Closet

So I just swapped the summer clothes in my closet for my fall/winter clothes. Hello october 1st.

So this means I am currently missing
Christmas music on the radio
Hallmark christmas specials
The stores shamelessly decked out for the Holidays
And store christmas adds.

Haha October 1st my friends

It is vacation so no excuse...

Ok the reason I never went back and talked about camp or rotex weekend is just pure laziness.

Camp:
We were in the french speaking part of switzerland.
The kids in my class are great... Well the girls... I talked to one boy once... Maybe I have cooties...
But they are 15-17 years old in my class.
We hiked all over and we might have openly hated the teachers for there heartlessness with the hikes. Then my foot which for the second time contracted tendenitis so I was not the happiest camper there.
On the last full day my foot took a turn for the worst and for a few hrs I coundnt move it.

The next day i was driven to the station while the others had to hike hehe. Sorry.

After a very long trai ride.home my host mom looked at my foot and.wrapped it. I need a few weeks and such to heal and cruches might me a good plan. Well after this i made.again chocolate chip cookies for rotex weekend (the next day).

In the morning i went crutchless to rotex weekend. We had a great time but never slept... Oh and i never slept at school camp either so when my host brother came to the station to pick me up on sunday i wad almost in tears.

A few hrs later at 4am we left for france. Lunckily I slept all the way haha.

Oh did I just go to France?

Ok I know I am a week behind but alot came up. The day after camp I went to a rotary weekend in Switzerland. On the last day (Sunday) I get a txt from my HD saying that monday 4am we leave from the South of France. No big deal right?
France was great. We were camping and I got my own tent. Every morning we ate fresh bagets with butter. We went sight seeing all day, go wine tasting, then back for dinner where we would eat bbq meet veggies, oh and the most amazing olives and olive spread with bread as apatizers, then French cheese with more bread for dessert. I think I am now addicted to olives, bread, and french cheese. (the cheese smells but if you plug your nose it is sooooo good.)

On tuesday I got ahold of my friend maddi an exchange student in marsille from my town/school who I am friends with. With hrs to spare we were able to plan a very last minute get together in her city the next day. It was so nice to see her!! Together we spoke such poor english. We didnt make sence at all.
Maddi has incredible french and my host parents were totaly jealous! And desided to be super strict about german. The next day U was not in the best of moods and there strictness on the language didnt help so I ratted maddi out and told them the truth that she had two or three years of french before.... Suddenly my rarely spoke english was less of a problem to them!!!! Hahahaha

Now I am driving home with my family and we are going to stop for pizza. Next week I may post tons of.pictures from my camera which you have seen none of! So be prepared!

Camp

So much to say about this.... But i need a nights rest before going into details. Here are a few pics to keep you ocupied till tomorrow haha

Oh Gawd

Yes this is my 3rd chocolate post today.... Stop judging me!

#Thestruggle

So ironic to post this just after the post about getting chocolate from my Host Grandma but this had to be shared. Braught to us by another swiss exchange student. I just about died reading it.

#itsaswissthing
#chocolate
#exchangeweight
#addiction
#iusehashtags

Host Grandma

My host grandma braught me a chocolate var and 10 francs for my camping trip!!!!! Aww
<3 <3 <3

So...swiss

So I am packing for my week of camp with my class. The list is in German so my HM (host mom) is translating.

On the TO BRING list...
I am not even kidding...
It asked to bring...

A knife. Just like a swiss army knife.

I tried to explain to my HM how in my town if you braught one and the teacher saw you would have it taken away or maybe even sent home. Hahaha

1000 VIEWS.... I am excited... dont judge me...

hehehe

THE cookies -_-

TACO SALAD in a BOWL

DINNER

ok ok... so where to begin.....

probably the VERY beginning.

Last night I spent the night at a girl from class^s house after a birthday party. we went to bed at about 2am-2:30am. we then woke  up at 8am to get dressed and catch our trains. (oh and for readers of my posts before ... by miracle my contacts stayed in all night and didnt hurt too bad in the morning). It took me about 3hrs to get home because I forgot to buy chips to go with the homeade salsa I prepared for tonights taco dinner.

Once home again, I knew I needed to test another tortilla in the oven because the practice one yesterday was sooooo bad. well this one worked I am proud to say and I cooked 18. well in this process I may have come close to setting the house on fire twice... well once... the second time there was just alot of black smoke that filled the house. (fyi my family doesnt have fire detecters here... if i lived with them for the whole yeah it would be their christmas girft!!).

Next I realised we had nother for dessert (a big thing to this family) so I thought OH I WILL MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. now I have to ask my self... why elizabeth... why????

they came out terrible!!! hard as rocks, you cant taste the chocolate, and well... i dont know. so I amlost cried when i pulled them out of the oven.

for appetiser time we had chips and salsa, the grandmother asked what was in it and i started to list off all the things including lime WHICH I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN, so I left and went to the kitchen to cut them for the tacos.

then at dinner (with the family and grandparents) everyone loved the tacos. (it was so much like home... minus doritos.... not that I am bitter about that....) they were fun, my family had no clue how to eat it hahahaha.

then we served dessert and everyone went on about the cookies and I actually started crying at the table. omg, how emberessing.

after dinner I said i was sorry, and one day I would laugh about it.... just today wasnt that day....

then I remembered I never cooked the beans (which we baught 3 cans of).

so today after the party I got home at 2pm and cooked until 6pm. smoke, tears, laughter, tears, smoke, and laughter, (notice  sleep/rest is not in that list).

well i am off the sleep. early wake up tomorrow.

Dinner... To be continued

Well for anyone reading who knows me fairly well, knows my reputation for luck, and more in particular my luck in the kitchen.

I was about to post about what has happenes so far in preperation but I realised there is much time for.more to happen so you may expect a full report before I go to bed.

Ladies and Gents

Can we all just take a moment to realize I pulled this almost perfect taco bowl out of "thin air" and is only slightly burnt!?!

Please, hold your applause.
:D

Making dinner tonight

So I am making taco bowls tonight for my host family and the grand parents.

I decided I should test bake the tortillas in the oven before the dinner.
Problems:
1) Well my family doesnt own a cupcake/ muffin tin.

2) Instructions on the over are in german.

3) Instructions on the tortilla package is in german.

4) the test tortilla burned in someplaces and still raw in others....

5) I have no clue what I am doing

That moment when...

When you realize that no place in Switzerland has 4g.......
Or is it my phone....
Oh well the point is.... I dont have it.... Ever.

That feel when...

When you are at a sleepover at a girl from schools house and you forget to pack contacts. In your bag though is you glasses case so you think your fine. You are going to bed. Take out your contacts open your glasses case.... No glasses. You attept to put your dry crinkled contacts back in.

And tomorrow I take 3 trains home. Taking about 2hrs.... And i might be blind.... In a foriegn country where I dont speak the language... Fun game God. Thanks for letting me play. <3

First week over

Well this week was been may things as my regular readers know.
I just kind of crashed at home.
Tomorrow morning... Ok thats a lie. Tomorrow at noon im cooking pancakes from scratch and making a full breakfast for lunch for the host brother his girl friend and two cousins. No pressure right?!
Then sunday i make taco bowls because this country has a problem: they dont have enchilada sauce. Grrrrrrr

First Friday of school

Once I get through today I completed my first school week.
Bummer I have P.E. Today. Oh well.
Monday I leave for the french speaking part of Switzerland for school camp. Apperently we walk a ton which doesnt apeal to my foot.
Then next weekend I have rotary weekend (more hiking here too). Then vaction starts and is for 3 weeks.

Then its only about 6 weeks or something before I switch families. It all goes by so fast! It just isn't fair!
:(

Well

So today coming home from school a man fallowed me onto the bus just to talk to me. He got off at my stop and sat with me at the bus stop. He was way older. I think high. And had a beer on the train. He asked me out too. Oh goodness. That was an awkward wait for the bus. After I asked a kid about 12 if he understood what just happened. But the kid doesnt underatand english. Well yep.

Exchange students class at school

So today was supposed to be my first day in the German class just for the exchange students.in my school. I miss lunch but it was worth it because I was so excited to meet everyone! So I get to class a few minutes early during passing period. No one there...ok no problem I am early. 15minutes later.... No one. Finally at 30min passed I notice a boy who keeps passing the class and looking in. I ask gim if he his here for the class. He is. He is from Brazil.

The whole time we were the only ones to show up to the class. Not even the teacher.

We even went to the office but they were no help.

Well so much for that class.

What did I just see...

So I am waiting for my train when I hear a huge rumbling comotion. A few seconds later like 10 tanks and a bunch of other military vehicals are just going down the street... And like legit too. I wanted to snap a picture but my train arrived. Ya'll would be inpressed.

Hey this blog is terrible

Wow,
So I am checkin out my blog when I realize it is prettty crapy. Haha.

The post just tell you abou my problems and not so much on the great time I am having; the over all picture. So here is a post that I hope helps protrays this.

I had both of my swiss councilers over for dinner on saturday, it was a good time.

I am preparing to go to camp with my class next week. I am excited because I really do like my class!
(sorry here comes negitive) but my dang foot might have tendenitious and hurts like a B!tch. And I guess.we walk a ton at camp.

I just left my four week language camp in Bern. Bern was great. I am still adjusting to Thun now where school is.

After school camp I have fall holiday!! Woohoo!! My host family is talking south of france (right where my american friend maddi is having her exchange,) or the italian part of switzerland. I look forward to either though it would be so cool to see maddi. On this trip it is just me and my host parents and we will be camping.

Yesterday my english teacher asked if english was my first language... Should I be insulted....? Hahaha

I maybe able to drop physics! Fingers crossed.

My host family doesnt own a microwave...... #funfacts #adjusting

This saturday, one of my host brothers is "babysitting" me while the host parents are out alllll day. So we are having his girl friend and two cousins over for a big brunch where I offered to cook pancakes from scratch (no idea how. Ill use the internet), eggs, bacon, the works.

Then sunday I am cooking toco bowls for the family and two or three friends of the family. I am excited to cook!

Speaking of food both my host parents are amazing cooks and everyone here eats alot!!! Then again they do crazy sports and exercise allll the time so it works for them.

Switzerland is beautiful. The past month it was very hot. Now it is beginning to rain. I look forward to snow.

Swiss hikes are not like cali hikes. Swiss hikes are all day strait up strait down. So when I say I went on a hike, I mean I almost died and may have momentarly resented who ever took me on the hike.

The old cheese here is terrible.

The chocolate makes up for it though. Oh the chocolate.

On Sunday mornings 90% of swiss families eat a special bread. Omg so good. Thats the only reason I dont sleep in on sundays. Sopf as it is call, is Jesus bread.

I am becoming acustomed to seeing attractive guys on a regular basis. Back home when it happened it was a big deal. Would make your day. But here it is a normal thing! Hahaha

Shout out to my Stewart sisters. I miss you three.

School, day two

Ugh school started too damn early today.

But tomorrow i can sleep in till 6:40 YEAH.

Can you how sad my sleeping standerds are now?!?
(did i mention I have been sleep walking now like crazy and have had leg cramps mid night, waking up to find my body devoured by moskitos?!)

Tomorrow I start later, dont go to french, geography and P.E. are canceled just for tomorrow. Woohoo.

My fingers are very cold it hurts to type.

Bye for now

English class

So today I was able to join my class for english. I am not exactly the teachers #1 fan. He doesnt expect me to do anything but read the books!

The one class I am at the top of and he acts like I am not even there. Why couldnt my physics teacher do that?!? haha

I have an hour break and then spanish class for 2 hrs.....

During the passing I went and got the english books... And lost the girls in my class...
So guess who is hiding in the library?!?

this chick.

Good morning

So today I had to wake up at 5:20am for school. And I am curently standing out in the rain for my bus. I wont get home till about 7:30 tonight. Joy.

My first tuesday... Is it possible I already hate it?

Made a friend at the bus stop

So I am chillin at my bus stop when this little fella jumps on my lap. Soooo cute haha. I had some chips left from lunch and he got into them. Silly kitty.

First day finished

My oh my. Well you all know of the library, my first two classes being canceled, chillin with the girls in my class.

then i had physichs. I wanted to die. English or german I wouldn't get it. It was a 2 hr class too.

Then lunch.

Then German. I was confused but they are just talking about writing essays so at least I am familiar with it in English.

Then English class.
I walk in and the teacher says "who is this"
I introduce myself and he says
"you can go home"
Me thinking he is kidding says "sorry nice to meet you goodbye, the others have a test today so there is no point in you staying."

Yep i am not joking.

Three classes i didnt have to go to!!!!!!

the girls in my class are nice.
Over all a decent first day.

School

So I get to school early. Hide in the library,
Then the student incharge of getting me never comes... I happened to run into two students I remember meeting. I thought we were already late for class but it turned out my first two classes are canciled so now we are just chilling at school. The girls are nice. I havent really seen the guys. Met a boy that used to live in Santa Rosa CA, and a student who just completed exchange in Sacramento CA.

Not a bad start hahaha

The Gitters

My first day of school.
I am very nervous.
I came to school a half hr early.... But I dont know anyone so now I am hiding in a small room in the library......
DONT JUDGE ME

One month. One week

I have been in Switzerland one month and one week.
Friday I finished language school and tomorrow I start real school. I am not sure I am ready for that.
Off to a wine festival with my host family. :)

Swiss Spider #2

As promised. Two of these fellows life ob the windows, the third has taken up home in the living room.

I am telling you people they are big enough to train as pets.

Ewww

Swiss Spiders

Well there isnt much to say about swiss spiders other than they are the biggest spiders I have ever seen, and they are EVERYWHERE.

Ill make a collection of spider pictures for all of you.

The Test

Today we my big German test at language camp. I was totally mortified. But I fished and got to go home 2hrs early. haha. I am very relieved, but wont totaly relax untill I get my score and they say I dont have to go home..... no pressure.

Holly and I celebrated the end of the test with coffee and cressonts. EUROPE liefestyle haha.

Package

So I was rocking out in my room here in Switzerland to some pink with my head phones on, when I here the door bell. I have never been home alone and had the door bell ring so I was not entirely sure if I should get it. But because the person outside probably heard me singing I desided I might as well. It was the post woman. She had a package for me from my family!!!!

the contense of the package:
1)a note from my mom
2)some meds
3) a pair of yoga pants
4) two great infinity scarves
5)a pair of earings from a special shop back home
6)naturevalley granola bar
7) Hershey`s cookies and cream chocolate bar!

Shout out to the family back home.

Back, again.

Well, I just wrote out a long blog post about my first month here in Switzerland and it was deleted. So here we go again.

The start:
My first flight from Slo to San Fran was delayed, so I missed my connecting flights. The man at the desk was soft in the head and not much help. I ended up switching airports from London to Frankfaurt. I also had to change airlines. Insted of printing me out a ticket the man had the gall to give me a scribled piece of paper hand written insted. grrrr. My mom had to email my family to tell them of my delay but i had not clue if they would see it in time.and I had no way to contact them because i had no phone and no computer.Then San Fran to Germany my carryon bag broke. joy. That flight was 12 hrs. I watched movies and tv provided but could not sleep. In Frankfaurt I was alone, confused, scared, and was carrying my broken carryon. Flight to Zurich was not bad. Once landed I could not fingure out where to get my lugage. Once I found it (while carrying my broken carryon) one of the bag``s zipper was broken and clothes flooding out. With the help of some strangers I managed to get both 50lb bags off the strip. so there I stood. two 50lb bags, one broken carryon, a backpack, and NO FAMILY. I couldnt see them anywhere. I started to panick alittle if you want to know the honast truth. With much struggle I got my three bags on a trolly and desided to wait outside.
Right outside there they were! I was so relieved!

Since then, I have had two weeks with my great host sister who we just said goodbye to as she went to Argentia for her exchange. I have attended some family gatherings, and started my language course. This friday is my last day, thursday is the big test, friday is presentaions. Alot of pressure. I have made friends with the exchange students from my class. (Shout out to Holly and Emily) and the others as well.and I will miss them after this week because I have to go join my real school in a different town.


My family is amazing, the country is amazing, and I am very happy to be here.

I have been on hikes, done a smidge of travel,and taken pictures which I have yet discovered how to upload haha.


oh, for the first three weeks or so, I did not have a cell phone. i was rejected by the company and was called a ``liabitiy`` obviously a bad translation on the sellers part. THEN after the first week or so my debit card was locked. I had no idea untill a week later. that was scary!!!! I was down to 100 francs. haha. but it works now.

It is a bummer I cant tell you evrything but I think that is too much for one post. so here is where I start. more to come. :)