Laura's Swiss Adventure: You know you're an exchange student if.....

Before waiting to see if anyone understood what you meant, you start acting it out.
You think 100 pounds to pack up your whole life is plenty of space.
You don't have preferances anymore. Especially when it comes to food. Nothing tastes familiar, that's for sure.
You spend a lot of time smiling, nodding, and prentending you know what's going on.
You clasify "doing your homework" as translating half of it. And that alone took 3 hours.
When your grandma asks you what you've been learning, you tell her something general instead of "how to open beer cans with a 50 cent coin"
You sometimes use the excuse "sorry, I don't understand" to avoid answering a question. . . . even if you do.
They offer cocktails at the back to school party.
You want to hug people who attempt to speak your native language to you.
You've called every person who has said "hi" to you your friend, because you really don't have any yet.
You'll read anything in your native language just to have something to read.....even packaging labels.
You've got on the bus and the driver said "you don't want to be on this bus" because you got on the same bus the night before and it was wrong then, too.
You sometimes walk around the school during breaks to act like you are doing something, because you don't see anyone you recognize and you don't want to stand there akwardly.
You know the answer to a question in class but you don't want to raise your hand because you don't want people to expect too much from you.
You are better than your teacher in your foreign language class.
You are a master of pantomime and circumlocation and you still can't have a conversation.
You actually think the language barrier is a good thing when it comes to things like lying to your host parents.
You've ever mispronounced something in your native language (for example, names of products, tv shows, companies) because you know the others will understand it better if you say it with an accent.
You have tried so many different foods due entirely to the fact that you cannot understand the person asking you what you want, so you just nod your head and say "yes" and hope it tastes half-decent.
You have tried to order something in your host country's language only to be answered in English because you did it so badly.
You've gotten annoyed with said people that automatically answer you in English when you try to speak to them in their language.
After you come back, everybody tells you that you have a weird accent.
Your dreams are bilingual.
Sometimes it takes you 5 minutes to remember a word in your native language that you were going to use.
You automatically use words in your foreign language that you can't even translate just because they seem to fit the context.
You watch tv shows and movies in your native language just to understand for once.
You begin to enjoy foods that you had previously despised at home.
You've gotten out of a punishment or being yelled at because you didn't understand the language, or at least acted like you didn't. . . . .
It becomes a habit to introduce yourself by saying "I am from (country) and my name is (name)"
You've gotten upset because someone assumed you wanted to do something, and then you were told that you were asked if you wanted to, and your answer was "yes!"
You've said something like "oh yes!" or "no thanks" just to be laughed at because your answer made no sense compared to the question.
You actually got a high five when you understood what someone said to you.
You are never sure if someone is being your friend, flirting, seducing you, or sexually harassing you.
While you are having a nice conversation with your Gastopa and Oma, your host sister is making out on the same couch. Then her and her boyfriend are always sure to announce that they are going to take a bath together.
You are not sure if it is really a children's book. . . .
You get a little scared before starting a sentance with big words in it in another language.
You have been put in one or more classes with the 5th graders, because you are suppossed to understand more there.
You are always counting the difference between where you are and home.
You always forget the time difference when you call a family member or a friend back home.....sorry for waking you up at 4am mom.
You do something wrong and people look at you weird and your excuse is "that's how we do it in my country", even if it isn't.
You have gone in to greet someone with a shake of hands and find yourself being pulled into an akward hug/triple kiss on the cheek or the other way around.
You carry a dictonary and a camera in your bag.
You get so used to broken English you finish people's sentences even though no one else can understand them.
You get into arguements with the foreign language teacher (English) over how to prononce something.
You try to speak in the native language and everyone immediatly and automatically goes "You're not from around here."
You can get into the strictest club with your ID from your host country because most people get confused and jsut let you in.
You know every cuss word in your host language, but still can't congugate into the future or past tense.
You are ready to drink any time of the day.
You have spent more than one night getting drunk with your host parents (or with Rotarians)
Everyone thinks you are playing the tough guy when you say you haven't called your mom yet and you don't miss her. . . . too much.
A conversation is going fine, until suddenly you get stuck on some word or phrase which makes you competly forget what you were talking about.
You buy clothes in your host country so you don't look so much like a foreigner.

Where did this come from, you ask? I was invited to this group on Facebook, that said all of this, and as I was reading it, I was DYING of laughter, because I can pretty much relate to every one of these. Thought you all might enjoy some insight:)

So what have I been up to? Well. Let's see. I had school. BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week I had a Chemistry test, 2 days, 2 parts. On the first part, I got a 4, and on the second, a 4.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which just so happened to be the class average!!! Yeah! I was rejoicing when I saw it. The girls I sit by were like "Yay Laura!, wait, why are you crying and singing?" Me:"they are tears of JOY!" Haha. This is a big deal, if you can't tell. Here, tests are on a scale of 1 to 6, or 1 to 7, depending on the teacher. So a 4.5, is like a B. Yeah baby!!!!!! Ah. The sweet smell of victory.

I didn't have school Thursday or Friday because it was TM's for the 3rd years, (where they do these HUGE presentations) and the 2nd years had to watch. Advantage to being a 1st year, I didn't have to go! So, Thursday I ventured to Bulle, which is where 4 of the 11 exchangies are in the French part. I went to their school to check it out, had lunch with Becky, and suprised (I think) Megan, Gina, and Bjorn. Then Becky and I went to jumbo, basically, the Swiss Big Lots. I have not seen a store like this since arriving, so it was really excitng. Haha.

Friday evening, my host mom and sister made star decorations for Christmas (the ONLY decorations that indicate any type of holiday) and then went to Vevey for dinner.

Saturday, we went to Les Peilades, where there is a hill, used normally for beginner skiiers, but instead, we went sledding, which was pretty fun:) Then we went to the movie theatre (which is super expensive here!) and after, returned back home. Today, I have homework to do. (Or at least translate, right?) And then 4 more days of school until Christmas break! YAY!

Can you believe that a week from today is Christmas?! And that this is my last Sunday in this house? Because next week at this time, I will be with my new family:) Crazy how fast time flies.