http://www.personalised-pencils.com/rmnuprcx.php
Single Mom Makes $89,844/Yr in Her Spare Time on The Computer
...uh, change of plans.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Monday, June 25, 2012
After sitting in cafes almost full time writing all of my semester papers for the past month , getting high from the coffee fumes, I´ve come to a few realizations about Germans and their coffee drinking habits.
1. They don’t really do coffee shops. It is slowly dawning on me how strong the coffee culture in Australia is, and how much I love it. Sometimes I will be sitting at peak times here in a LARGE CITY and there will be nobody else in here. There’s FREE WIFI PEOPLE!
2. Germans drink their HOT coffee through straws. It’s weird. But apparently it’s better for your teeth?
3. There will be a room full of comfy couches available for you to sit at and you will sit next to me and cause me to rearrange my study materials. Why? See the other free couch...and that one? And the other one? And the one next to that?....
4. I like long blacks. This has been forced upon me due to the [mostly] lack of lactose free or soy milk available.
5. I will greet you in German. I will order my coffee in German. You will answer me in English. I will answer you in German and you will continue to speak to me in English. WHY? Why won’t you let me practice my German?
6. I have an honest face. Why else would people sitting across the room ask me to watch their belongings whilst they visit the bathroom. How do they know I´m not going to steal their Mac? Sometimes I think about it....I don´t think my face should not look so honest.
1. They don’t really do coffee shops. It is slowly dawning on me how strong the coffee culture in Australia is, and how much I love it. Sometimes I will be sitting at peak times here in a LARGE CITY and there will be nobody else in here. There’s FREE WIFI PEOPLE!
2. Germans drink their HOT coffee through straws. It’s weird. But apparently it’s better for your teeth?
3. There will be a room full of comfy couches available for you to sit at and you will sit next to me and cause me to rearrange my study materials. Why? See the other free couch...and that one? And the other one? And the one next to that?....
4. I like long blacks. This has been forced upon me due to the [mostly] lack of lactose free or soy milk available.
5. I will greet you in German. I will order my coffee in German. You will answer me in English. I will answer you in German and you will continue to speak to me in English. WHY? Why won’t you let me practice my German?
6. I have an honest face. Why else would people sitting across the room ask me to watch their belongings whilst they visit the bathroom. How do they know I´m not going to steal their Mac? Sometimes I think about it....I don´t think my face should not look so honest.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Giant Blocks of Frozen Spinach and German Pickup Lines.
That awkward moment when...
German (Drunk) Pickup Line # 1: You should dance with me. You see, I`m tall. And you´re tall. Look how tall I am. Don´t you think you should dance with me?
Snowboarding # 1: The first thing I learnt when my friends tried to teach me the ways of snowboarding was to never unstrap my shoes without holding onto the board. The first thing I did when attemping to conquer the slopes on my own (with Hannah) was not do this. However, as the board disappears down the slope, heading towards to the t-bars, I found out I can run quite fast in snowboard boots, Hannah can snowboard quite fast, and random friend can ski very fast to stop the snowboard from causing impending and certain doom to the t-bar patrons.
Indian Food # 1: In Zürich last week, Lia and I were quite excited to try out a new South Indian Restaurant she had heard about. Hello Dosas! After waiting 1 1/2 hours (apparently it takes a long time to heat up the Dosa hot plate?) let´s just say we won´t be going back there again....
German (Drunk) Pickup Line # 2: (I´m sitting on tram, minding me own business, when from behind, a hand is right in front of my face, holding an iPhone). Which baby do you think I am? (I focus from him back to the iPhone, which is showing a photo of two babies, one boy and one girl). (I´m confused, and I need a moment to process the German). I don´t know?
The girl. I am the baby that looks like a girl. (He then proceeded (I think! - it´s all German to me!) to blame his mother for dressing him wrongly as a child, and the effects that had on him. However, he then conceeded that he was a rather good looking child, and would go on to produce good looking children. A proposition? I´m not sure...but I was glad when he stopped showing me his other photos of his childhood when he arrived at his stop!).
Snowboarding # 2: A random lady on one? ski ran into me when Hannah and I were recovering from the previous snowboard incident. I would like to know, where is her other ski?? Both of us lying on the ground quite close to each other, she simply said ´Guten Tag´(Good Day) and went off on her one ski.
Indian Food # 2: I dragged Rohana along to a South Indian Restaurant here in Münich. Let me just say yum, and it took them only 10 minutes to cook a Dosa. However, when he asked us if we would like anything else, Rohana said, ´Nein, Ich bin voll.´ You may think this means ´I am full´or ´I have had enough.´ However, actually it means ´I am completely drunk.´ Our waiter walked away with a smirk on his face....
...and things that made me laugh (Just so you don´t think I am an awkard person, experiencing awkard moments all the time...):
Maggie came to visit and we went to Regensburg for the day. It is a gorgeous town, having survived the war intact, and best of all, the sun came out for the first time in a week! However, you should know, if you visit the (awe-inspiring) cathedral, suspicious looking men in hats are not allowed.
I decided to have some spinach with dinner tonight, because I found frozen cream spinach in Aldi last week. Yum! I was pretty happy about this find...in Switzerland you can buy the same stuff in little cubes, so you can just use as much or as little as you want. I´m not sure what I was supposed to do with the frozen solid giant-sized block my Aldi spinach was, but it did make me laugh.
...and I´m quite excited because I booked a flight to Russia this week! Moscow and St. Petersburg. There is a small chord of fear that is ringing somewhat insistantly inside of me, remembering my last experience of trying to get a visa whilst outside of Aus. It´s on the to-do list for this week!
Also on the to-do list for this week...Go to Budapest!
German (Drunk) Pickup Line # 1: You should dance with me. You see, I`m tall. And you´re tall. Look how tall I am. Don´t you think you should dance with me?
Snowboarding # 1: The first thing I learnt when my friends tried to teach me the ways of snowboarding was to never unstrap my shoes without holding onto the board. The first thing I did when attemping to conquer the slopes on my own (with Hannah) was not do this. However, as the board disappears down the slope, heading towards to the t-bars, I found out I can run quite fast in snowboard boots, Hannah can snowboard quite fast, and random friend can ski very fast to stop the snowboard from causing impending and certain doom to the t-bar patrons.
Indian Food # 1: In Zürich last week, Lia and I were quite excited to try out a new South Indian Restaurant she had heard about. Hello Dosas! After waiting 1 1/2 hours (apparently it takes a long time to heat up the Dosa hot plate?) let´s just say we won´t be going back there again....
German (Drunk) Pickup Line # 2: (I´m sitting on tram, minding me own business, when from behind, a hand is right in front of my face, holding an iPhone). Which baby do you think I am? (I focus from him back to the iPhone, which is showing a photo of two babies, one boy and one girl). (I´m confused, and I need a moment to process the German). I don´t know?
The girl. I am the baby that looks like a girl. (He then proceeded (I think! - it´s all German to me!) to blame his mother for dressing him wrongly as a child, and the effects that had on him. However, he then conceeded that he was a rather good looking child, and would go on to produce good looking children. A proposition? I´m not sure...but I was glad when he stopped showing me his other photos of his childhood when he arrived at his stop!).
Snowboarding # 2: A random lady on one? ski ran into me when Hannah and I were recovering from the previous snowboard incident. I would like to know, where is her other ski?? Both of us lying on the ground quite close to each other, she simply said ´Guten Tag´(Good Day) and went off on her one ski.
Indian Food # 2: I dragged Rohana along to a South Indian Restaurant here in Münich. Let me just say yum, and it took them only 10 minutes to cook a Dosa. However, when he asked us if we would like anything else, Rohana said, ´Nein, Ich bin voll.´ You may think this means ´I am full´or ´I have had enough.´ However, actually it means ´I am completely drunk.´ Our waiter walked away with a smirk on his face....
...and things that made me laugh (Just so you don´t think I am an awkard person, experiencing awkard moments all the time...):
Maggie came to visit and we went to Regensburg for the day. It is a gorgeous town, having survived the war intact, and best of all, the sun came out for the first time in a week! However, you should know, if you visit the (awe-inspiring) cathedral, suspicious looking men in hats are not allowed.
I decided to have some spinach with dinner tonight, because I found frozen cream spinach in Aldi last week. Yum! I was pretty happy about this find...in Switzerland you can buy the same stuff in little cubes, so you can just use as much or as little as you want. I´m not sure what I was supposed to do with the frozen solid giant-sized block my Aldi spinach was, but it did make me laugh.
...and I´m quite excited because I booked a flight to Russia this week! Moscow and St. Petersburg. There is a small chord of fear that is ringing somewhat insistantly inside of me, remembering my last experience of trying to get a visa whilst outside of Aus. It´s on the to-do list for this week!
Also on the to-do list for this week...Go to Budapest!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Has anyone seen my German?
The weather has been (mostly) just wonderful lately. I feel that Spring really is coming and, more than other years, I feel I quite deserve it after having been here pretty much all of winter.
One of my uni lecturers told me once that on her daily walk she tries never to walk the same way twice. Exploring new pathways, roads etc, and hopefully not getting too lost in the process.
I wondered how this could be possible until I came here...Münich has over 200kms of bike pathways, and there are so many tracks that go in all different directions near my apartment. I`m not so good about the daily part, but usually every second morning I go for a run and it`s wonderful to live in a flat city with bazillions of pathways. And there`s even tracks alongside water...(because I really miss the beach!)
Next week Easter holidays begin! The life of a uni student is hard...3 weeks back at uni and we have a week off. Saas Fee here we come...
One of my uni lecturers told me once that on her daily walk she tries never to walk the same way twice. Exploring new pathways, roads etc, and hopefully not getting too lost in the process.
I wondered how this could be possible until I came here...Münich has over 200kms of bike pathways, and there are so many tracks that go in all different directions near my apartment. I`m not so good about the daily part, but usually every second morning I go for a run and it`s wonderful to live in a flat city with bazillions of pathways. And there`s even tracks alongside water...(because I really miss the beach!)
I have felt a little discouraged this week with the whole German language thing. Everybody here speaks it! I went to 4 different language courses offered by the uni last week to find out which ones would be best for me....and have decided to stick to 3 out of the 4. The fourth was horrible. I walked out of the class wanting to rip my ears off with pliers just so that I never had to hear German grammar explained to me in that way again.
Not quite sure why I seem to have lost all prior learning when trying to have conversations this week. I`m hoping the loss is only temporary. I felt good only once this last week about my language skills...it was during a lecture when we had to rate ourselves on our level of English, from 1 being none, to 9 being fluent. As the only native speaker in the room, I won the highest rating. Ah well, you can`t win them all, eh?
Here are a couple more photos of my apartment...I´m really thankful for such a great place to live. I can run to the U-Bahn station in under 2 minutes (every time! when will I learn to leave myself just a little more time!!) and it´s only about 10 minutes on the U-Bahn to the city centre.
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| Top: the outside. Bottom left: downstairs...a tiny lounge area Middle: Upstairs...bed and desk etc Bottom right: Balcony...which gets lovely sunshine in the morning. |
Next week Easter holidays begin! The life of a uni student is hard...3 weeks back at uni and we have a week off. Saas Fee here we come...
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Becoming Prestigious
Yesterday I went on a journey to become a member of the Bavarian State Library here in Münich (Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek).
You may think I am studious, but rather, I am cheap. I don't want to buy (expensive) textbooks here and rumour had it that if I became a member of the Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek then I would be entitled to not only use the books there, but also the library of another university in Münich, which has a larger range of Business textbooks in English.
And so, following this lead, I went with Rohana to become a prestigious member. Or something like that. However, it is difficult to gain this prestige as we needed several documents that we hadn't brought. I guessed we might need a passport, but they also wanted to see our immatrikulation paper, and registration of living in the city of Munich.
Later, armed with these documents, I entered the giant doors once again and happened to be listening to a particularly intense piece of Phantom of the Opera. I think I audibly giggled as I found myself walking up the stairs in the photo above to the entrance of the library while listening to Phantom. In my head, I pretty much live in a fantasy world of Opera and old European buildings.
I soon became a prestigious member, and registered speaking only German. Until....at the end, the (somewhat cranky) Librarian said blah blah blah really fast, and pointed to my Visa in my passport.
Now, to be honest, sometimes, when people speak to me in German and I don't understand, I just nod and smile and hope to goodness that this was the appropriate response.
However, in my head, this fast blah blah blah became, We will only give you this prestigious membership if you give us your Visa.
So I didn't smile and nod, and instead asked her to repeat it slower. To which she said in perfect English, (somewhat sarcastically?) Your membership is only valid as long as your Visa.
Sigh. Speak to me in German!!
And so, the good news at the end of this story is: I am a prestigious member AND I get to keep my Visa. Take that, Librarian.
You may think I am studious, but rather, I am cheap. I don't want to buy (expensive) textbooks here and rumour had it that if I became a member of the Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek then I would be entitled to not only use the books there, but also the library of another university in Münich, which has a larger range of Business textbooks in English.
And so, following this lead, I went with Rohana to become a prestigious member. Or something like that. However, it is difficult to gain this prestige as we needed several documents that we hadn't brought. I guessed we might need a passport, but they also wanted to see our immatrikulation paper, and registration of living in the city of Munich.
Later, armed with these documents, I entered the giant doors once again and happened to be listening to a particularly intense piece of Phantom of the Opera. I think I audibly giggled as I found myself walking up the stairs in the photo above to the entrance of the library while listening to Phantom. In my head, I pretty much live in a fantasy world of Opera and old European buildings.
I soon became a prestigious member, and registered speaking only German. Until....at the end, the (somewhat cranky) Librarian said blah blah blah really fast, and pointed to my Visa in my passport.
Now, to be honest, sometimes, when people speak to me in German and I don't understand, I just nod and smile and hope to goodness that this was the appropriate response.
However, in my head, this fast blah blah blah became, We will only give you this prestigious membership if you give us your Visa.
So I didn't smile and nod, and instead asked her to repeat it slower. To which she said in perfect English, (somewhat sarcastically?) Your membership is only valid as long as your Visa.
Sigh. Speak to me in German!!
And so, the good news at the end of this story is: I am a prestigious member AND I get to keep my Visa. Take that, Librarian.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Searching for Blue Tack and finding Pickles
It took me a really long time to find blue tack in this country. A quick Google search later informed me that blue tack as I knew it in my previous life was like liquid gold over here and that expats over here trade their children for it.
I searched high and low in many shops and embarrassed myself trying to ask for it using my limited German language skills (if you can imagine, translated in English it went something like this):
All that to say, that I have moved to Münich, or München in German. And I have a little apartment with walls that I can now put blue tack on. I'm getting some opportunities to practice my German, some more successful than trying to ask for blue tack. Such as ordering a beer.
Beers. They are big. Münich's motto is 'München mag Dich' (Münich likes you), but actually I think their secret motto is 'München mag Bier'.
I've been quite slack about taking photos since I've been here, but Hannah came to stay for a day and took one of where I live. On the bottom right hand corner you can see we were pretending to be German and eating sausages and sauerkraut. They're funny little apartments, Hann said it looked like I lived in Lego Land, and now that's what I think too. You can paint the front of your apartment if you wish, so if any arty people wish to come and visit and paint, I am waiting.
I had to brave Ikea upon arrival, as there wasn't a single item to be found in the apartment. Thanks to the ever lovely Delia, I made it out alive. It was more than a little overwhelming to have to make so many choices about buying "stuff"! I hate buying "stuff"!
Last week on Thursday I got to see two excellent people. Julia and Ed. Julia is much better at conversation, but Ed can sing rather well. Julia came to visit and we went to see Ed Sheeran. Julia is much friendlier...although I've never talked to Ed. Ed, if you're reading this, it's time we had a chat. The double bonus for the night was Passenger being the support act for Mr Sheeran.
I shall try to introduce my camera to the great outside world here in Münich. I should also talk about going to Uni and a few other adventures being had here. Can't do it all in one night though, and I leave you with one of my favourite photos from the last couple of weeks. I have NO idea as to the purpose of these pickles but we came across them in Salzburg last weekend.
I searched high and low in many shops and embarrassed myself trying to ask for it using my limited German language skills (if you can imagine, translated in English it went something like this):
"Hello, I am looking for "blue tac" ... I don't know the name in German, but it is sticky (at this point I made a sticky gesture, as I have NO idea what 'sticky' is in German) and I use it to put pictures or photographs on the wall in my house. Maybe it's blue or white?"I was rewarded with a blank stare and I left the store in a walk of shame. Many shops later I found it (by myself - no way I was putting myself through that again) and paid a liquid gold price for it. Of course, since then I've come across it several times, and much cheaper. Of course.
All that to say, that I have moved to Münich, or München in German. And I have a little apartment with walls that I can now put blue tack on. I'm getting some opportunities to practice my German, some more successful than trying to ask for blue tack. Such as ordering a beer.
Beers. They are big. Münich's motto is 'München mag Dich' (Münich likes you), but actually I think their secret motto is 'München mag Bier'.
I've been quite slack about taking photos since I've been here, but Hannah came to stay for a day and took one of where I live. On the bottom right hand corner you can see we were pretending to be German and eating sausages and sauerkraut. They're funny little apartments, Hann said it looked like I lived in Lego Land, and now that's what I think too. You can paint the front of your apartment if you wish, so if any arty people wish to come and visit and paint, I am waiting.
I had to brave Ikea upon arrival, as there wasn't a single item to be found in the apartment. Thanks to the ever lovely Delia, I made it out alive. It was more than a little overwhelming to have to make so many choices about buying "stuff"! I hate buying "stuff"!
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| I can't believe she is still smiling after all those decisions! |
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| My favourite feature (NOT!) - a VERY green cupboard! |
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| Downstairs full of Ikea. |
Last week on Thursday I got to see two excellent people. Julia and Ed. Julia is much better at conversation, but Ed can sing rather well. Julia came to visit and we went to see Ed Sheeran. Julia is much friendlier...although I've never talked to Ed. Ed, if you're reading this, it's time we had a chat. The double bonus for the night was Passenger being the support act for Mr Sheeran.
 |
| Ahhhh Ed. |
I shall try to introduce my camera to the great outside world here in Münich. I should also talk about going to Uni and a few other adventures being had here. Can't do it all in one night though, and I leave you with one of my favourite photos from the last couple of weeks. I have NO idea as to the purpose of these pickles but we came across them in Salzburg last weekend.
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| I don't know the names of the pickles, but the humans are cool people I'm studying with this semester...Elsa, Clement, Vincent, Robin, Laura, Rohana. |
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Warning: This blog has a slightly cheerful note
Too many good things are happening to keep up with them all on this blog. I know, I know, a First World problem if there ever was one.
Today it was a beautiful 10°, I didn't need a jacket, and I went swimming! (Indoor, but whatevs).
I also got to talk to my Mum (hey Mum!), my sister for a slight minute (hey Em!) and a beautiful friend (hey Kiri!) who will hopefully be over here before she knows it. I got my last remaining mark for last semester, and hello HD! I made delicious berry smoothies, an apple raspberry pie/crumble (yum! - you wish you were there) and a pretty good Butter Chicken. I was also the favourite Au Pair of the minute by making Crepes for supper (a pretty big award). There was a spectacular sunset, discussions of summer holiday plans and a wonderful time playing guitar and singing with the girls after supper (after, not for).
I think the sun being out created a day like the moment when your favourite song comes on the radio. (Today, however, although I changed the station a bazillion times, people kept speaking in Swiss German...give me a song!!)
As visual proof of a beautiful day, I offer this photo. A, doing her homework, had just said, "I never want this smoothie to end."
Which is pretty much the same as wishing for a never ending packet of Tim Tams...
Today it was a beautiful 10°, I didn't need a jacket, and I went swimming! (Indoor, but whatevs).
I also got to talk to my Mum (hey Mum!), my sister for a slight minute (hey Em!) and a beautiful friend (hey Kiri!) who will hopefully be over here before she knows it. I got my last remaining mark for last semester, and hello HD! I made delicious berry smoothies, an apple raspberry pie/crumble (yum! - you wish you were there) and a pretty good Butter Chicken. I was also the favourite Au Pair of the minute by making Crepes for supper (a pretty big award). There was a spectacular sunset, discussions of summer holiday plans and a wonderful time playing guitar and singing with the girls after supper (after, not for).
I think the sun being out created a day like the moment when your favourite song comes on the radio. (Today, however, although I changed the station a bazillion times, people kept speaking in Swiss German...give me a song!!)
As visual proof of a beautiful day, I offer this photo. A, doing her homework, had just said, "I never want this smoothie to end."
Which is pretty much the same as wishing for a never ending packet of Tim Tams...
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Wednesday, February 8, 2012
7 Ways to Impress a 7-year-old...
How to impress a 7-year-old
-Play Snap. Have hands which snap at the speed of sound. "You're so fast. You're so good." (I may have got so carried away with winning this game that I cut her hand with my fingernail).
-Make Cauliflower Soup. Yes, I know it sounds dubious (it's not - it's really good and it's made in 10 minutes!). However: "This soup is my best soup. Of all soups, this is my bestest best."
-Make Sock Puppets. "Wow. You have such good ideas. You always have such good ideas!"
-Mend the hole in her stockings. "What?! I cannot see the hole anymore. You are so good at this."
-Fix the broken DVD player. Open a hard-to-open door. Sharpen all the pencils.
So, as you can see, it's not so difficult, and it's kind of like having your own little fan club following you around all the time.
In other news, it's still cold.
-Play Snap. Have hands which snap at the speed of sound. "You're so fast. You're so good." (I may have got so carried away with winning this game that I cut her hand with my fingernail).
-Make Cauliflower Soup. Yes, I know it sounds dubious (it's not - it's really good and it's made in 10 minutes!). However: "This soup is my best soup. Of all soups, this is my bestest best."
-Make Sock Puppets. "Wow. You have such good ideas. You always have such good ideas!"
-Mend the hole in her stockings. "What?! I cannot see the hole anymore. You are so good at this."
-Fix the broken DVD player. Open a hard-to-open door. Sharpen all the pencils.
So, as you can see, it's not so difficult, and it's kind of like having your own little fan club following you around all the time.
In other news, it's still cold.
.JPG) |
| My favourite swimming spot - covered in snow! |
Saturday, February 4, 2012
I'm glad I'm not a duck
It got down to -14° today. Burr! This might be the coldest I have ever experienced Zurich.
But it was lovely and clear and sunny and I went for a (chilly) walk to the lake. It's crazy to think we swim down here in summer and have picnics and bbq's. I've never seen snow down here before and I'm glad I'm not a duck. They looked kind of cold.
I read in a very reliable source that many places in Switzerland are having their coldest February in 30 years. Which makes me feel cold just thinking about it, so I shall now take myself off to my warm, happy place.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Love
I found this beautiful arrangement of oranges waiting for me on the kitchen floor. It's a love heart, in case you were wondering, and it's because she "likes me sooooo much".
I'm back in Zurich. Sorry for not telling you here in Blog Land. It has been a crazy and wonderful few weeks, hopefully a couple of blog posts to come on that. I spent 3 weeks in Kassel, Germany, at the Universitat Kassel, learning all sorts of things about German culture, language, history, and literature. I even got to practice a few German folk dances and learn how to make a traditional German meal.
But now I'm back in Zurich, pretending I'm an Au Pair again. Just for a few weeks, before I start my semester in Munich in March.
For those who have forgotten that I have a Swiss family, or who did not read my last blog...I live with a family with 3 girls, My Little Friends 1, 2 & 3. However, due to the confusion which kept appearing in the last blog (www.chaupair.blogspot.com), henceforth these beautiful girls will now be known as N (13 yrs), L (10 yrs) and A (7 yrs).
It is A who continues to make beautiful love hearts for me everywhere. It's so lovely to come back and find the girls are still the same, even though it has been 2 years since I lived with them. They are still quite sweet, sometimes vague, with excellent English, and are blossoming into kind and warm-hearted girls.
We were listening to music the other day and A asked if I knew the song "Hang...Hang...something"? She then hummed the tune, and I realised she was talking about 'Hangover' by Taio Cruz. I hid my horror that she had been listening to this song and said yes, I did know this song. She wanted to play it, and then I heard her singing...."I've got a Handy* cover...wo-oh...I've da da da da da da da...I've got a handy cover, wo-oh..." It made perfect sense to her, who wouldn't want a handy cover?
(*Handy is German for mobile/cell phone)
It's freezing outside. -7° today, to be exact. We've had quite a bit of snow, considering we're in the city, and it does make me a little homesick for the sun. But the white blanket that is currently covering everything does make it quite beautiful and fresh and (quite) crisp.
I took this photo quickly when A and her friend were picking up another friend on their way to school. Their matching coats and hats make me laugh, becuase A particularly asked for this hat in the shop, and her Mum (M) only found out later that it was because quite a few other girls in her class have the same one!
Peer pressure, it gets 'em early.
"When love is most extravagant, it is least wasted. Hope and love don't know the meaning of efficiency"
...I read that this week, and a heart of oranges has been a beautiful reminder.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Post Christmas Cookies
Baking heaven.
Don't tell my Mum but I just made cookies from shop-bought cookie dough and THEY ARE DELICIOUS.
They're supposed to be Christmas cookies but these ones are post Christmas cookies and I put on 10 kg just looking at them.
Why have I never made these before?! I feel like the Swiss have been hiding this secret from me. From packet to mouth in 6 minutes.
Don't tell my Mum but I just made cookies from shop-bought cookie dough and THEY ARE DELICIOUS.
They're supposed to be Christmas cookies but these ones are post Christmas cookies and I put on 10 kg just looking at them.
Why have I never made these before?! I feel like the Swiss have been hiding this secret from me. From packet to mouth in 6 minutes.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
5 wunderschöne Dinge
I just opened my computer for the first time since I left home. What's it been....a week? 10 days? I had to truly think about what day it actually is....so that either means I'm on holidays or severely jetlagged.
Let's go with Option A, Holidays.
Ah, holidays. The last 10 days or so have felt all too familiar, which is nice. Kind of like I was only here last month...(contrary to popular opinion, I was not).
Coming back to Zurich last night on the train I was overwhelmed again by the amazing scenery - the Alps just never get old and IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
Loved spending Christmas up in the mountains. It's a completely different world up there...besides all the extra snow. Top 5 Highlights of 5 days in the Mountains (Davos):
1.) Success in Cooking a Turkey.
Would you believe, that I, having never (I don't think) eaten a turkey before(!!) cooked a turkey?! And, not only a turkey, but, if I may say so myself, amazing stuffing AND gravy. I'm still in shock. I did feel a little like I was sitting down to a Thanksgiving Dinner on Christmas Day....(I blame this on Hollywood) and I was too squeamish to actually put the stuffing IN the turkey myself, however, I CAN COOK A TURKEY!
2.) Skiing.
I know, I know. Last time I went skiing I swore to never repeat the act. This time, I did the same thing. Next week, I'll probably say it again. However, once I survive the treacherous act that is a ski lift, I love being so high up in the mountains with such a clear view of the sky.
(PS. Thanks to Nat for her expert tutelage and patience)
3.) A REAL Christmas Tree with REAL candles.
On Christmas Eve (when Christmas is actually celebrated in Switzerland) we went to the little church in Nick & Nat's village where the school kids were performing a few songs and a play. I made up the dialogue in my head as it was actually in Swiss German, and it was a pretty interesting play (if I do say so myself). However, the cool thing was the Christmas tree. It reached the roof of the 2 story church and the teenage boys sit up on the second story and light the candles. Nat told me it's always the same - some sort of rite of passage for this age group - you are allowed to be a part of the tree lighting.
Looked a little to me like the Swiss allow pyromanic tendancies to develop in teenage boys, however I was more worried about a lit Christmas tree in a church made almost completely of wood. And I was up on the second story with no easy escape.
So between making up the dialogue for a Swiss German Christmas play and planning my escape route, you can imagine I was pretty busy.
4.) HC Davos (Switzerland) v. Vitkovice Steel (Czech Republic).
This ice hockey game would have to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I felt very lucky to be invited to go with my Swiss family to a Spengler Cup match (HC Davos v. Vitkovice Steel)...the atmosphere was crazy and professional ice hockey is soooo fast! I now understand why they think cricket is a slow game!
I also learnt some German chants useful for ice hockey games. You never know when these will come in handy.
5.) --
Ok, so I don't have a fifth highlight. The title was just catchy.
But, in general, I'm just quite happy to be here. It feels a little like home. Getting used to understanding nothing again, losing whatever English I did have, Slipping and sliding on ice, Eating good chocolate and drinking gluwein, Sparkling Apple Juice!, Dry lips and catching up with many good friends.
I'm heading to Kassel on January 1st, for an intensive 3-week German course (language + culture) and then am planning on heading back to Zurich for a few weeks before I start my semester in Munich.
Let's go with Option A, Holidays.
Ah, holidays. The last 10 days or so have felt all too familiar, which is nice. Kind of like I was only here last month...(contrary to popular opinion, I was not).
Loved spending Christmas up in the mountains. It's a completely different world up there...besides all the extra snow. Top 5 Highlights of 5 days in the Mountains (Davos):
1.) Success in Cooking a Turkey.
Would you believe, that I, having never (I don't think) eaten a turkey before(!!) cooked a turkey?! And, not only a turkey, but, if I may say so myself, amazing stuffing AND gravy. I'm still in shock. I did feel a little like I was sitting down to a Thanksgiving Dinner on Christmas Day....(I blame this on Hollywood) and I was too squeamish to actually put the stuffing IN the turkey myself, however, I CAN COOK A TURKEY!
 | ||||
| Done like a (Turkey) Dinner...and what is Duplo doing on the Table?! |
I know, I know. Last time I went skiing I swore to never repeat the act. This time, I did the same thing. Next week, I'll probably say it again. However, once I survive the treacherous act that is a ski lift, I love being so high up in the mountains with such a clear view of the sky.
(PS. Thanks to Nat for her expert tutelage and patience)
3.) A REAL Christmas Tree with REAL candles.
On Christmas Eve (when Christmas is actually celebrated in Switzerland) we went to the little church in Nick & Nat's village where the school kids were performing a few songs and a play. I made up the dialogue in my head as it was actually in Swiss German, and it was a pretty interesting play (if I do say so myself). However, the cool thing was the Christmas tree. It reached the roof of the 2 story church and the teenage boys sit up on the second story and light the candles. Nat told me it's always the same - some sort of rite of passage for this age group - you are allowed to be a part of the tree lighting.
Looked a little to me like the Swiss allow pyromanic tendancies to develop in teenage boys, however I was more worried about a lit Christmas tree in a church made almost completely of wood. And I was up on the second story with no easy escape.
So between making up the dialogue for a Swiss German Christmas play and planning my escape route, you can imagine I was pretty busy.
 |
| Nick & Nat's REAL Christmas tree with REAL candles |
4.) HC Davos (Switzerland) v. Vitkovice Steel (Czech Republic).
This ice hockey game would have to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I felt very lucky to be invited to go with my Swiss family to a Spengler Cup match (HC Davos v. Vitkovice Steel)...the atmosphere was crazy and professional ice hockey is soooo fast! I now understand why they think cricket is a slow game!
I also learnt some German chants useful for ice hockey games. You never know when these will come in handy.
 | ||||
Ok, so I don't have a fifth highlight. The title was just catchy.
But, in general, I'm just quite happy to be here. It feels a little like home. Getting used to understanding nothing again, losing whatever English I did have, Slipping and sliding on ice, Eating good chocolate and drinking gluwein, Sparkling Apple Juice!, Dry lips and catching up with many good friends.
I'm heading to Kassel on January 1st, for an intensive 3-week German course (language + culture) and then am planning on heading back to Zurich for a few weeks before I start my semester in Munich.
Auf Wiedersehen! und Ich wunsche dir ein frohes neues Jahr!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
I still run for trains
It didn't take long for old habits to return. First train I went for...I was running late (not my fault) and I although I ran, I missed it.
Swiss trains 1. Kylie 0.
Later that day I found myself running down the road for the train...and had to laugh. It felt like Déjà vu. Bag, scarf, coat flying behind me, running past the ticket machine, throwing some money in it's direction, only for my efforts to be in vain as the train pulled away just as I got to the platform.
Swiss trains 2. Kylie 0.
Have been fighting jet lag for the past 4 days, but starting to feel more human again today. Once again, I am typing away on a strange European keyboard which I blame for this short post. However, Mum (and others who were wondering) I am here...safe and sound. Zürich was amazingly white and snowy and beautiful when I arrived, and now up in the mountains near Davos, there is plenty of snow and ensuring there will be a white Christmas.
And now I am cooking croissants, enjoying Swiss bread, and about to make a pavlova (just to keep Christmas a little bit Australian). I think I've also said I will cook a turkey for Christmas dinner (what was I thinking...never cooked a turkey in my life).
It's so lovely to be seeing friends again and those Swiss Francs again. (First day I arrived, there was a 1000 CHF ($1000) note on the bench...ah, yes. Indeed I am in Switzerland).
Frohe Weihnachten!
Swiss trains 1. Kylie 0.
Later that day I found myself running down the road for the train...and had to laugh. It felt like Déjà vu. Bag, scarf, coat flying behind me, running past the ticket machine, throwing some money in it's direction, only for my efforts to be in vain as the train pulled away just as I got to the platform.
Swiss trains 2. Kylie 0.
Have been fighting jet lag for the past 4 days, but starting to feel more human again today. Once again, I am typing away on a strange European keyboard which I blame for this short post. However, Mum (and others who were wondering) I am here...safe and sound. Zürich was amazingly white and snowy and beautiful when I arrived, and now up in the mountains near Davos, there is plenty of snow and ensuring there will be a white Christmas.
And now I am cooking croissants, enjoying Swiss bread, and about to make a pavlova (just to keep Christmas a little bit Australian). I think I've also said I will cook a turkey for Christmas dinner (what was I thinking...never cooked a turkey in my life).
It's so lovely to be seeing friends again and those Swiss Francs again. (First day I arrived, there was a 1000 CHF ($1000) note on the bench...ah, yes. Indeed I am in Switzerland).
Frohe Weihnachten!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
I am the official Door Opener
I was reminded of good things tonight.
Every now and then I join an excellent group of people who join together to take uni students who live on campus to Woolies. It's a bit of a hike for the students otherwise, especially with lots of shopping and so they're only too happy to jump onboard our bus of fun for a 5 minute drive to buy groceries as we go back and forth.
I act as the official door opener and professional conversationalist. I never knew I had it in me - to begin so many conversations - but I just keep talking until some unsuspecting person is tricked into chatting with me for the ride.
Tonight, a guy got on who I've seen around uni. To be honest, not the person I would generally talk to. If I had to stereotype myself and him.
But tonight, he was lucky enough (unfortunate enough?) to sit next to me. I talked about uni and holidays and Woolies and he grunted a couple of times and I thought, this is going to be an extra long 5 minutes. But I kept talking to myself and then he started talking. And had really good things to say. And then he initiated the conversation on the way home. He initiated conversation and questions about human rights and women's rights...and the oversecularisation of our culture....and community work. And was seeking real depth and answers to big questions.
Not that I have those answers, but I was thankful for the reminder that people are people. It doesn't matter what they look like, or who I think they are from their appearance.
And that we seek truth and goodness. And that my worldview is small, and God's worldview is big. Much, much larger than what I think or believe.
"We can name Jesus, orient out lives around him, and celebrate him as the way, the truth and the life, and at the same time respect the vast, expansive, generous mystery that he is."
Every now and then I join an excellent group of people who join together to take uni students who live on campus to Woolies. It's a bit of a hike for the students otherwise, especially with lots of shopping and so they're only too happy to jump onboard our bus of fun for a 5 minute drive to buy groceries as we go back and forth.
I act as the official door opener and professional conversationalist. I never knew I had it in me - to begin so many conversations - but I just keep talking until some unsuspecting person is tricked into chatting with me for the ride.
Tonight, a guy got on who I've seen around uni. To be honest, not the person I would generally talk to. If I had to stereotype myself and him.
But tonight, he was lucky enough (unfortunate enough?) to sit next to me. I talked about uni and holidays and Woolies and he grunted a couple of times and I thought, this is going to be an extra long 5 minutes. But I kept talking to myself and then he started talking. And had really good things to say. And then he initiated the conversation on the way home. He initiated conversation and questions about human rights and women's rights...and the oversecularisation of our culture....and community work. And was seeking real depth and answers to big questions.
Not that I have those answers, but I was thankful for the reminder that people are people. It doesn't matter what they look like, or who I think they are from their appearance.
And that we seek truth and goodness. And that my worldview is small, and God's worldview is big. Much, much larger than what I think or believe.
"We can name Jesus, orient out lives around him, and celebrate him as the way, the truth and the life, and at the same time respect the vast, expansive, generous mystery that he is."
Monday, October 3, 2011
4 Monate
I'm a little bit ashamed that it's been over 4 months since I last blogged.
Oops.
I didn't blog at all about the last trip OS (5 weeks away - NZ, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Bintan Island (Indonesia))...definately an adventure (and great times with wonderful friends and Jenna (both a sister AND a friend).
I'm more than half way through another semester at uni! Eeek. Well...that may perhaps be wishful thinking - still a hard slog ahead to finish.
Just home from a lovely holiday back to Dubbo, finishing with Tom & Katie's wedding last night in Wee Waa. It was such a wonderful and fun celebration and it's hard to believe my little brother is married! And we have a new sister!
I bought a flight to Zurich.
I've been accepted to study in Munich for a semester.
I spent the last week being apart of a study intensive at Burrabadine, which was an excellent chance to see Jesus through new eyes and refocus on Him.
I put fuel in a car for the first time in almost 3 years! (The price has definately gone up!!)
I have wonderful German friends at uni who pretend they understand me when I massacre their language.
I have hopeful plans for time in Switzerland next year.
I rode a hired scooter in Thailand! BIG fear relieved and I want to explore South America on a scooter now. Who is coming?
I will be in Europe for the 4th winter in a row. How does this happen?!
And that, my friends, is an update on the last 4 months of my life.
'Jesus never asked anyone what they did for a living; what mattered was what they did with their life'
Oops.
I didn't blog at all about the last trip OS (5 weeks away - NZ, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Bintan Island (Indonesia))...definately an adventure (and great times with wonderful friends and Jenna (both a sister AND a friend).
I'm more than half way through another semester at uni! Eeek. Well...that may perhaps be wishful thinking - still a hard slog ahead to finish.
Just home from a lovely holiday back to Dubbo, finishing with Tom & Katie's wedding last night in Wee Waa. It was such a wonderful and fun celebration and it's hard to believe my little brother is married! And we have a new sister!
I bought a flight to Zurich.
I've been accepted to study in Munich for a semester.
I spent the last week being apart of a study intensive at Burrabadine, which was an excellent chance to see Jesus through new eyes and refocus on Him.
I put fuel in a car for the first time in almost 3 years! (The price has definately gone up!!)
I have wonderful German friends at uni who pretend they understand me when I massacre their language.
I have hopeful plans for time in Switzerland next year.
I rode a hired scooter in Thailand! BIG fear relieved and I want to explore South America on a scooter now. Who is coming?
I will be in Europe for the 4th winter in a row. How does this happen?!
And that, my friends, is an update on the last 4 months of my life.
'Jesus never asked anyone what they did for a living; what mattered was what they did with their life'
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Why is my white dog now grey?
This is kind of like a 'Dear Abby' column but instead I'm calling it: 'Dear Tessie'.
Q.
Dear Tessie.
I took my white maltese shih-tzu to the dog grooming place shop thing because she was, ah, in need of grooming. She had been neglected since we have a new child in the family and we could no longer pay attention to her 23 hours a day.
I went to pick her up when she was finished and instead of a white dog there was a grey dog wagging her tail at me. I've had her genetically tested and she's the same dog. Why is she now grey?
From Worried and Confused Dog Owner 135445
A.
Dear Worried and Confused Dog Owner 135445.
This is not a common problem. Dog grooming place shop things, as you call them, do not normally cause your pet (now politically called animal companion) to change colour. I've taken time this week to spend some time talking to your animal companion and she's given me a full update on the happenings on that day. Did you know she could talk? We rarely come across as intelligent animal companions as this. Although I must warn you - she told me she is her losing her ability to speak because of the neglect received by her in recent months.
Apparently after she had been groomed by Groomer #1 she was placed in a cage to await your arrival. She was somewhat embarrassed to talk about this part of the experience as the groomer has made her feel quite ashamed by her new haircut. Her ears are bare and as these aren't her best feature she would like in future for a slighter longer cut in the area.
Whilst in the cage, a second animal companion was placed in a cage and the Groomer #1 left the room and closed the door. The other animal companion was apparently quite troublesome and a bad influence on your dog. Apparently, he talked her into using teamwork to move their cages across the floor to reach some tasty treats. She was unsure of the following details but in their haste to feast on the treats, they knocked over a large bucket which fell on a device she described to me and I've understood to be a hyrobath. This caused a fire to break out and as I mentioned, she is unsure of the following details. It wasn't until Dog Groomer #3 (Dog Groomer #2 was on a lunch break) smelt smoke that the door was opened and the dogs saved. She is also aware that she could be charged for the ensuing destruction of the hydrobath and wishes for this information to remain confidential. The fire caused both dogs to suffer severe smoke inhalation and the ash caused your dog's coat to turn from white to grey.
I've spoken with the Dog Grooming shop (CLEAN-DOGS-R-US) and they've offered to pay for a full day-spa-visit with your local vet where your animal companion will be observed for a full day to check for concerning signs of smoke inhalation (sever coughing, asthma etc), and also assured us that Dog Groomer #1 has been replaced. You may also be interested to know that dogs with upper jaw which jut out higher than the lower jaw are three times as likely to be led astray by fast-talking troublesome animal companions. This statistic will certainly help her should the case be taken any further by CLEAN-DOGS-R-US.
I wish you all the best with your future endeavours and your talking now-grey animal companion. She should return to full colour in 4-6 years.
Kindly,
Abby.
If your animal companion is grey after a visit from a Dog-Grooming salon, they may have also suffered smoke inhalation.
This is the only time that this blog will switch to a Dear Abby-style post. If you didn't understand what this post was about, it probably wasn't meant for you.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Line that I was born above
Live Below The Line - An Interesting Little Journey - Part 2
Day 3 is over and I have survived 3 days of living on $2 a day. Well, foodwise anyway.
In the last 3 days, I think I've been more aware of all the things I use/do that cost a lot. Well, a lot in comparison to $2 for all food all day. Everything from fuel to my facewash to the coffee that I can't have this week from the uni cafes. My coffees at uni cost $4.30 - and that's not even a large cup! That's twice what I'm living on for food! Twice what 1.4 billion people in the world survive on for their every need every day. And not just as an experiment for a week- that's their life!
It's hard to get my head around...it's not just about the lack of choice for food or the lack of the tastes that I really enjoy. It's also appreciating and understanding that it's hard to concentrate when you're hungry. It's much harder to function at basic life tasks when you're thinking about your next meal and it just affects a large part of life. So if that is your life, then life if harder and affects more than just meal times.
It's good to be reminded of a much bigger picture and a much bigger world. That I was born above a line that 1.4 billion people today were born under. Even if I'm not *enjoying* this experience, I'm grateful for the reminder. Also grateful for .39c jelly I got stuck into tonight.
Day 3 is over and I have survived 3 days of living on $2 a day. Well, foodwise anyway.
In the last 3 days, I think I've been more aware of all the things I use/do that cost a lot. Well, a lot in comparison to $2 for all food all day. Everything from fuel to my facewash to the coffee that I can't have this week from the uni cafes. My coffees at uni cost $4.30 - and that's not even a large cup! That's twice what I'm living on for food! Twice what 1.4 billion people in the world survive on for their every need every day. And not just as an experiment for a week- that's their life!
It's hard to get my head around...it's not just about the lack of choice for food or the lack of the tastes that I really enjoy. It's also appreciating and understanding that it's hard to concentrate when you're hungry. It's much harder to function at basic life tasks when you're thinking about your next meal and it just affects a large part of life. So if that is your life, then life if harder and affects more than just meal times.
It's good to be reminded of a much bigger picture and a much bigger world. That I was born above a line that 1.4 billion people today were born under. Even if I'm not *enjoying* this experience, I'm grateful for the reminder. Also grateful for .39c jelly I got stuck into tonight.
Monday, May 16, 2011
An interesting little journey
Over 1.4 billion people in the world live below the poverty line in the world.
1.4 billion. I can't even get my head around such a number.
So this week I've signed up to Live Below The Line - spending $2 a day on food from today (Monday) til Friday - I went shopping yesterday and bought as much rice and lentils and veggies as my allowance would buy me.
Made it through Day 1. Very much missed a coffee this morning and I've been trying to think about things that are the opposite of sugar.
So what's the point? Why miss the sugar and the caffeine and have to face lentils again tomorrow? I think it's got something to do with me gaining a better understanding of how much I have and how much others don't. Of being thankful...
Here's a pic of the food supplies for the week. I had a couple extra dollars to spend because one night I'm sharing dinner with some friends. (A 66cent per person dinner part-ay!)
1.4 billion. I can't even get my head around such a number.
So this week I've signed up to Live Below The Line - spending $2 a day on food from today (Monday) til Friday - I went shopping yesterday and bought as much rice and lentils and veggies as my allowance would buy me.
Made it through Day 1. Very much missed a coffee this morning and I've been trying to think about things that are the opposite of sugar.
So what's the point? Why miss the sugar and the caffeine and have to face lentils again tomorrow? I think it's got something to do with me gaining a better understanding of how much I have and how much others don't. Of being thankful...
Here's a pic of the food supplies for the week. I had a couple extra dollars to spend because one night I'm sharing dinner with some friends. (A 66cent per person dinner part-ay!)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I've been...
"How do you encapsulate a trip of a lifetime without lapsing into ecstatic cliches on the beauty of the landscapes or the splendour of their cultures? I don't want to retread that well-worn trail of self-discovery and growing up and heart-warming messages of the week, that's boring and we all know it. You meet a couple of soul mates. You meet a billion traveller douchebags. And all the while, goats are pissing in the aisle of your bus, small sturdy indigenour women are kicking the back of your seat and you're contemplating peeing in a Pringles can as you rattle through some desolately beautiful mountainous landscapes and you admit that you wouldn't want to be doing anything else."
-Neda Vanovac
I've been reading a few interesting thoughts and opinions from Rob Bell in "Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived" (Who doesn't love a super fast international shipping when Australia is the last place on the planet to have books released?). But my copy is currently being read by someone else so I'll share some quotes later...maybe.
I've been thinking a lot about Negligence. And Law. And Immigration. And Karl Marx. And Fair Trade Coffee. And Free Trade Zones in Sri Lanka. And I should be thinking about Economics and whether or not the fiscal stimulus averted Australia's recession. Instead, I'm thinking that I've only got 6 weeks left of the semester and then it's time for more holidays.
I should be planning those holidays. Flights booked. Check. Every other details. No check.
Ah well. I borrowed a book out of the library today about Thailand. At least I'm passively proactive.
I've been working on Soul Surfer, a movie coming out in cinemas this month...26th May...the story of surfer Bethany Hamilton...starring AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt...tickets, reviews, advertisements...can you tell it's all I've been thinking about at work?
I've been watching Glee:Season 2. TV series should be banned during semesters.
I've been holidaying down with my family in Dubbo/Bourke and also catching up with lovely friends in Melbourne. And yes, in case you were wondering, Melbourne is all about the coffee.
Now, where's that Economics paper...
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Switzerland: home swiss home
Just in case you wondered if I did anything else in Switzerland besides getting on a train.
Actually, many trains.
I felt quite spoilt on this visit because I got to do pretty much everything that I loved doing.
Eat fondue. Twice.
Bake Swiss bread.
Limousine ride around the lake of Zurich.
Ski (x 2 days) - 2nd day.black run.not a good idea. (PS. I DON'T love skiing - this was a trick)
Wednesday Train Station Markets (Probieren?).
Chocolate muesli.
Drive like absolute craziness to catch a train. Why run when you can drive? [not in the limo :)]
Lindt shop!!
Feather duvets.
Aelpler Macaroni
Dr Manu party
India replay: the dosa
India replay: the breakfast
Monstein.
Splendid walks.
Freitag shop.
(I feel like a lot of this list has to do with food :S)
But the best bits was getting to catch up with so many good people - such a treat! It was truly amazing. I got to stay with Nick&Nat, Manu&Lia and the Swiss fam which was so lovely, and made it rather hard to leave to come home.
the Swiss girlies
...Summer is coming...
"A decent celebration"
On a side note, me and Notre Dame were reunited on my way out of Europa. Speaking of food, I ate crepes and chocolate croissants while in Paris.
Actually, many trains.
I felt quite spoilt on this visit because I got to do pretty much everything that I loved doing.
Eat fondue. Twice.
Bake Swiss bread.
Limousine ride around the lake of Zurich.
Ski (x 2 days) - 2nd day.black run.not a good idea. (PS. I DON'T love skiing - this was a trick)
Wednesday Train Station Markets (Probieren?).
Chocolate muesli.
Drive like absolute craziness to catch a train. Why run when you can drive? [not in the limo :)]
Lindt shop!!
Feather duvets.
Aelpler Macaroni
Dr Manu party
India replay: the dosa
India replay: the breakfast
Monstein.
Splendid walks.
Freitag shop.
(I feel like a lot of this list has to do with food :S)
But the best bits was getting to catch up with so many good people - such a treat! It was truly amazing. I got to stay with Nick&Nat, Manu&Lia and the Swiss fam which was so lovely, and made it rather hard to leave to come home.
the Swiss girlies
...Summer is coming...
"A decent celebration"
On a side note, me and Notre Dame were reunited on my way out of Europa. Speaking of food, I ate crepes and chocolate croissants while in Paris.
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