Weihnacten

So, people, I had a really good Christmas.

Joelle? You weren't incredibly homesick like people say you maybe would be? "You're not going home for Christmas??!!!! Arn't you homesick!?!" No. I was indeed not. I was too distracted by my wonderful host family and the comfort of feeling home away from home here.

On Christmas Eve, we helped each other out making the meal, my host dad and I made the appetizers. Afterwards, the family got dressed up a little bit nicer, and we went to the little church in my village Mellingen. Although, my host dad has been sick (keep him in your prayers and thoughts, he has a terrible cough attack now :( ) and.. he didn't come. He rested. So, we went and sang Christmas carols, listened to a message in Swiss German the pastor gave and little kids preformed a Christmas play with Jesus and Mary (the whole sha-bang), which I completely zoned out during the whole time of that and real the christmas music over and over again. We light candles and sang 'Silent Night' in German. I kept on playing with my candle designing scraps in it with my finger nail. I saw a familiar girl and some people from my school there, and neighbors. Said our hellos, and shook a lot of hands and kissed a lot of cheeks 3 times in a row. Then, it was time to go home. We walked home, with our candles giving light in the dark night and I sang some more Christmas songs. When we arrived home, the tree's candles were all lighted, and the table was set all fancy. :) We all put on pretty dresses and my host dad wore a tie.. I guess this is what the swiss do on christmas! So, I naturally borrowed my host sisters dress and then we all ate some appetizers and while eating dinner, we took long pauses and to open gifts, eat( my family opens 1 gift at a time and everybody watches). I really like it.

My family is so loving, I didn't really expect too much, maybe some little things.. but my host dad and mom went all out and bought me a real SWISS watch! Called: Swatch Watch. I really like this brand for watches. They design really funky, different, types of watches, as well as normal ones.. and they picked out the perfect one for me: colorful. So now, I am a real Schweizerin! Although, I still arrive late sometimes. Which is incredibly still not swiss.

I don't know what else to say, my Christmas was really really peaceful and swell. My host family started to tear up and cry thinking about me leaving this family when I gave them my home made Christmas card. I couldn't even cry about leaving. I am becoming too strong here, it feels like nothing effects me too much anymore like the way it used to. things changing, life going on. But, we will see how I am my last day here, and see if my eyes are still dry then.

My Christmas day was great as well, everyone in my family went over to my host Grandmas's house and we ate dinner there and talked, and talked, and opened a few more presents slowly. By the end of the night I was so exhausted, I couldnt even sleep! I think I finally fell asleep at 3 in the morning, and woke up a 8 to swim some laps at the mellingen pool.

Now, I had my lazy day, listening to a lot of Bon Iver. I love lazy days.

I want to thank anyone who reads this: Thank you for caring about what is going on here, and supporting me. Thank you for the facebook messages, the simple "hellos", the christmas gifts (BIG SHOUT OUT TO JESSICA VU & KIDS), thank you Grandma for the sweet x mas card and candy and beautiful scarf, thank you Jeremy for talking to me about everything and anything, when I feel gloomy or happy, weird or spazzy. Thank you Mom, Cheri, and Chelsie for the earrings that I will treasure and the gifts for the host family. And lastly, Thank you Switzerland for being so good to me.

so, this is christmas, and what have we done?

another year older.

look around.

everything is not just about you. there is a whole world out there. people have their stories too, so just sit down with a nice cup of tea and listen.

wash the dishes for your mom.

open the door for someone.

be happy, just because.

wear wool socks before you cannot anymore, summer will be here before you know it. and i do sure love wool socks.

Switzerland- you effect me.

Krank

I be sick today. I stayed home from school and slept for a long time.

Nevertheless, I would have to say this is the best hospitality I have ever been treated with while I am sick. My host family is a bundle of love.

I starting to feel sick yesterday, I woke up with a terrible sore throat and didn't think it was necessary to tell my host family because I would think it would be the type to go away.. until it didn't. After going on a walk with my host family, and being outside in the cold, i decided to tell them I had a sore throat and didn't feel too good. They gave me some natural medicine stuff, and I made myself some tea. After dinner, when Eduardo went home (he came over after the walk with the host family and stayed for dinner), my host mom made me a foot bath with natural intense and my host sisters gave me a foot message and head message after! I felt like I was in a spa, and it made me feel so loved and peaceful. During Christmas time, there are little things each family member does everyday until Christmas day comes, last night's was Stephanie's turn to read out loud a Christmas story that my other host sister made for school. After she read it, the family and I lounged around and listened to German Opera music and then I went to my room and talked to Jeremy, than slept. For 11 hours.

Today, I woke up and my host mom made me ginger tea and put this re freshener in my room that cleans the air and spells like peppermint. She also asked if I wanted to take a bath tonight because of me being sick. I just cant describe enough how I feel like home away from home here. I already feel so much better, and starting to become healthy again.

Time is flying so fast.

I cannot believe it is almost Christmas. My life here is utter peace. I have nothing to stress about. Besides college applications, but I am almost finished. There is no economy crisis here, there is no depressing news that repeats itself over and over again like back home. There is no school work I have to do, besides german homework and art class of course, and my host family situation couldn't be better. There is no scary gas prices that make me stress out, I take the train and bus to school everyday. On the weekends, I am trusted by my host family and I am free to go out and be back when I feel like to be back. I feel so trusted here, like I did back home.

I am happy to be here for Christmas. In Switzerland. It is a happy time. No huge mall where everyone is buying and buying, just simple Christmas decorations around the house and Events Calendar where you get to eat swiss chocolate and read an activity you can do during the day. Another simple swiss christmas thing is during December is the "Advent" or "waiting" period: four candles are put on a green spruce wreath, where a new candle is lit every Sunday until Christmas Eve. During dinner time, while we sit around, we light the candles and put it in the middle of the table while we eat. During the evenings, my family and I visit our neighbors around Mellingen because Advent Fenster, which is basically where someone in the neighborhood decorates their Window and let the light of the room shine through it, displaying something Christmas-y. While you are there, you socialize with other people in the neighborhood and drink tea or blue wine, and eat lebkuchen and Christmas cookies. Christmas cookies and ginger bread is very popular here, as well as making bread that is the shape of of a man. I made that with my host sister Vanessa and her two friends 2 Fridays ago, and my men turned out the best she said! My host mom said it was beginners luck :). Here are some pictures of me and my host family backing cookies and bread men, called Grittibänzen.

Stretching the dough.

I went to my grandmothers house with my two sisters and we made cookies also. The day was so beautiful, cold but the sun was shining.

An easy walk to Grandma's house, she lives right by us. Look at the blue sky.

looking at recipes. that is Stephanie, the youngest

and on the left is Grossmutti. Grandma!

Vielleicht ist heute grad der schönste Tag im Leben

Exchange students.

They are a lot in Switzerland.

In this little country of trains everywhere, and amazing transportation, it is easy to hang out with them. Plus, mostly all the exchange students have GA's, which the our separate rotary clubs sponser us with. They usually cost up to 2,000 franks. With a GA, you can travel all around Switzerland, boats, trains, busses.. for free. In my school, we have 7 or 8 exchange students. I find it hard to separate myself from them. Before I came here, I was strict with myself, because I didnt want to spend too much time with them (whenever you are with them, you speak english). But, it is really hard. I have 1 more exchange student from Mexico in my class. We usually try to speak German to eachother though. So to end this, it is very easy to hang out with them, the swiss can be distant and have a lot on their plates with their life and things going on. Ugggggghhhhhh random random post. yay.

I found a wonderful song that relates to me and my lifestyle of thinking (does that makes sense?) and its in German... weeeeeee

Es zählt nur Jetzt es zählt nur Hier es zählt nur was hier grad passiert,
ich lass mich gehen, mich inspirieren,
so als gäbe es keinen Morgen ich genieß es einfach hier,
es ist alles möglich ich kann nix verliern,
vielleicht ist heute grad der schönste Tag im Leben
und das will ich nicht verpassen,
vielleicht ist jetzt gerad der Augenblick und auch
wenn ich kein Zeichen krieg, brauch ich nicht mehr warten,

the only thing that counts is now and here, the only thing that counts is what's happening here right now
i let myself go, let inspire me,
as if there's no tomorrow, i just enjoy now and here,
everything is possible, i can't lose anything,
maybe exactly today is the best day of my life
and i dont wanna miss that
maybe exactly this is the moment and even
if i don't get a sign, i don't have to wait anymore,

It doesn't translate well. But. Its happy.

Last weekend, I went to Zermatt, yes, with all the 90 Rotary exchange students in Switzerland. It was magnificent. We got to explore the town of Zermatt, where they speak a really funky swiss german dialect that no one understands! hardly any swiss people can either. From little Mellingen to Zermatt, it was possibly 4 hour train ride. We got there, unloaded our stuff, found our roomates (alphabeltical order) and adjusted in our room. Afterwards, we set off to the town and played a coolio rotex game to intergrate with the local swiss Zermatt peeps. We had to go to a random restuarant, have them make us an spiegeleier, which is basically an egg sunny side up. We had to find a wedding photo, get 10 words in the Zermatt dialect, and find out the most expensive hotels in Zermatt, and the cheapest. It was quite an adventure. We did fortunately find a spiegeleier!! Here is a photo of my group and I holding it..(below text). In the same night, we went to a museum, ate cheese fondue (always), drank wine with rotary, danced at a club with all the exchange students,

me. maria. doug. ted. max. we got the egg. look!!

So... moving on to sad news. My dear best friend Magi, who comes from Seattle (she was once an exchange student here, 2 years back, and was an au pair), left for home on Thanksgiving day! I will truly miss that exquisite human bean. Any of you Oly people that read this , she will come visit you. If you are good enough to keep up with my blog, you deserve to meet Magi. I cannot go off how SUPER (swiss word, people say that all the time here) she is... I love you chap! Had to add some alice slang in there.

magi takes me exploring. we are best at this. wanderwegs adventures in switzerland, bike riding in seattle. cant wait to see you again. Oly people-- YOU must meet this girl.

Familie.

a cute note welcoming me to the family.

So, I changed families. I might be inlove with them. I came home yesterday from a long day of school, and my dad told me he bought me some thai food. They simply know how to make me feel good. I wake up, and I can eat whatever I want, bring whatever I want to school, and come home and everyone asks me how my day was. I know everything is good and swell in the beginning, but I feel like this is genuine. This will surely last. They help me with my German, only speak German to me, and I love just hanging out with them. If you are reading this you might guess that things were quite opposite beforehand. But, lets just say, I learnt a lot. So much. Wow, and I have been here for 3 months. I can't even believe it.

Today in school, is prosibily my schleticisty (worst haha... schellt is bad in german) of the week. This time last week I accidenttly fell asleep in Physics. It is my first period, and it lasts for 2 hours. Yes, I know, not the good exchange student thing to do, but it was one of those days. Today is good, quite lovely indeed. The sun is a shinin and I feel fineeeeeeeeeeee.

One day on the bus ride home, I sat by my friend who goes to choir with me on Mondays. I let him listen to my ipod and we sang the beatles. He has dred locks. all the swiss people looked specitically at us.. because we were singing and dancing. dont you love awkward bus rides. swiss people make it even more awkward.

this is a really, off the topic post.

My familie even has a lil hamster. I am trying to make it like me. Each time I walk past it, i stick my finger in its cage so it can sniff it and then i walk away. I dont want to scare it too bad..

Ok. off to choir . Last period of the day. wweeeeheeee!

they put a rose in my room.

Bus Fahren.

So I ride the bus as well. I take the train & the bus to school. Bus ride from Mellingen to Baden, 15 minutes. Train ride, 2 minutes. Today I was on the bus listening to Elliot Smith, when all the sudden I feel someone tapping me on the shoulder. I look, take out my ear phones and say 'wie bitte' and its a old lady! she starts rambling off in German on how she doesnt like sitting backwards, that it feels awkward, and if she could sit by me. My reaction : Yes of course! I was about to put back in my headphones (I swear I am turning into an awkward anti social swiss person), and she starts rambling off to me again. She asks me where I am going, and I say school. I tell her I am an exchange student and I speak High German and then we had this long coversation about how no swiss people talk to eachother on the bus, and everyone keeps to themselves because it is apart of the culture. She is from France, so she told me that it is normal to speak to your neighbor on the train or bus there. But what made me happy was..

I could understand almost everything she was saying.
on top of her heavy french accent.

This is huge for me. I came here only knowing 2 or 3 words of German. I couldn't even count. Now, I can understand. I felt like a little kid, all giddy afterwards walking off the bus. She told me to promise her to speak to my neighbors on the bus or the train. I promised, and we went our separate ways.

Post Bitte

Here is my new host families address, I change this weekend.

Letters, Christmas cards, CDS with any type of music, or christmas music (def. before christmas), drawings, pictures of us, Soy egg nog... hmmm :)

It is..
Joelle Friend
c/o Familie Nüssli
Trottackerstrasse 8
CH- 5507 Mellingen AG
Switzerland

Thanks and LOVE YOU ALL.

Kürbis Suppe.

I really like pumpkin soup.

Yesterday was Marivis birthday party. She comes from Mexico City and she plays the guitar beautifully (i think). I walked to the bus station around 10:30, but missed my bus by 2 minutes. I swear my calf muscles are going to be huge, climbing and walking up all these steep hills. So, I walked back and sat around a while, in the warm house. I took the next hour bus, and made it. Then sat on the train and went to Dallikon. I listened to my ipod, and spaced out. I do that a lot on the train, spacing out. And watch Switzerland pass by me while staring out the window. Train rides are so peaceful, and the swiss are so very quiet :)

While I got there, I was greeted by a huge hug from Marivi. Gah I love that girl, not only because of that but whenever I am with her we speak only in German. She helps me a lot and is patient with me. So, I got there, and said a lot of Hoyyyy! . Ich bin Joelle. Ich komme aus Amerika. Ich bin 17 jahre alt, ja, ich bin ein Austauschstudentin auch. Und viele viele andere things.

So, I had so much pumpkin soup!!! and kuchen!! (cakes). andddddd bread of course. I was there for 4 hours. Speaking to people I just met, and speaking only German. It made me happy.

When the time came, I had to leave. Marivi walked me to the bus, and we listened to Jack Johnson along the way.. while we fought the cold weather. So, we talked about life, and how fast time flies. We started laughing hysterically for no reason because of our broken German.

Today I went to school, and had art, where I am making a hat out of recycled jeans! Then I had German for an hour and scribbled and looked in the dictionary for a lot of new words and to try to understand. We are working on shakespeare play, which is old German, which is impossible to understand right now.So, I just try my best. I had no Chemistry today, so I went to Anilus house for mittagessen, and chilled. It was raining so hard today, after school was out, I was walking to the bus with my swiss friends, and they brought an umbrella, unlike me, so we shared umbrellas and sang the song under my umbrella. Hmmmm. Tonight I have choir and I will go to that for 2 hours. We are singing christmas carols, including German ones, and English ones. It makes me so happy and merry for christmas. OHHH! and christmas cookies and decorations are here now at Migros, so I had some christmas cookies today and peppermint tea at my counselors moms house who lives in Mellingen. AND, she gave me some winter clothes for here.

How lovely

people are.

Now I am going to work on college stuff. And eat dinner. Than sing.

Goodnight World.

Dunkle!

So, I am starting to become horrible at making blog posts. 

Today is sunday. It is the day when you turn your clocks back and it gets dark at 5 o clock. I kind of like the feeling of it, oddly enough. It is the time of the year when you come home from school and you finish homework in a warm house and start listening to christmas music on your ipod. Now, I will wake up in the morning and walk to the bus in dark, and come home on the evenings and it will be dark. It is getting so cold here. Sense Christmas is coming along, if anyone wants to send me some Christmas music, and some gloves, or anything festive that would be so incredibly suss.

Things I miss

• Oregon Chai Tea Lattes
• Gloves
• Fires my mom makes at home
• Eating whenever I want from a fridge 
• Going to Mirrahs house and eating out of her fridge (I hope you read this Mirrah)
• Understanding what is going on when the teacher speaks, and volunteering in school
  

Random list there, I can't think of anything more right now. And of course, I miss my friends and family but that is only natural. But, I do appreciate everything I have here. My free train pass, with that I go on wonderful trips on the weekends with friends around Switzerland all for free. I love making trips to Migros and Coop, to get food snack stuff. I love how people let their children walk to school alone here, even if they are 2 years old. No one is really fearful. I love eating Nussli & other swiss meals. I love how swiss people actually keep the school so warm, and houses. I love saying Grüezi. 

About my day today: I woke up, and worked on my college essay. I am applying to schools right now, so that is a little stressful. I finally finished reading The Chamber of Secrets, and I watched The US vs. John Lennon on my computer. It was a sunday type of day, just lounging around because it was pretty rainy outside. 

Heres a random picture:

This is my dear Seattle best friend Magi, we found a troll oven. so we climbed into it and chilled.

Es tut mir leid.

I am backkkkkk. Sorry for not posting for a while... hmm, I have been quite busy and stuff. 

So, I went to Italy and Engelberg with Sam and her wonderful host family. It was swell, magnificently swell. I could go off about it for hours, but I will save the pain, and I do not have enough pactience to give you a day by day description. Here are some pictures..

Engelberg, Switzerland. Hiking the mountains

Feeding the pigeons in Saint Marcos Square

We took a gondola ride in Venice..

Cinque Terre, Italy

Porto Fino, Italy

Genova, Italy

Alba, Italy. Beautiful wine vineyards & such there.

I start school on Monday at Kanti Wettingen. Tonight I may either go out with friends or hang out with my next host family and make thai food with them. We will see what happens. 

I went to Zurich yesterday with Brittany and Blake (they are exchange student from Basel) and we were eating Kebabs and we met 3 english speaking people! they were from Canada and US (2 were from chicago). They were so, so nice. It felt good to talk to people who understand you and laugh with you. Here, people dont make fun of you or really have humor like we do in the US so we got to joke around and stuff with them. They told me to start curling! I think I may. I got really inspired. Apparently Blake and Brit thought I could be related to them. We also found an awesome thrift store in Zurich, and that is kind of unlikely here. Brit bought a hat (one of those ear flap hats with fuss balls hanging from the ear flaps) and wore it around Zurich and the 3 english speaking people really liked it, and could relate to her because they have tons of those hats at home (unlike swiss people, dressing all classy, heh). I love swiss people! But, it is fun to be with crazy americans once and awhile. :)

Until laterrrrrrr. I love you all dearly!

Weee. Reisen.

Hallo all.

I traveled around Switzerland last week with two exchange students named Sam (comes from Canada) and Analu (she comes from Mexico), both of them go to Kantonsschule Wettingen with me and we had a free week due to our classmates having a project week that we could not participate in. It was very swell and amazing because it was all free with our GA's. On tuesday we went to Lugano, which is the Italian part of Switzerland. It is about a 3 hour train ride from Baden. On wednesday we went to Geneve, which is the french part of Switzerland (3 hours as well). On Thursday we went to Lucern, which is in the German part of Switzerland (about 1 hr away). And Friday was just a Zurich day (25 min). I met up with my other friend Edwardo and his swiss friend Mary, and we went to a American Apparel Sale in Zurich, there was tons of cool stuff on clearance, but it was still pretty expensive. On Friday evening I went out with my next host sister named Vanessa, and spoke a lot of German. People have been telling me I speak well for being here for only 1 month and they are impressed with me. Yayyyyy......! Knowing that made me overly delighted. 

As for the clothes here,lets just say I am happy I brought enough clothes because everything is ridiculously expensive and the quality does not match the price. I am a little disappointed with the shops here, besides H&M. Some stuff can be really tacky in other stores. Haha this is such a lame blog post, sorry. 

Let me show you some pictures ..

Lugano.

Cathedral in Geneve

we went to this random Museum, and it was all old stones and bones, artifacts of old Geneve. Pretty random.

Very foggy Lucern. It was a lovely city. 

alright, for some other news. I have 2 more weeks left of holiday and Sam's family invited me to go with her to Italy on Tuesday for 5 days and then to Engelberg for 5 days for hiking and just to chill in the Alps. I am very much excited. 

And.. 

you

cant 

forget

the

leaves

here are

beautiful. 

i love fall.

Schule

Ahh, the joys of school, and being new. 

My first week of school has been well, besides not understanding hardly anything in classes and the struggle to express myself. But, all in good time, all in good time. 

People are so nice though, my classmates are very welcoming and are always there to help. Yesterday a girl from my class invited me to come to her house to eat lunch with her family, but I couldn't because I had Art. Here there are these crazy long mid day pauses, you have enough time to go home and eat lunch with your family, it is quite nice. I choose to stay at school, and eat here with friends, because my host mother packs me a lunch. Food here is wonderful as well!!! I just cannot explain, yoghurt in Switzerland tastes so much better. Also, the breads. 

My class schedual is a tad bit insane. I have Art, which very nice, and relaxing, but in one of my art classes I have to do a project about an American artist all in German. A tad bit frightening. I also have physics (a just sit there, and practice German, I have no clue what goes on most of the time at all, because I have never taken Physics before). I have Mathematics, which is Alegbra 2, and I can kind of follow.. sense I have already taken it. English class is so fun here, everyone speaking English is so cute to hear. We play fun games together, and I help them with their english and they help me with my German. It is a good lesson. I also take a music class, which is great. The whole class sings together and it is a great bonding moment. Even if people arn't great at singing, people sing out. No one cares here, no one judges you. I am also taking a dance class at school, which is fun. It is a mix between hip hop and jazz. It is a nice break to have during the day just to dance around and laugh with swiss people haha. Other classes I have are, Chemistry, German, and some sort of History about Switzerland and the Kantons and such. pretty interesting.

This weekend I am going to visit my friend Magi in the french part of Switzerland. Magi is a au pair now and she is living there for the year. She is from Seattle, and went to Switzerland for 2007-2008 as an exchange student. 

Today at school I have German and Art, then I am off to the train station and then I will see her and celebrate her birthday with her on Saturday!

But, I forgot to mention I also have a 3 week break after today. So, I will get time to travel around here in Der Schweiz. Tschus!!

Zitrone und Trauben

Tomorrow is my last day of language school.

Time keeps on moving forward and forward. I can't believe all of you guys at Capital started school yesterday! Doesn't it feel like we just finished junior year? Doesn't it feel like yesterday we were sophmores and now we are suddenly seniors? Maybe it doesn't to you, but being away really puts things in another perspective. It feels like yesterday I was in Olympia, it doesn't feel like 4 weeks ago.

Being here for 4 weeks, I feel already a lot stronger as an individual. I let things go more easily. I have also came to the realization how great everyone is back home and things I took for granted. Not saying that people are bad here, people are very geniune and awesome. It is just different, no one knows me here, its hard being so new. I think you know what I am saying so moving on..

Lets talk about language school. I am going to miss it. As hard as it was to understand the teacher (because from the moment we got there he only spoke to us in German), I feel like I have grown so close to the friends I made there. The exchange students are like your brothers and sisters. They know what you are going through. We give eachother hugs, talk with eachother about life and bond with eachother everyday. It is so nice. After school it is like an adventure. Sense we all have GA (free train, bus, tram, and ferry) tickets, we go for small trips to Zurich and lakes to go swimming. It feels good to hop on a train and be able to go anywhere in Switzerland for free.

After tomorrow, we will go our separate ways and go to our different Kantonsschule on Monday. I am full of anticipation, I don't know what to expect. All I know is my school is huge, and my timetable is insane. I have to talk math, physics, chemistry, German, sport, arts, and politics all in German. I think there is more classes I have to take.. but my school looks really rigirous. (sorry for my spelling). Somedays I get out of school at 4:30 or 5 pm. On those days, I usually have long breaks in between classes and eat lunch. There is also time for study hall where I have time to chill and get things done. I really hope I have a wonderful class.

When there are times that I miss you guys, I send you love energy. I picture love radiating from my heart and reaching you at that instant. So if you feel something, or think of me, it is probably me sending you love energy. I love to this while trying to keep warm in the mornings on my way to the bus station. I hope that doesnt sound too, incredibly cheesy :)

So, if you think of me, and you are wondering what is going on and such here, just send a letter in the mail. It would mean the world to me. It doesnt have to be long, here is my address..

Joelle Friend
Sonnenbergstrasse 5
CH- 5507 Mellingen AG
Switzerland

Please, do it. Send me a CD, or draw me a picture. Ill send one back!

Wochenende & stuff

I have been here for almost 2 and a half weeks now. It still doesn't seem real that I will be living here for 11 more months, although, I am enjoying myself! When the days are gray, and if I sit in my room and ponder, a lot of me is sad to be away from you all. Then, I realize to be happy and give thanks for being here, in such a wonderful place. To grasp every moment of it, and relax.  

These past couple of days I have been going about to a few different places. I went to the town of ...

Winterthur . The Entrance.

For a music Festival, just the other day with other exchange students from my language school. It was a great day, and I enjoyed the music a lot. On a random note, it is incredibly impossible to find a public bathroom here in Switzerland, and if you want to use a toilet, you have to pay 2 franks to enter the bathroom stall. It is pretty ridiculous. I had to go really badly and I could find a bathroom. Finally, my Indian friend Charack told me that he saw outhouses at the festival.. after looking around for awhile. I was thankful. Another random note, many many people smokes cigarettes here. 

Swiss Hip hop music

During the weekend, I went to a 820th year Festival celebration for the town of Feslispoc (wrong spelling). My next door neighbor Luana invited me to go with another girl that lives in my neighborhood, Vanessa. It wasn't so, eh, exciting to say the least, so we sat down and listened to the band play... but soon enough we got bored, so we took the bus to McDonalds and ordered some ice cream. My first and probably last visit to McDonalds on my stay here in Switzerland. It is VERY expensive... like 3.50 Franks for a little icecream. It was fun though, we spoke german together and laughed a lot. My German skills are coming along.. my host family only speaks to me in German and I can sorta- ish understand what they say to me and what they talk about. But is makes me so excited when I can actually reply!!! Such a great feeling. 

Luana, Vanessa, & I at the fest

On Sunday my host father took me on his motorcycle and we rode around to Zug (which is a beautiful, beeeeautiful town by a lake, I really want to swim in). He also took me to my families apartment in the mountains. Words cannot describe how incredible the mountains are and landscape is here. I really wish I brought my camera to show pictures, but going on that bikeride was really nice. It helped me to soak up the goodness here and to take it all in. I have been kind of hard on myself lately, and this gave me peace. On the bike ride, I saw lots of goats and cute farm land, with amazing houses in the mountains! It made me so happy and free.

I am going to do homework now, and work on my German. Maybe take a bike ride later if I have time before Choir class. We sing Elton John "Your Song" and it makes me extra happy. :)

I Love you, everyone! 

Gestern und...heute..

overlooking streets in Zurich

I have been chilling around and going to the language course, yep!

With my free time I usually talk to my family and watch movies in German in the evenings.

I don't start school at my Katonsschule Wettingen until October 12th. That is a little upsetting, but it will give me a lot of time to travel around Switzerland and practice my German.

Tomorrow I am going to go to this youth Choir to see if I would like to join. It is with girls my age and it would give me a chance to meet new people and pratice my them.

It has been so nice here, with beautiful weather. I posted pictures on facebook.

Love you guys.

Ich freue mich.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

By- Max Ehrmann

Jessica gave me this poem before I left, and I fell inlove with it. Thank you JVU.

Anywho, life is great, everything is falling into place. There are times when I forget I am in Switzerland, and then I remember to look around and sink it all in. My typical day now is going to language school to spreche Deutsch. I take the bus and the train to get to my class, it is so peaceful. I love not driving. Sadly, my laptop is not connecting to the wi'fi here, so I cannot show pictures just yet. When I wake up in the morning, I hear loud ringing of bells from the church nearby. It rings like 100000 times at 6 am to wake me up. It could be bad, but I just accept it, I enjoy it, more than dislike it. The time difference is not bothering me anymore, I fall asleep fast everynight. I feel like I have less anxiety here, gahhh it feels wonderful. The weather is hot as well, and last night was a thunder storm with a down poar of rain. I told me host brother I like to run in the rain and he laughed and said I was crazy. I also imagined myself saying "Ich bin pfirsich" and I started laughing really hard. It means I am peach, I duno why it made me laugh so much, I guess the simpliest things are really getting to me these days.

Donnerstag & Freitag

Leaving and saying goodbye was very hard. It was a strange feeling, because I felt like I wanted to stay in the life I was so used to and comfortable with, and then feeling a sense of longing to move forward, on to another journey. After getting on the airplane in Seattle to Germany, I already felt like I accomplished something huge, I was totally putting myself out there, and exceeding my limits. If you know me, I love my friends and family to infinity, and leaving my home was dificult because I have grown attached to it. Feeling attached is not a good feeling, it made leaving harder. Every moment on the plane I chose to let go of things I have been holding on to, and thoughts that were in my head. I did not let go of the relationships, I will always treasure those in my heart. I read the letters you guys gave me and words cannot describe how blessed I feel for having such incredible friends and family supporting me, and it helped me to keep going. I want to thank everyone who came to the airport with me to send me off to Switzerland: My mom, Jeremy, Cheri, Keeva, Lucas, Jvu, Sarah, and Austin. On the airplane I met a wonderful girl named Thereza and she was leaving Washington to go home to Germany from a 2 month exchange she did in Spokane. She was so funny and we had a good time watching movies together and talking about life. Each plane ride went very smoothly with no complications.

Anywayssssss.... I am currently in Switzerland! It feels so good! The family is very open and welcoming, and I feel right at home here. My host mom picked me up from the airport, and we went and did some arrands around Mellingen, such as getting a GA picture, and registering my visa. I met my host brother Eric later on in the evening because he was at work when I arrived. It felt good to meet him, he is very nice.

The house is so beautiful, and so is the scenery! The small town of Mellingen is where my house is, it is 10-15 minutes outside of Baden. I took pictures, I will post those soon once my laptop's internet connection starts working. I also have a bathroom of my own, and a comfortable room with a balcony overlooking a beautiful view of my village. My host mom made a great meal of sausage, potatoes, and salad last night and a pie. It was so good!

As some of you might know, my German is pretty much non existent. Sense yesterday was my first day here, my family introduced me to new words, but we mainly spoke in english to get familiar here. I will put effort in everyday to understand German, I love hearing people speak it, and I am excited to learn.

I start language school on Monday in Baden for 3-4 weeks. I will study German there with other Rotary exchange students, and tomorrow I am going to an Rotary orientation to meet all the Rotary exchange students in Switzerland.

please leave your home address if you read this because I will try to write letters in my free time for the future.

I love all you guys!
Tschus!

My Address is..

Joelle Friend
Sonnenbergstrasse 5
CH-5507 Mellingen AG
Switzerland

Baden, Switzerland

I will be leaving for Baden, Switzerland in 5 days. As of right now, I am excited, but it comes in spurts. One moment I believe I am leaving in 5 days, feeling ready and so excited, the next moment I get a sinking feeling in my stomach of imagining myself leaving for a year. Sometimes I feel nothing at all, like I am not going!