Today

Wasn't so good until I got home. We played the awesome Swiss game and, I studied. So much. I studied tons of German on my new favorite site: answers.com where you can easily learn stuff you've got to know. It's excellent for languages. I'll be using it for music too, however. Catherine is helping me learn all the fis cis blah blach scales for my music theory. That's my favorite class (and drawing. And french although french isn't challenging enough for me. That's why I've been learning it out my own). Anyways, she made me a test with all this and she was saying 'oh nein' the whole time. I apparently failed...I had 3,75. out of 6. But, I think she was being nice. I'm aiming to get notes in four class. Computer App, drawing, music theory and French.

It was also really funny because when I was studying music theory, I looking over to get my sole study guide with all I need to know and....it was burning. I could salvage only one third of it. I'm making it my goal for tonight and tomorrow to know all of this fis businuss. I also made funny things to help me remember like....Gilbert Drowns An Elephant Having Fish and France Became Astrofic Destroying Guest's Cesear. Okay. The last one doesn't make much sense but I somehow remember it so whatever.

Snow!

It snowed here! Not much and it's actually almost gone but, it was a nice morning surprise. Yesterday was a day I'd been looking forward to for some time. It was the 'Pfauen' day. Pfauen is sort of like bloomingdales. Except it has house stuff and toys...and it's not as big but it has five floors with a restraunt on top. Anyways, my aunt and host mom go every year for hours and hours to this places because my aunt has 20% off. So, of course I wanted to go to and it was loads of fun. I had a small list of things I wanted to buy. Both really exensive. I didn't buy any of them either. Instead, I went to my replacemnet store for Urban Outfitters (Zara) and bought a beautiful skirt. It is green and black. It reminds me of autumn in England. Well, that's the picture it evokes for me. And, I bought a wool grey sweater because I have no grey and I wear the same H&M sweater practically everday. On this outing, I fell in love with two pairs of shoes, three jackets, a dress and starred admiringly at other items I'll never have. It's a disease. And Europe did this to me with its absurdly amazing clothes and shoes. The US just doesn't have good shoes. Another good thing about yesterday was when I checked how the US dollar as doing. Instead of the pound being double the US dollar-something it's been for, I believe, the entirety of my life-its value dropped 50%. The Euro has finally gone down to the value it was at four or five years ago, and since I've been here, 1 dollar = 1.23 CHF. That's about 20% more. I asked my host dad why, and he said it was because the dollar is now 'safe' or something. Anyways, I am so happy. Hopefully this means I'll be able to take how a few more clothing souvenirs. Mom?

Today I'm going to go walking in the forest with Catherine, play the piano, study French and Music Theory, read, finish writing letters and bake cookies. I've been reading Wuthering Heights and that just sounds so stereotypical 1800s. Espescially with the name Catherine. Just because she's two main characters in Wuthering Heights. Okay enough.

update

So...Friday in chemistry we made great lipbalm and hand cream. It was legit and everything.

One thing that's great about the school here is that when your teacher is absent that means you don't have that class. It's so awesome. Wr have weird scheduels all the time. And the fact that we're only one class, that allows us to TAKE FIELD TRIPS! OH MAN. I miss those! And I know that your stupid art classes take you places but, we're going to the Zoo, Molly went camping or so for a week, my sister went river rafting and I'm pretty sure everyone goes skiing or snowboarding once. Anyways, there are loads and it's great!

Saturday I went ice skating with Anna Buser (we're getting to be great friends). Yes, we always speak English with each other. And with good reason, too. It's refreshing and wonderous to hear 'hella' and 'I'm so juiced' and 'dude.' You have no idea. She's my little piece of Albany. Yesterday, however, I was in one of my really low points I'd been in for a while (that was my worse). I'm feeling considerably better today although, I'm not at my finest. I'm a bit stuck. I really needed and need Molly but, I an't really get a hold of her. Luckily, she's agreed to come over for my birthday weekend. I don't think we'll do much, as I detest my birthday, but it'll be comforting knowing that it's better than the horror last year brought me. Catherine unintentionally made me feel better. I don't really know how or why but all in all, it's great having a sister. I'm pretty sure I bug her a lot, for I'm always inqcuiring what she's doing and such. Another reason for my mood raise was because 1. in the Summer we're definitely going to Sweden and 2. in Spring we're going to either Berlin, Prague (woah...just had a German first thought there. Anyways, I don't think we're going there), Barcelona or Rome. I'm trying to think of other places. 1. Prague 2. Rome 3. Berlin 4. Barcelona. I have no idea why I'm so against Barcelona. Ich habe kein lust. Ich weiss nicht warum. Ich liebe Deutsch sprachen wenn ich kann. Aber, es ist sehr sweirig manchmal und ich kann nicht shrieben. So, all in all, I'm pretty lucky. In Febuary I really want to go to Holland or Paris; with my friends. But, I don't know when we're going skiing...

the Days. die Tage. les Jours (that's all I know...)

My favorites are when I speak a lot of German. That was today. It kind of sucks because sometimes I'm talking to someone and then I don't understand and then they try to explain it to me but, I still don't understand. Life fails.

I love the sandwiches here. And I usually hate sandwiches. The food here as grown to love on me. Now, it's not only 'Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, cookies, chocolate, marble cake, chocolate, chocolate.' There's more to food then sweets, Max. I love the croissentss with ham and cheese. I love the wrapped hotdog thingys. I love pasta with applesauce. I can't believe Americans haven't thought of putting applesauce on pasta. They make cheesy fries but no applesauce pasta? For those of you who are cringing your nose, you can join life. It's delicious. And apparently pineapple goes with more than pizza and cake. It's delicious with cheese dishes. Which puts pizza in the cateogorie...eww cheesy cake. CHEESE CAKE. That was not a good cake invention. Blech. Cakes can go wrong so easily. That's why I'm picky about my birthday cakes. And that's why laste year fudge subbed for cake (oh man....that was delicious). Anyway, my wisdom to yours. I think it would be really awesome if I became wise and knowledgeable. And after Switzerland I could just sit in a teepee and have people come to me then say an obscure proverb and have it change their life. And a bunch of incense.

So, while German is awesome, I'm discovering how much I love English. There are so many creative, quirky things you can do with it (though I have yet to figure them out) and, I really miss the over-use of 'epic,' 'intense,' 'fail,' and 'hilarious.' I'm gonna have to teach these youngins some of that.

Hehe. Ramble ramble. I'm going to the carnival soon. I feel like it would fail (wow. see? over use)
or crumble or die in San Francisco. Serious chaos. I bet they never even tried it because it was just inevitable. Well, here it's all neutral. Nothing bad nothing fantastic. That's not true but, that's the best I could do with Swiss stereotypes.

ah k. Ich gehe jetzt. Ich will shoppen aber, ich finde es ist sehr spät. Gah.

Presents

For all who read this, feel free to ask me for Christmas presents. Tell me want you wand and I'll determine if it takes up all my monies or not. Except mommy. You can have a lot.

Halloween and the day after

Halloween! As you might now, I wasn't looking forward to it at all because I love Halloween. Something Switzerland just doesn't see. But, as it turned out, two Albany buddies couldn't celebrate so, I was a bit happier. Not very nice but, oh well. AND my Halloween was so great. So, I went to school blah blah blah...went home at twelve and was not looking forward to going to German class (I learn nothing) and such. So, my host mommy said I could skip school for the rest of the day. Didn't even complain or anything. So, I sat and looked at books I'd love to read then, we left for Adelboden at around four and picked up my awesome Gotti (Aunt) and we were off for a girls only weekend. We get there and....SNOW. SO MUCH SNOW. It was wonderful. The hotel itself is modern. Very Astridy. With teasing pumpkins on a table and a shelf with good English and French books. I picked out 'Rocket Boy.' I'm really sad, however, because I've wanted to read this book for some time and, since I've only read one hundred pages and I have less than a day left, I'll leave this hotel with only half of the true story in my head. Anyways, I'm curently residing in a four star hotel. In our room, there's a loft which is where Catherine and I sleep. It's so awesome! Later that night, we went for yummmmmy expensive Tai food then, of course, to the swimming pools. Like everything else, super fancy and top noch with a modern waterfall residing next to the indoor pool and, of course it's a 'Never Ending Pool.' The outdoor pool is of course our favorite. It's well heated and oh yea. And amazing view (I'll post pictures) of the snowy mountains and town below us. We were the only ones in it so, we had our fun. At night we jumped out into the cold air, layed in snow (with only a wet bathing suit for warmth), then rushed back into the pool with heat pain. We also threw snow at each other in the pool. I'm not sure if the hotel would appreciate that. SAUNA. Something every fancy hotel has. And oh man. This was one intense sauna. There were all these steps you had to complete before entering the 'Finish Sauna.' Which, of course, is the best. So, there we were at ten. Lying in our birthday suits gaving up at the small star-like lights that faded into other colors. It was so relxing. Despite our intense vacationing, we did not forget halloween. Following my path, Catherine stole a small pumpkin from the lobby and, we rented two scary movies. 'Halloween' and 'The Shining' (naturally). Halloween....was not so great. We mostly laughed. That night I had a dream that was definitely influenced by that movie.

Halloween Story Over.

I'm having so much fun :)