the last few days
I have been so bussy the last few days I have hardly had a minute to think.
On Sunday was the Rotary "Welcome Weekend" in Oltern. This was a weekend where we swapped pins, received information on the "Old Europe tour" and heard all of the Rotary Rules again. My host mum showed me the building that the meeting was in the day before so I caught the train to the meeting at 9 so that I would be there before it started at 10. My train arrived at 9:30 so I had 30 minutes to wait. I walked to the building to wait and on the way lost one of my gloves. I had put my glove polar fleece gloves in my pocket so I could get out my train ticket and had not put them back on. So my glove must have fallen out somewhere. I waited and waited at the building and when no one had arrived at 10 to ten I used my mobile (I am so glad now that I have one) and phoned my host family to see if I had the right time. It turned out that there are 2 congress hotels in Oltern one the "Oltern congress" and the other the "Artz Congress". I was at the "Oltern congress" and was meant to be at the "Artz". My host mum had made a mistake which is very understandable as they both are Congress hotels. So I ran as fast as I could across back to the station so I could cross the tracks and over to the other side. I arrived 10 minutes late but that was OK. I meat all of the other exchange students that I had not met on the plane. We swapped pins and had a lovely time. My blazer is starting to become full as I now have pins from: America, Canada, Brazil,Argentina,South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. We were told at this meeting why the Swiss speak Swiss German. Apparently back when Luther ,I think it was, was translating the bible in to German all of the other countries agreed to go with this "Modern German". However Switzerland at the time had had many fights with Germany so because they didn't like them they decided to speak the old German (Swiss German) and not go with Luther's German. Today the school books and system is all in High German, but the people mostly speak Swiss German.
Monday I had Language school as usual. In the evening I went to my clubs Dinner meeting ,that they have once a month, where the eldest member was doing a presentation on his life and all of his travels around the world. I spoke as much German as I could and talked to so many members and their partners. The presentation was very interesting, as it had lots of videos, even though I could not understand a word of it as it was in Swiss German. The food was so good. we had fish, now for all of you who know me ...I well don't like fish at all! But being an exchange student I could nt be rude so had to eat it. and do you know what it was not the nicest thing in the world but it actually was not to bad! We then had beef, a stuffed onion, and horseradish and potato mash. Desert was my favourite where we had this apple creamy sauce thing. So good. My host mum said she would teach me how to make it! YES, so yummy! I know I always seem to talk about the food I eat and this is because , one it is so different and two it is something that I can understand with our having any language barrier.
We arrived home at about 11 and I had to get up at about 5:30 so I could go on my 1.5 hour train ride to language school. I was so tired today and just wanted to go to sleep. I actually must say that I like the train ride. It is the only time I actually can just sit down and do nothing. This is because every other minute I am out seeing things or doing something. While I love doing things and am so happy to see everything, it is also nice to just sit and think and read a bit of my German books or just look out the window. I also love the train station. My favourite part is that in Basel there is a door in the station to France! It makes Me feel so connected to the rest of the world!
After Language school I met up with my host brother and sister and we went for a look and a window shop around Basel. we went to the big church and it was so lovely. we climbed up to the tallest tower. We climbed and we climbed up all of these narrow staircases. I feel abit like the Hunchback of Notradame. When we go to the top the view was just amazing. It was just so beautiful. We over looked all of Basel and the Rhine.
I have had a wonderful last few days and to top it off my God mother from England just rang ,Elizabeth from England. She is such a lovely lady and I really like her. She is coming to Switzerland on the 10th of February with her family to go skiing. So she will drop by my host house and Say hello! Her children and husband Ted are just wonderful, however I have not seen them for a long time. Elizabeth has also arranged some extra warm clothes for me! How nice is that! I just can't wait to see them. It is like getting a visit from home! From my past!
On Sunday was the Rotary "Welcome Weekend" in Oltern. This was a weekend where we swapped pins, received information on the "Old Europe tour" and heard all of the Rotary Rules again. My host mum showed me the building that the meeting was in the day before so I caught the train to the meeting at 9 so that I would be there before it started at 10. My train arrived at 9:30 so I had 30 minutes to wait. I walked to the building to wait and on the way lost one of my gloves. I had put my glove polar fleece gloves in my pocket so I could get out my train ticket and had not put them back on. So my glove must have fallen out somewhere. I waited and waited at the building and when no one had arrived at 10 to ten I used my mobile (I am so glad now that I have one) and phoned my host family to see if I had the right time. It turned out that there are 2 congress hotels in Oltern one the "Oltern congress" and the other the "Artz Congress". I was at the "Oltern congress" and was meant to be at the "Artz". My host mum had made a mistake which is very understandable as they both are Congress hotels. So I ran as fast as I could across back to the station so I could cross the tracks and over to the other side. I arrived 10 minutes late but that was OK. I meat all of the other exchange students that I had not met on the plane. We swapped pins and had a lovely time. My blazer is starting to become full as I now have pins from: America, Canada, Brazil,Argentina,South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. We were told at this meeting why the Swiss speak Swiss German. Apparently back when Luther ,I think it was, was translating the bible in to German all of the other countries agreed to go with this "Modern German". However Switzerland at the time had had many fights with Germany so because they didn't like them they decided to speak the old German (Swiss German) and not go with Luther's German. Today the school books and system is all in High German, but the people mostly speak Swiss German.
Monday I had Language school as usual. In the evening I went to my clubs Dinner meeting ,that they have once a month, where the eldest member was doing a presentation on his life and all of his travels around the world. I spoke as much German as I could and talked to so many members and their partners. The presentation was very interesting, as it had lots of videos, even though I could not understand a word of it as it was in Swiss German. The food was so good. we had fish, now for all of you who know me ...I well don't like fish at all! But being an exchange student I could nt be rude so had to eat it. and do you know what it was not the nicest thing in the world but it actually was not to bad! We then had beef, a stuffed onion, and horseradish and potato mash. Desert was my favourite where we had this apple creamy sauce thing. So good. My host mum said she would teach me how to make it! YES, so yummy! I know I always seem to talk about the food I eat and this is because , one it is so different and two it is something that I can understand with our having any language barrier.
We arrived home at about 11 and I had to get up at about 5:30 so I could go on my 1.5 hour train ride to language school. I was so tired today and just wanted to go to sleep. I actually must say that I like the train ride. It is the only time I actually can just sit down and do nothing. This is because every other minute I am out seeing things or doing something. While I love doing things and am so happy to see everything, it is also nice to just sit and think and read a bit of my German books or just look out the window. I also love the train station. My favourite part is that in Basel there is a door in the station to France! It makes Me feel so connected to the rest of the world!
After Language school I met up with my host brother and sister and we went for a look and a window shop around Basel. we went to the big church and it was so lovely. we climbed up to the tallest tower. We climbed and we climbed up all of these narrow staircases. I feel abit like the Hunchback of Notradame. When we go to the top the view was just amazing. It was just so beautiful. We over looked all of Basel and the Rhine.
I have had a wonderful last few days and to top it off my God mother from England just rang ,Elizabeth from England. She is such a lovely lady and I really like her. She is coming to Switzerland on the 10th of February with her family to go skiing. So she will drop by my host house and Say hello! Her children and husband Ted are just wonderful, however I have not seen them for a long time. Elizabeth has also arranged some extra warm clothes for me! How nice is that! I just can't wait to see them. It is like getting a visit from home! From my past!
3 Comments:
I am looking forward to your 'Swiss Food Experiences Cookbook', Angela! What a lovely photo of Basel, framed in the stonework of the tower.
love Mum
hey ange... that sounds like you had fun... you have to write about the trans story so every one can get a laugh.... lol
make sure you make a cook book so we can see you r sooking when you get home....
ohotos are so awesome....take one in side the house of the family coz out side they look white..... like the house on a sunny day...
.... miss you heaps....
love olivia
hey angee,.,.,.,.if you walk through the french door and still stand in switzerland and france at the same time you have to take a photo!!,.,.the photos are cool,.,.,.unlike every1else i am not going to say stuff about a cookbook, instead do a kids picture book about "oppurtunity and their friendly foods"..,.,.,lol.,.,.,anyway.,.,.,.love you heaps.,.,.,.,.,vee
Post a Comment
<< Home