This is my playground.

So. What have I been doing today? Oh. The usual. Booking my reservation to go to the summit of the Eiffel Tower, booking a hotel for Paris, booking a hostel for Spain, plane tickets, train tickets for Europe, etc. . It is just so amazing! I can’t believe that Mom, Dad, and Becca will be here in a month and 5 days. That in 2 weeks, I will be in Barcelona with my best friends, that I will be stomping all over Europe basically. It amazes me. If a year ago you would have told me all of this, I would of laughed. I just can’t believe it! This year has just really opened up my eyes to the world. I mean, I have always had the privilege of being able to travel before, but this year has just really showed me how amazing the world is and has just opened so many doors. I just want to gallivant all over! I feel as though the world is truly my playground. It’s such a great feeling! I just want to discover everything this world has to offer! And I feel as though I’m off to a pretty good start!  

So, more updates, since it wouldn’t let me post these pictures on the other post. So Monday, Brandon was coming back from a week in Spain with his family, but last Saturday was his 18th birthday, so a few of us decided to have a little party to celebrate! He flew into Geneva and then we met in Lausanne, where we had a pre-party ice cream, and then headed to Bern where we met up with the rest of the party crew!  

Cris got him a birthday hat. It’s an elephant visor! Haha. So here we have the birthday boy with the birthday hat! When we we walking up to the park to met the others, we started singing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!” super loud, and then we got there and he puts on the hat and blows out the candles and we are all cheering, all the other people in the park were like, what the heck?! Priceless.

Look! It’s a “B” for Brandon!

The party crew! Jenna, Brandon (with his great hat), Cris, me, and Peter! Happy 18th birthday Brandon!!!

Tuesday, I headed back to Bern in the afternoon to meet up with basically the same people We wandered around, got some waffles (European waffles are just plain amazing) and the chill in the park! A different one though, since I’m not sure we were welcome in the one we were in the day before. . . We made kind of a big commotion. But it was a birthday celebration after all!

Becky and I!

Veronica! My New Mexican and I!

I have this book that I am asking everyone to sign on a page, and then the page next to it I will put a picture of me and that person, so when I look back at this year, I can remember all the amazing people I met. I also have a Swiss flag that people are signing I’ll post a picture of it soon! But here we have Brandon signing the infamous “book”. With Cris and Veronica looking on in anticipation of signing. . . .  

Jenna and I with Bern in the background!

Well, that’s all for now! I’m sure I will have new pictures to share soon! In the meantime, I’m off to play in the playground!

Baby Harvey wants a sausage.

Bonjour! I hoe you all had a great weekend! I know I did!

Let’s see. So last Monday and Tuesday, I stayed home with the host family and just chilled out around here  

My house! Right in the vineyards (that my host dad owns) and on the Lake! It’s so beautiful!

My host dad’s wine cellar. Yes. He has a separate building for his wine.

My house from the front  

The wine cellar, the Alps, France, and Lake Geneva!

The view from my window. Not sure how little ole’ Hickory Street will compare when I get back. . . .

Wednesday, I met up with Becky in Lausanne and we decided to take a boat to France! To Evian to be exact, which is where Evian water comes from! Haha. We go to France to visit a water bottle factory.

“The city of Evian. A natural beauty”

Me in front of Lake Geneva, looking at Switzerland! Normally, it’s the other way around  

In front of the World War 1 memorial.

A famous building that I forgot the name of. . . .Haha. But it’s pretty to look at!

Becky and I!

That night, I went to Morges, which is on the other side of Lausanne. Jenna and I were house-sitting for Zion and her host family, so we had a little sleepover and made Mexican! Which I haven’t had in forever! I can’t wait to have Mexican food again when I get back! 

Thursday, we headed to the other side of Switzerland to go to Lichtenstein and have a little good-bye party for Kathleen, who is leaving next week already! It is so surreal that the time is coming to start saying good-bye.  

The party crew doing the Kathleen pose! From left to right, Sophie, Eddie, Jenna, Michelle, Kathleen and I!

Sophie and I! It is so hard not to love her! She is just so cute! She is originally Chinese but when she was younger, her family moved to Canada, and now she is in Switzerland! She has just the cutest accent ever!

Eddie and I! Go America!

Oh Kathleen. The first day we met, we ended up getting in a helicopter and taking a ride over the Alps. She is going home early because she is going to be working as a forest firefighter, and has to be there for training in May. I think I speak for all of us here when I say we are going to miss her! She is so hilarious! I’ll miss you Kathleen. It’s been amazing being here with you

After wandering for a little bit, we went to this park and had a little picnic! And Jenna and I made Eggy! See him?! I know. He’s cute.  

After our lunch, we just chilled, laughed, talked and smiled and enjoyed our time with Kathleen!

Friday, Jenna and I just chilled out in Lausanne. Not super exciting, but we did treat ourselves to lunch Since normally we just go to a grocery store. But, no, we upgraded to a little restaurant. Fancy.

Saturday, I stayed at home with the host family! There was this little festival going on that I went to with my host sister, Line, and then, after dinner, I headed to Jenna’s house in Luzern, because the next day we had our last Rotary event, and in order for me to get there from where I live, I would have had to leave at 00:57am. I think not. So to Jenna’s house Becky and I went, since she had the same problem.

Sunday, we woke up early so we could get to Glarus on time.

There, we were going to see the Landsgemeide, which is the oldest form of true democracy. It is still done in only 2 of the 26 cantons, and basically, once a year, everyone from the canton gathers in the cantonal capital and gather round in a large circle, and vote on all the issues from the past year. They also elect their new mayor and other members for the year. It is so cool! They all just hold up their hands if they want to vote on things!

If you want to learn more about it, just click on the link  

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsgemeinde

Anyway, so once we got there, we, of course, had to hurry up and wait (typical), so we took some photos, since it’s the last time I’ll be seeing some of these people  

Stefan and I! He is one of our Rotex (my personal favorite) and he is always at all the events and is just so nice! We all love him! He did his exchange year in Wisconsin 2 years ago. It is just so weird that I won’t have to chance to see him before I leave again.

The infamous YodA. This picture perfectly describes his personality. I will definitely be visiting him in Canada next year! Never ceases to make everyone laugh!

Liz (newbie from Australia) and I! With YodA creeping in the back. . . . Ruined my picture. . . Geez. . . .

Winnie and I! Haha. I couldn’t stop laughing about something she said! So all the pictures that were taken, I look like this. Weird. Haha.

The Landsgemeinde! See how everyone is just standing around, and then when the time comes to vote, after the issue is explained, they just raise their hand and vote! So cool!

Me listening in! Even though it was in German, and being the Frenchie that I am, I , as usual, didn’t understand anything. Welcome to my life. Haha. So unfortunate being the minority. . . .  

Another reason I love Switzerland. We were walking through all the little booths they had set u, and we found this Finding Nemo fishing game. And the advertisement for it said that. “Very Interesting Angling game. Children of Love most”. Okay? Haha. Love it. What great English.  

After wandering around and checking it out, we went into this conference room, where a guy came in and explained to us how it works, the history, etc. . . of the Landsgemeide! After, we all signed each others books, flags, exchanged pins, etc. since we had some time to burn! And after that, we headed out to a restaurant

Ben, with his Justin Bieber hair, and I!

This picture describes Becky and mine relationship #1.

This picture describes Becky and mine relationship #2.

German Andrew and I!!!

Sophie, my little Frenchie newbie, and I!

Phoebe and I. This girl seriously needs to be on a reality show. I feel as though the whole world would love it. Haha. She is just too funny.  

After we waited for ages to go in, we finally made it to the table! Nicole, Andrew, Jenna, Becky, me, and YodA shared a table and awaited our “traditional meal” as they called it. Anticipation was building. . . . Building. . . . .Building. . . . .Plus, I was so hungry, as was my little food baby Harvey, and oh, the smell in there was so good. I just couldn’t wait. Haha.

And the “traditional meal” arrives! And Andrew goes in the the veal! Yum! Haha.

And, finally, Becky, me, and YodA with our veal and potatoes! Yummy!