Today, I watched from the train window as some of the largest, fluffiest-looking snowflakes that I have ever seen gently coated the countryside, turning the bare pastures of winter into vast expanses of white. I chose to ignore the fact that I would later be trudging through this snow to get back in time for dinner at the Mulone house, and instead took the opportunity to appreciate the life I get to lead this semester. I may be living in one of the most beautiful places on earth. My breakfast this morning serves as further proof of this fact. I get up quite early in order to have time to eat before walking to catch my bus to the train (the joys of public transportation). This particular morning was the first one I have seen with clear skies. As I sat hurriedly eating the croissant that my host mother, Vita, had taken out of the oven just moments before, I looked out the doors to the patio and saw the outline of Mont Blanc against the first rays of sunlight. (Mont Blanc is the tallest mountain in Europe and the photo that is currently the header of this blog.) This was followed by my "arduous" commute to Genève, during which I get to see the early morning sun reflect off the water of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) as our train runs along the shore. C'est la vie!
But not to fear, dear readers, I'm not just spending a semester gawking at the natural beauty of Switzerland. I'm also in class for 6 hours most days of the week. Our mornings consist of lectures on international issues and visits to international organizations -- Wednesday is a visit to the International Red Cross HQ -- while our afternoons are dominated by French, except for some Wednesdays and Fridays. With the vast resources available in Geneva, I feel certain that this will be an extremely beneficial experience academically as well as personally. While I have had some issues with certain lecturers, the topics have been stimulating and pertinent. Last Wednesday, we even got our UN library badges that give us access to a lot of the UN complex! I'll probably be spending a lot of time there during our month long independent research period...
As a Walchuk, I feel obliged to discuss one of my favorite parts of my experience thus far: the cuisine. Living with an Italian family has its gastronomic advantages, but last Thursday, I was introduced to a dish that is vraiment suisse. It is called raclette and it is beyond delicious. Essentially it is nothing more than a plate of melted, slightly burned cheese that you eat with little potatoes (and pickles if you so desire). I have a certain soft spot for toasty cheese, and the raclette had a lot of it. The rind gets the crispiest, and they call it la religieuse, an apt name in my opinion. To top it all off, you're not supposed to drink cold water so as to not harden the cheese, leaving you with the options of hot tea or white wine. Once again, being a Walchuk, I opted for the latter, in copious amounts. The dinner was hosted by SIT and was an opportunity to bond with our host families, and I chatted the night away with the Spanish-born sister of my host mother. It was nice to get back to a language that I feel comfortable with...
Of course I can't forget to mention the chocolate, which, needless to say, is incredible. We even tried "alcoholic chocolate", essentially a chocolate bar that had a half shot of cognac in each square, straight liquid. Interesting to say the least, but not my favorite. Though the Jack Daniels bars will make excellent souvenirs.
For the weekend, we took a day trip to Lausanne, the HQ of the International Olympic Committee. The waterfront, an area called Ouchy, is absolutely beautiful with a view just across the water to the Alps. The various restaurants and stores tagged with "d'Ouchy" were also a hit... In addition, the Old Town and the Cathedral were spectacular, offering amazing views down the hill upon which the city is perched. A few pictures follow this.
Well, if you've gotten to this point, I appreciate your dedication, and I'll release you now to spend your time more wisely. I'll try to update more frequently to limit posts this large. I leave you with the cool video of the week.
But not to fear, dear readers, I'm not just spending a semester gawking at the natural beauty of Switzerland. I'm also in class for 6 hours most days of the week. Our mornings consist of lectures on international issues and visits to international organizations -- Wednesday is a visit to the International Red Cross HQ -- while our afternoons are dominated by French, except for some Wednesdays and Fridays. With the vast resources available in Geneva, I feel certain that this will be an extremely beneficial experience academically as well as personally. While I have had some issues with certain lecturers, the topics have been stimulating and pertinent. Last Wednesday, we even got our UN library badges that give us access to a lot of the UN complex! I'll probably be spending a lot of time there during our month long independent research period...
As a Walchuk, I feel obliged to discuss one of my favorite parts of my experience thus far: the cuisine. Living with an Italian family has its gastronomic advantages, but last Thursday, I was introduced to a dish that is vraiment suisse. It is called raclette and it is beyond delicious. Essentially it is nothing more than a plate of melted, slightly burned cheese that you eat with little potatoes (and pickles if you so desire). I have a certain soft spot for toasty cheese, and the raclette had a lot of it. The rind gets the crispiest, and they call it la religieuse, an apt name in my opinion. To top it all off, you're not supposed to drink cold water so as to not harden the cheese, leaving you with the options of hot tea or white wine. Once again, being a Walchuk, I opted for the latter, in copious amounts. The dinner was hosted by SIT and was an opportunity to bond with our host families, and I chatted the night away with the Spanish-born sister of my host mother. It was nice to get back to a language that I feel comfortable with...
Of course I can't forget to mention the chocolate, which, needless to say, is incredible. We even tried "alcoholic chocolate", essentially a chocolate bar that had a half shot of cognac in each square, straight liquid. Interesting to say the least, but not my favorite. Though the Jack Daniels bars will make excellent souvenirs.
For the weekend, we took a day trip to Lausanne, the HQ of the International Olympic Committee. The waterfront, an area called Ouchy, is absolutely beautiful with a view just across the water to the Alps. The various restaurants and stores tagged with "d'Ouchy" were also a hit... In addition, the Old Town and the Cathedral were spectacular, offering amazing views down the hill upon which the city is perched. A few pictures follow this.
Well, if you've gotten to this point, I appreciate your dedication, and I'll release you now to spend your time more wisely. I'll try to update more frequently to limit posts this large. I leave you with the cool video of the week.
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| Mont Blanc in the distance from our kitchen. (The white kind of blends with the sky. It's far better in person.) |
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| Lausanne |
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| View from Ouchy across Lake Geneva to the Alps |
