from American was the BBQ sauce, and that shirt, but I had brought a bunch of other stuff. So I felf like last night was the perfect night, so I gave them a book with pictures of Kansas, a BBQ book, a Royals hat, a Gardner flag, and this little USA thing. My mom then took it and now, it's sitting on our bar in the kitchen/dining room:)
I think that I have finally really clicked with my family, now that I am able to communicate better and all:) It's gonna be a good year, I jsut know it!
Salut! Laura
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