Hello All.

I am off to France for a week with my class on Sunday until the Friday. Then on the Saturday I am off on my 2 week Europe tour...so I will not be able to email, blog or have any Internet access for 3 weeks. So I hope you all stay well and I will update you all when I get home.

An Exchange inside an exchange -Choir Exchange to Germany

In Switzerland I am apart of the Music stream (so the Major subject that my class focuses on in Music) and because of this I am in the school Choir. Now being in the school choir can sometimes be extremely difficult although I like music and enjoy to sing unlike my class I can not read music and can not look at a piece of paper with all the notes on it and hear how the song sounds in my head.......for me learning a song means going over and over and over it. So i am usually forced to mime my way thought the choir as i don't want to open my mount and let out the wrong note and put the whole choir off key.

However being in the choir has it's benefits and the major benefit is that each year the choir does a choir exchange with another choir in Europe....and this year we went to Leipzig in Germany and then the week later (last weekend) the kids form Leipzig came to Switzerland.

So on Thursday the 6th we met at the train station at 7:30am and took a luxury coach for the 10 hour drive up to Leipzig. This drive was extremely long however the choir master took the opportunity to teach the choir a new song.......yes we learnt a new song that we were going to have to sing at a concert in Leipzig that weekend on the bus ride up.



The choir just had fun doing a sing along.....however unlike an Australian sing-along were it is all out of tune mostly yelling and consists of '100 green bottles hanging on the wall etc..in Switzerland they were singing Latin and Spanish and English and German and each song sounded like they were all performing at eh Sydney opera house. It really was just amazing.





After a long ride we arrived in Germany. We were all allocated a Leipzig family, mostly one kid to one family however I was hosted along with another girl form my class (I think to make it easier for me wit the language, however seeing as they actually spoke High German in Germany...and not dialect...I actually understood more than I have the whole year).

So I was hosted with Michele from my class by a girl called Julia and her Foster family.




This family were so lovely. The host mamma was so sweet. She was just the most lovable lady I have met. She made us the nicest foods, allot of German specialties such as pastas and meets, as well as always giving us a HUGE packed lunch with 3 pieces of fruit 2 drinks and 2 rolls.

That evening was really nice. We had a lot of laughs and fun. We spent most of the time in Julia’s room. Her room was totally awesome. She had decorated it all herself and you could see her personality everywhere.....even on the ceiling.



We also had an amusing misunderstanding......... in Switzerland people say 15 nach 6 ( 6:15) , 30 7 (6:30) , and 15vor 7 (6:15). And so When Julia said we are getting up at 15,7 Michele and I were welcomely surprised with the nice sleep in as we thought she meant 7:15. However it turns out that in Deutschland someone says 15,7 and that is 6:15, and then 30, 7,(6:30) and 3/4 ,7 (6:45).

So really we had to get up at 6:15 and not 7:15. SO while the host family thought this was rather amusing.....e actually were sadly disappointed.

So we awoke at 6:15 and not 7:15 on the Friday and went to school with Julia. We had the first double lesson with her in the school, so it was off to Ethics for us.


After Ethics we had choir practice. I took allot of photos and became the photo girl taking photos of the choir for everyone with their cameras.



Lunch was an interesting event. We had potatoes and some cream sauce that looked rather unappealing.....however it was all worth it just to see the school canteen lady in her little outfit, and who needs to eat food anyway when you and your friends can play with it?.






After finishing out lunch we went back outside into the grounds of the school.

This school was rather industrial looking, as was most of Leipzig. Really the city was rather grey feeling. All of the buildings were huge big tall grey armies of apartments covered in graffiti....and I found myself missing the green of Switzerland.

However after lunch and a bit more rehearsal we went and had a visit of the city. We went into the CBD and here the city started to be slightly more attractive. However it was sad to see all of the damage done by the wars as all of the old building were mostly damaged and there was a huge muddle of old and new buildings all jumbled in a landscape that looked like a patchwork blanket.

We also did some tours of the Music conservatorium, where the class spontaneously sang on stage were many a famous German had once sung and composed (aka,Bach)




We also went up onto of the Television tower and saw the birds eye view of the city.....just amazing.....it was so flat....I really could see for miles, however as amazing as it was I missed having green and mountains, or the sea of home. As different as an industrial landscape is with PowerStation’s and factories leaking out smoke....I missed the sound of cow bells and the glint of the snow capped mountains in the sun.





That evening we went to a church and listened to a boys choir.....this was lovely however I got the worst possible view.





That evening after the church Michele and I were taken by our host sister Julia to a disco thing.

And having not been 18 in Australia I had never been in a club atmosphere before. And let me tell you....if it is anything like Germany I may think twice about going. I have never smelt so much smoke, seen people skull down so many shots, or beer in my life......and the noise it was like a football match with people screaming and yelling....not much dancing was being done and what was I would strongly advise the people not to do in public......so really it was so nice of Julia to take us out but a club scene is really not my thing. However as we went with tram I did get my fist ever tram ticket in Europe. (as I have a public transport ticket in Switzerland)

Saturday we went to Dresden. We saw and had a mass in the Frauen Kirche (Church) which was totally destroyed in the war and has recently just been rebuilt stone for stone......it looked amazing. The colours were noticeably feminine and gave a sort of heavenly effect




We also had free time to visit the city. I did so with Hanna a girl from my class and one her friends (who I have totally forgotten the name of..oopps) who is also in the choir but not in our class.

We had a great huge pizza for lunch ( I know one should have a bratwurst in Germany but I really have had so many of them in Switzerland a pizza was a welcomed change).


The city was lovely...but also so damaged that it almost made one sad. all of the ruined building creating scars in the scenery. However there were still many a building intact and one could imagine how wonderful this city once looked. With the sound of street performers and the colours the sun made on all of the sand stone the city was spectacular, Dresden really was rather a pleasant city to visit.




After we arrived back at out host family’s houses, our family told us we were going to a jazz concert at a castle. This was a pleasant surprise and allot of fun. We danced and danced and had a great time. We even saw inside a display of the Völkerschlacht 1813 (some fight with Nepolian)







Sunday was a sleep in and the concert. We sang in a Church and it sounded just Amazing....I have never heard a choir, or two, sing just so beautifully in my life. Well no I have but I have never stood among them surrounded by their voices. I even gave on of the English songs ago (though very quietly) just so my voice could mix with this soul enlightening sound these kids were creating.



Monday we said our good bys and drove our 10 hour drive home. It was sad to go home but at the same time I could not wait to be back in the green of Switzerland again. While I would miss the high German and the easiness of just listening to people speak and understanding.....I am so happy I am in my green play ground of Switzerland that I call home.

Talking about homes I had dinner at my last host family’s house on the Friday evening after we arrived home. This was so much fun, the really seem like a wonderful family. I will have 2 host siblings…both older brothers, one 18 and one 20ish. The 18 year old still lives at home and reminds me of my cousin Bradly, when he was young, as my host brother has dread locks and the same smile as my cousin. He was also really good to chat to , in fact the whole family were so welcoming and friendly . I am looking forward to having older brothers and the new opportunities one receives with a new host family. I will miss my current family, but I know I will keep in contact.

Last Friday the Kids from Leipzig came to visit us, well actually they arrived on the Thursday evening but seeing as I had no student with me I didn’t see them until the Friday when they came to our first lesson of the day, music.

We then rehearsed on the Friday just like we did in Leipzig.

On the Saturday we had a free day until 4.45pm when we had out concert. So I spent the day in the city ...and little to my knowledge that afternoon was a street marching band parade int he city centre, so I watched that before I had to run up the church next to the school for the rehearsal.




we did about 8 songs in the church and then had a break and the resumed out concert in the school hall. The sound was once again amazing. And it was nice to sing in out own school.



Sunday there was a trip to Luzern, however I could not go as we had to meet at 7am at the school and my first bus on a Sunday leaves at 8. I was not happy as I really wanted to go but there was nothing I could do so I stayed at home and joined the family gathering (my host mums family) for lunch. Her family are so lovely and they all made an effort to talk to me. The kids are all small and it was so sweet to see them all playing, and having fun. While the parents had adult time I went and packed up my room as I have to change host families soon.


The Leipzig kids then left on the Monday morning. Hence finishing my exchange inside an exchange.

My weekend was once again action packed as ever. Saturday morning I was dropped off in Olten (a small city in near my town...well as near to my town, which is in the middle of no where, as you can get). The reason for me being dropped off alone in a city was that my host family had a horse jumping day again and felt it was better for me to be in a city rather than with them all day watching the horses. Personally I was happy to just stay home or go on a trip somewhere with my friends but my host family felt Olten was a good option, so that is where I was on Saturday form 12 until 5.30 (it was meat to be till 4 but the horse day went longer than expected)

So after looking around the city and buying some new types of Lindt chocolate.....including chilly chocolate, Lindor chocolate bars, and much more....I found my self a phone box and with my phone card gave home in Australia a call. I ended up talking for ages....I talked to Victoria my sister for about 2 hours....it was wonderful and hardly cost me anything...so that was great. I love just chatting with my family, while I am not home sick I do miss them, and so talking to them is really nice….even when the conversations don’t always have so much substance…just talking is nice.

After Olten (and waiting on the side of the street for 1.5 hours as I was told I would be picked up at 4 and had to wait till 5.30pm for them to arrive) It was back home to quickly get ready to go to church for the memorial service of the death of my host Grandpa.

This service was sad, and after the service was so sad because we visited my host dads dad’s grave, then my host dads brother’s grave and then my host Dad and Mum's sons grave which is also my host brother and sisters brother’s grave. He sadly died in 2004 of a heart problem.

I was so sad to see the 3 generations of graves...and what was sadder was how these deaths had affected the family, as all of the Meier half of the family were there and they were all rather upset. For me this was really sad but I also was not sure what to do....I guess everyone feels the same in these situations....I felt sad for the family but was not sure how to react and what I was meant to do apart from stand there and offer my sympathies.


After the graves we had a dinner at the wife of my host father’s dead brother's house. This event was sombre but soon the spirits lifted and people started to enjoy themselves as much as possible.


On Sunday I was up nice and early as I had to go and help at My Rotary Club President with a Castle breakfast. MY host sister Eilane said she would also help at the castle as both of us were picked up at 7.20 and driven to the castle.



This castle was in Oensingen (the village next to my Old Village Niederbipp, I used to see this castle form the window every day for 6 months).

This castle is really old , and so we had to use a special lift, cable system which is on the outside of the castle to send all of the food directly I up into the castle kitchen.



Before the work started I took the opportunity to look at the view….it was awesome….i could see my old house from up there. (behind the hill)




The work suddenly started and never seemed to end. I was on coffee and food duty, so I had to make sure all the platters were full, people had drinks and had to make sure the coffee machine never ran out of coffee.

The food was all buffet, but sort of Swiss style, with cheese, and meats and a muesli yogurt thing called Birchermüesli. I shared this job with an old lady…she was really lovely and we made the job as fun as we could.


Soon the people had had enough food so I went and had a look around d the castle. It was a lovely castle…and seemed like a big old home, so it was different to the royal castles of England.



Elian and I went up to the tower …which meant climbing 1000000 stairs….after sore legs we reached the top and had an even better view of the area.





After the castle breakfast my host family and I went off to a Agriculture fair in Mumiswill ( a small village near my village) here we saw some awesome hose display, such as log pulling (this technique is still used today to take felled trees out of the forests, however today it is only used in places where cars can not go)



Horse jumping (but over jumps about 2ms high…this looked amazing…these people and horse are so brave and cleaver)


As well as horses jumping over logs,


And people in carriages.


There were also non horse displays

there were cows being milked,




Cow bells


Yodelers (the looked so swiss with the cows)


and fruit displays that looked so yummy



And also the sort of horse related event of horse shoeing….I was shocked to see the smoke rise off the poor horse foot…though I was told that it does not hurt the horse…but still it looked painful.




Then as I was talking to my host parents about how much I love the cow bells (which I do I think they are just wonderful…I love the sound they make from up on the mountains…and the look of them on the cows…cows just look better with bells) So I was saying this and my host parents said there is a cow bell maker here lets go have a look. So we went ad looked and suddenly I was being ordered a cow bell as a leaving gift….but not an ordinary cow bell….oh no one with my name embossed on it and a special hand made belt.



I am so spoilt…I had never dreamed of getting such a bell. I have even offered to pay some money towards the bell as they are expensive and I really don’t expect them to spend all of that money on me.

Oh I really am so excited I can not wait to see my personally made bell…..this is the coolest gift I have ever been given. It is something I will have for the rest of my life. And can pass down to my children etc.