Kind of anti-climatic, huh

I'm back in the USA, and I've been home for nearly two months. And it's been wonderful and boring and happy and sad and every emotion in between. And I've let this blog sit. Lots of family and friends kept asking me to finish up, but I've been putting it off. It's been difficult to put these jumbled thoughts and vague feelings into words, but I'll give it a shot.

Coming home has been one of the weirder experiences of my life. While it was amazing to see family, catch up with some friends, and spend every second possible with Dan, it still feels... off. I think a lot of it has to do with the whole "not working/contributing to society in some way" thing. I keep thinking, "I'm sure everything will fall into place once I get a job", but a little voice keeps telling me that's only part of it.

When I arrived in Switzerland, I feel like I fit in so very well. There seemed to be a little Cam-shaped puzzle piece available in the picture of Swiss life, and I just slipped right in and started living. Coming home, it seems I've... outgrown, for lack of a better term, the little Cam-shaped space I left. I've changed, some edges have softened, and some have sharpened, and now I'm struggling trying to get the new Cam to fit in the old Cam space. The thing is, I don't want to compromise either. I don't want to forget who I was, before my life was changed by the intoxicating beauty of Switzerland, and I don't want to compromise what I've become. I suppose (that is to say, I know) this is just another part of life, learning to how to deal when you grow and change, something I'm constantly reminded will never stop happening. I suppose that might be one of the most important things I can learn.

I remember the end of the movie, The Return of the King, part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Frodo has returned to Bag End, everything should be right and well, but he feels unsettled. He writes in his book, "How do you pick up the pieces of an old life?" Frodo, that question has been plaguing me since I saw the Chicago skyline from my window seat right before the airplane landed.

I don't know. But I'm giving it a shot.

Again, I'll use someone else's idea and paraphrase from the poet Rilke; I will try to live into the answer. I guess all I can do is live the question, and I will someday live into the answer.

changes

It's been really frustrating keeping in touch with the American world since my laptop was stolen. The family has been so generous in lending me a computer, but it is old, and Skype doesn't really work, and it has problems staying connected to the internet. Sigh. I've been able to talk to my dad once since May, and haven't even been able to talk to my mom, so I'm kind of ready to be done with wonky internet and just go home.

I constantly remind myself that things will be different when I go home. It almost feels like I just hit a pause button; like time in the US hasn't moved, and it's all relative to time here. However, I know that's not true, and life has been speeding along like usual. A lot has happened in the States since I've been gone. Obama was elected President, the economy crashed and burned, my dad is looking for work, my brother became a Rev. (!), a friend was diagnosed with leukemia, treated, and now healthy, Dan's father had a second brain surgery, countless friends have been engaged, married (or both in a few short months), and many friends are expecting children, or have had children. Some of my friends have announced pregnancy, carried the baby, and had the baby since I've been here. Things are static nowhere. So much as changed, and I am so excited to go home and see it all for myself.

On the other hand, I have changed incredibly. From little, silly habitual changes, to deep, personal changes in my heart. For example, I am a total wine-drinker now, and every social function I attend (especially ones with my church friends!), I bring a bottle of wine. I have made my bed everyday but one since I've been here (somewhere in the Chicago suburbs my mom is having a heart attack). I also have learned to listen to myself better, and I know very well when I need quiet time and when I need social time. I have learned to accept parts of my personality that I always tried to disown. I have spent time with God, and fallen more deeply in love with Him than I ever have before. I also am pretty conversationally fluent in French, enough where I'm reading Harry Potter in French, and I've turned the English subtitles off my favorite French movies. I think that's pretty good for one year of study.

So, when a changing home and a changing Cam collide, what will happen? I have no idea. I know somedays it will be tough, and I'll be wistful for my view of Mount Blanc, Gruyére cheese, and chocolate. We'll deal with that when I get there. Right now, however, I'm longing for my parents, the little country road of Illinois 127, the beautiful skyline of Minneapolis, and a 32 oz. Coke from Portillo's.

Paris

I spent the last weekend in Paris, and it was wonderful.

I love this short from Paris, Je T'aime, and I have to share it with everyone.

Thanks a lot, France

One month left.

Then I'm back in America, happily surrounded by friends and family, and yummy Chicago food. I'm really trying to enjoy my last moments here, like seeing Mount Blanc from my backyard, driving through vineyards, and enjoying the company of my amazing friends.

Dan and Laura were here, and it was wonderful to have them. The day after they left, my friend Ashley stopped in for a week. While I'm so thankful they visited (I feel so loved!), I think I'm still getting over my exhaustion. Hosting is exhausting, especially when you play translator.

Anyway, Ashley and I decided to take a road trip to the south of France. The family recently bought me a car (I know, I am so spoiled) so we were enjoying the freedom of a spontaneous trip. It was Pentacost weekend, so I had three days and was excited to spend them on the Mediterranean.

Well, we decided to stay in Marseille, and that was our first mistake. We had pulled into the city, thought "hmm, looks like we arrived in the not-so-nice area of town", but quickly forgot when we realized how beautifully warm it was outside. We unrolled the front windows and sat in traffic.

Now, I can't say that what happened next is the worst thing that ever happened to me, but I'm pretty sure it's up there on my list.

Some skinny kid jumped off the back of his friends scooter, and his friend waited two cars ahead of us. He snuck up behind my car, reached in through my open window, and unlocked the back door. He opened the back door, I heard, looked back, Ashley said, "hey!" and reached back, and he was gone, running and jumping on the back of the scooter, clutching MY Mozart bag. The Mozart bag I bought at Mozart's house in Vienna, Austria. The Mozart bag that contained my Macbook, and my camera. The bag that contained my life, and approximately $2000 worth of stuff.

All of this happened in about 20 seconds.

I screamed louder than I previously thought possible, something not printable, and could not get my stupid seat belt off for the life of me. Ashley was trying to put her shoes back on and get out to chase the guys. We're still stuck in traffic, and I watch, helpless as they turn down a little alley. When I finally got my seatbelt off I had to get out to shut my car door, and as soon as traffic moved I shot down that alley searching for them, muttering things like, "I wish I had a gun. I'd shoot him." and other pleasantries such as "I'm going to find him and peel his skin off while he's still alive. Then we'll see if he wants my laptop." Then it all hit me and I broke down in tears.

Ashley was an angel through all of this. She let me decide the rest of our weekend and patiently listened to my complaints. After I calmed down we found our hotel, they took great care of us, and the next morning we went to the police. I'm very proud of myself, because I was able to file a whole police report in French and only needed a little help! We had met three girls at the hostel, and one spoke French, so she was a doll and came with me to the station to help me translate. The rest of Sunday we spent in Cassis, which is far lovlier than Marseille, and got to sit at the sea for a while. Then we headed home, not entirely defeated but with lower spirits than when we started.

I still cringe when I think of everything I lost. I used my laptop like a notebook and journal and took it everywhere. I lost about 1200 photos that weren't stored anywhere else. All my photos from Ireland, England, Czech Republic, and Austria are gone. The book I was writing is gone. Well, most of it. Luckily, I have spent a lot of time handwriting this year, so I still have notes and decent parts of the story.

My host family has been so generous, and I'm currently using their old laptop. Skype doesn't really work, but at least I have emails! It's a French keyboard so typing is a little tricky cause some letters and switched, and most punctuation marks are in different spots.

I'll try to keep posting before I go - so much is happening! I'm probably going to Paris next weekend (finally!), and then soon the new au pair comes and then I'm gone! I can't believe it.

Until next time!

P.S. If you happen to be in the black market in Marseille and see a beat-up Macbook, steal it back for me, ok? And a black and silver Canon Digital Rebel Xt. Ok, that's all.

woot

Dan and Laura are here! Dan arrived Tuesday, and Laura arrived Wednesday, all safe and sound. We are going to Bern in a few minutes, and then tomorrow... who knows. :) Saturday we might go to France, Sunday, Dan's playing guitar and I'm singing at my church. They leave next Wednesday, and while I already don't want them to leave, I can't be too sad, because my time is flying by, and sooner than later I'll be back in the good ole U S of A.

Dan is being really mean to me right now, I'm going to go and teach him a lesson. Like spit in his tea or something. That will teach him, right?

Ok maybe not, but maybe I'll leave him in Bern and make him find his own way home.

pensées

My flight has been booked, I will be home July 14, just in time for my Momma's birthday. I'm very excited, but a little sad. I obviously want to be by my family and friends again, but I can't help but feel I'm leaving a piece of my heart here, somewhere in between the Alps, Lake Geneva, and the Jura mountains.

I've made a few new friends; some girls who have just arrived to Switzerland, full of excitement and wonder. Spending some time with them and all their newness has made me a little bit thoughtful and reflective on my time here. I have been blessed beyond comprehension in my relationships. I have so many friends that I love dearly and trust fully. The beauty of Switzerland is only intensified with every new landscape I see. Right now, the fields are carpeted with yellow flowers, the trees are full of leaves, and cows are grazing in the valleys - I still love hearing the sound of cowbells in the distance. I love driving home at twilight, and seeing the sky tinged pink above the mountains, listening to the mix cds Dan has sent me, with the windows down, breathing in the fresh, clean Swiss air. I will miss the beauty of this place, and the remarkable people I have encountered.

But I'm slowly and surely getting ready for the next stage of my adventure. What it is exactly, I can't plainly say, but I'm sure it will be just as remarkable as this stage of my life, but probably with less dramatic scenery.

Settle down, everyone.

Dear Family, friends, and other random people,

I've been a little busy. I'm sorry I've neglected my blog, but I'm in Switzerland, and (most of) you are not, so what are you going to do about it? I'm teaching you a lesson in patience.

Cam



Anyway, I'm in Anzére right now, and I'm so happy. This is my third time at Chalet Wildhorn, and it just feels like a home away from home in Switzerland. Super chill, super relaxed. The weather is a bit cool, but absolutely beautiful. I never get sick of staring at the mountains. It's gonna be a rough move (scenery-wise) back to the Midwest.

Stay tuned, I'm going to be posting about my trips to Munich, Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg.
Soon.

Ahhhhhh!

I'm feeling a little stressed right now because I just found out I'm going to Prague tomorrow! And Vienna Thursday! And Salzburg Saturday!

So I'm packing like a crazy woman, cursing myself for deciding to wait on laundry, and searching for money I might have hidden around my room (yes, I'm a money packrat). If anyone has any money they would like to donate, send it my way. Kthnx.

I know, I know, internet, I still have to tell you about my trip to Munich, and the random trip to Zurich (sorry blogger friends in Zurich, it was a crazy whirlwind of a trip), and how beautiful Switzerland is in the springtime.

I am currently writing a list of stuff to pack and trying to book hostels and train tickets and the like. I don't think a lot of sleep is going to be on my agenda tonight......

I suck at blogging.

Seriously, I do. I'm really sorry I don't update that often. There are some blogs I check every day, and I get a little miffed when they skip a day or two… And then sometimes I go TWO WEEKS in between posts.

I had all these grand ideas for my blog, but I've just never really gotten around to doing them. It's just the story of my life.

Maybe the next time there is crappy weather I'll do some renovating… lately it's been sunny and around 60º F. Don't exactly want to be inside. Malko and I have had a blast in the afternoons, riding scooters and looking at flowers. There is a swing in the tree next to the house, and I've introduced Malko to the delight that is the underdog. But, being the sneaky teacher I am, I make him choose a number, and then I make him count the pushes I give before the big push. Sometimes I even make him count in English. I know, I'm so tough.

Speaking of Malko, I should have a blog just entitled "Conversations with Malko" because this kid cracks me up. This is what happened last night: Malko goes running into the kitchen with an urgent question for Ivana. "Mama! If someone is on vacation, do they come back?" Ivana, thinking maybe one of his friends from school is on vacation, says "Yes, they do." Malko, horrified, screams, "NOOOOOO!" Ivana, confused, says, "What's wrong?" Malko replies, completely distressed, "Papa said the spider in the bathroom was on vacation!" He then broke down in tears, completely inconsolable, and Ivana was laughing too hard to empathize with him. Oh man. I know most kids are hilarious, but name another four-year-old who's current favorite song is the Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute (totally not my influence, I swear).

Anyway, this weekend I'm going to Munich, Zurich next weekend, and maybe Paris the weekend after that… and then hopefully Sweden in May. We'll see how it all pans out.

Well, Happy St. Patrick's everyone! I very much wish I was in Ireland with the lads right now, but I'm in the Alps. I think I'll celebrate with a bit of Bailey's.

Conversations with Malko

Malko: Cami, is Bagherra a girl cat or boy cat?
Me: Bagherra is a girl cat.
Malko: And Chanel?
Me: Chanel is a girl cat too.
Malko: And Ronie?
Me: Ronie is a girl cat too, and guess what? Kendi is a girl dog! All of our animals are girl animals.
Malko: Well that's good, because otherwise they'd fall in love, and we'd have to have a wedding, and they would dance paw to paw, and sing 'meow'! Can you imagine? It would be so silly!

Milan

I was in Milan last week, and I had a pretty ok time. My mom isn't happy with me because I went by myself, but I neglected to tell her I went by myself until I got back. And yes, I did that on purpose.

Anyway, I stayed in a nice little hotel, and got some writing done (non-blog related, obviously, I don't post that often), and saw some sights, and went shopping. It was fun, but a little lonely. The days are getting longer here, so I would stay about til it got dark, and then head back to my little room to do some writing. I took the train both ways, and it's about as long a journey as driving from my parent's house to my grandparents house - 4 1/2 hours. I realized it on the way home, and I was a little sad that I was on my way home from a solo adventure, and not on my way home from a family gathering in Carlyle. Don't get me wrong, I love adventures and living here, and I'm glad I made it to Milan, but I miss my family quite a bit. Can you blame me? It's been over six months since I've seen them all.

Here are some pictures - I didn't really take too many, because Milan is really pretty industrial, and after a while most quaint European streets start blending together. Beautiful, but you think, "haven't I seen this somewhere before? Oh yeah, every city I've visited thus far." But, I was impressed with the sheer size of the Duomo in Milan. I've seen St. Mark's in Venice, the Duomo in Florence, and the Vatican in Rome, but for some reason this massive church just blew me away. I think it's because it's free-standing and you can walk all the way around it... I'm not too sure. But it's beautiful and huge. On the other hand, I was sorely disappointed in La Scala. I've studied music all my life, and for a while was thinking about pursuing a career in art music or opera, so seeing La Scala was a huge deal. It's a pretty building, but really nothing special. I would have liked to see an opera (Wagner's Tristan & Isolde, love it), but it was something like 250 Euros - not on an au pair's salary! I actually didn't even get to see inside, because everytime I went by, the museum (including a tour of the theater) was closed.

Anyway, I enjoyed my time, and I would like to go back, but I think if I head back to Italy, I'll make my way back to Rome.

The Duomo. I tried to include a ton of tourists so there is a reference point for how big it really is.

The side of the Duomo

A statue in front of the Duomo; I love lions!

A lot more bike commuters than in Switzerland.
And everyone rides bikes like this.

La Scala.

I was trying to explain to Dan how much "messier" Italy is than Switzerland. I think that's the best word I can use - messy. People are louder, more expressive, wear more colorful clothes, the streets are dirtier, public transportation isn't quite as efficient, people drive like maniacs, etc. In Switzerland, everything is just so, and I am getting quite used to that. I forgot to write down directions to my hotel, so when I arrived at the station, I went looking for the tourist information. In Switzerland, there usually in tourist info in/around train stations in every city. I was also counting on exchanging my money at the train station. Well, someone forgot not everything was Swiss in its execution. I ended up taking a taxi to my hotel. I also paid an arm and a leg to exchange my money. Just part of the experience, right?

Hopefully, my next excursion will be to Paris, and it won't be alone. Happy Thursday everyone!

probably shouldn't drink wine while blogging

but oh well.

Anyway, a glass of red wine is good for your heart, right? I thought so. Don't ask me why I'm wearing my winter hat. I just didn't take it off when I got home from church.

There are a few things I've noticed about Switzerland that I am going to share with you all right now.

1. I think it's impossible to live in Switzerland and not become a wine-o. Seriously. I was talking to one of my Swiss friends, and she said at Swiss dinner parties, you should count a bottle of wine per person. Whenever there is a party or get together, you bring a bottle of wine. I'm not sure if it's just the French region, but seriously, there is a lot of wine happening here.

2. Everyone has pencil cases. It's something I noticed a long time ago. I am the only American in my French class, and I am the only one who just tosses a pen and pencil into my bag in the mornings. It's not just a Swiss thing, it's a European/world-wide thing. There are girls in my class from all over the world, and EVERYONE has a little pencil bag. I see it at my church too, with the non-Americans. Hey, it makes sense, you have all your writing utensils in one place, organized in a cute little sack. I might have to jump on board with this pencil case thing. But knowing me, I'd lose it. And then I'd be out all my pens and pencils.

3. Flower Fridays. That's what I've started to call Fridays, at least. Usually every Friday, Ivana brings home a fresh bouquet of flowers. And it's not just our family. Whenever I go somewhere on a Friday evening, I see people commuting home from work with big bouquets of flowers. It's very nice and I love having fresh cut flowers every week - again, something I just might adopt.

That's all I've got for now. I am going to Milan tomorrow, so I will be sure to take loads of pictures and hopefully they won't get lost...

Ciao!

just about the halfway point

and I can't believe it.

Half of me feels like I landed yesterday and I'm still finding my feet, while the other half of me feels like I've been here my whole life.

It feels appropriate to look back over the past 6 months or so and reflect a little. I looked at the goals I documented here in August and I'm reporting back on my progress.

1. Be somewhat fluent in French.
Hmm... I'm getting there. I really am. I learn a little every day. I get a little better everyday. Mathilde is great because she helps me when I can't figure out how to exactly say something. She supplements my vocabulary and helps me with grammar... which I take with a grain of salt, because she's 6. I try and speak as much French as I can in a day - whenever I go to a store or interact with people, I only speak French. Sometimes I have a hard time with sentence structure and syntax - my French class is slow going, and very conversational, so we don't always cover structure, just phrases - what you'd say to a friend. I wish I could study more, but I'm pretty happy with my process so far.

2. Run a marathon
Not happening. Sorry to disappoint everyone. I need a trainer, more accountability, etc. Cam ≠ discipline.

3. Travel
So far I have been all over Switzerland, which is great. I've also been to France, Dublin, Ireland, and Manchester, UK. I have a week off coming up soon, and I might go to Milan for a few days, but nothing is decided... I want to travel by train, so I'm thinking maybe Austria, or Munich... I'm not too sure. I'm glad I'm so close to everything, and I can do most things in a weekend. I think I might go to Austria.... cause it's the farthest, and I can afford to spend some time traveling. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open!

4. Piano
I'm getting better... I'm playing almost every day, but I just honestly don't think piano is my thing. I would like to pick the flute up again, but I didn't bring it with me to Switzerland. Maybe I'll get Dan to teach me cello sometime. After he teaches me Latin, of course.

I really believed I've learned quite a bit about myself since I've come here. A lot of it I don't feel like I need to share with the world, but I'm really happy I'm here. I've met some amazing people from all over the world, and I feel like I fit well in Switzerland. I'm at that point right now, though, where I am just so ready for my "life to start". Not that I'm not living now, but as I was telling Dan last night, I'm really ready to make my own decisions again. It's weird when your decisions form around someone else's life. I have to find out what weekends I'm babysitting, sometimes I can't have the car and the little red train to my town stops running at 11pm - I have to plan accordingly, if I don't eat dinner with the family I let them know in advance so they don't make too much food... I'm really pretty ready to have my own place, decorated with my own stuff, and eat what I want, when I want, and live near Dan again. I knew at some point, I would feel this way, so I was kind of prepared... the good news is I don't hate Switzerland. I still love it here. I still really like the family. I'm just ready to be an adult again, living in my own home with my own rules. I think most people can understand that. I'm just out of the honeymoon period, and into the "low" period. Hey, if this is as low as it gets, it's not that bad.

Well, everyone book tickets to come see me, cause I'm only going to be here for a few more months. Ivana asked me recently when I'd like to go home, and I think I'm looking at July sometime... not in time for the 4th, sadly, but sometime in July.

Happy Thursday, world. I'll fill you all in with my travel plans as soon as they're figured out.

Skiing.

I know that I live in Switzerland, I know I can see the Alps from my house, I know that 15 minutes up the mountain is a perfectly good slope, but I don't care.

I don't want to learn how to ski.

At first I thought, well, I'll be living here, I should learn, it would be cool to say, "I learned how to ski in the Alps" but I totally don't care anymore.

I don't want to.

Why? I don't know. I enjoy the winter. It's not like I'm scared of the snow or the cold - I grew up in Chicago, and lived in Minneapolis for nearly 6 years - but skiing (or snowboarding) just doesn't appeal to me.

It's such a shame because I have some friends who would KILL to be in my position. Oh well.

Here are some reasons why I don't want to learn:
1. It's expensive! I know cycling is an expensive sport to start, too, but at least you don't have to pay for lift tickets each time you cycle.
2. It's dangerous! I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law - I would probably break a bone if I went skiing. Or hit a tree and die. Or ski off a cliff. And it's not like I get sick days in this job.
3. It honestly does not interest me.

I'm getting a little annoyed with everyone who tells me I have to learn (especially the people who ARGUE with me, and say, "yes, you do!"). Actually, I don't. I really don't have to learn. And if I really, really wanted to learn, I would have made it happen by now. Trust me.

That's my little rant. I've got no problems with skiers, or the idea of skiing, I just don't really want to do it myself. If I end up living in Switzerland, I will be happy to give it a try. But since I'm returning to the States in about 5 months, to flat lands, I'm not going to waste my time on it now - I'd rather go to an art museum or the symphony. Or Paris or Vienna or somewhere.

And I promise, if I change my mind, I will give it a try. But don't try and make me.

Nothing, really.

Things have been pretty quiet around here. Nothing too exciting is happening, life is continuing as normal. Which is really nice; I was expecting time to drag after Dan left, to feel really sad and mopey. Luckily, not the case. There is still a lot to do: kids that demand a lot of attention, French to study, friends to see, etc. I think it was a little easier to say goodbye to Dan this time because I know I work for a great family, I have made great friends, and I'm actually learning French. Saying goodbye at O'Hare was awful - I was walking into a huge unknown. Exciting, but scary. Would I like my family - my employers and landlords? Would they like me? Would I make friends? Would I be able to communicate with the children? This time around, I know all those answers, so saying goodbye was just plain sad, not scary.

Anyway, here's a funny story. The other day I was trying to explain to Malko that in Switzerland people speak 4 languages: French, Swiss German, Italian, and Romansch. Malko totally didn't get it. He kept saying, "no, is Switzerland we speak French!" After a few times around he really stopped to think about it. Then he said, "In my country we speak 10 languages!" And I said, "Oh really? What's your country's name?" And he said, "Maranakanoir, but in English it's called Spootz." Then he starting listing off languages, "French, English, and Serbian..." and then he stopped. I said, "Malko, that's only 3 languages! What are the other 7?" He said, "It's only 3? Well, we only speak 3 languages then."

These are my two favorite pictures of Malko.
Isn't he darling?

Well, I'm off to read. I'm in the middle of reading 4 different books in English, and one in French. Two of the English books are theology, two are fiction. The French book is a children's novel (about 80 pages with a few illustrations) about a cat that doesn't want to eat animals, but just can't help himself (um, I think - I don't always pull out my dictionary cause it's huge). It's called Journal d'un chat assassin. And it's really funny (from what I gather).

That's all for now. Happy Tuesday and I'll do something exciting so I can blog about it.

Whew.

I'm back!

Right now I'm at Chalet Wildhorn, in Anzère. Same place I came with my friends this past October. And it is so beautiful right now. There is a thick blanket of snow covering everything, and it is sunny and pretty warm. I'm out on my balcony, enjoying the sunshine, and a little peace and quiet. There are 24 of us here this time, and 11 are skiing, 11 are sledding, and me and one other girl are chilling at the chalet. Why am I not participating in a snow activity in this snowy paradise? Well, I don't want to. Honestly, I'm worn out. The last month has been absolutely wonderful, but I am in need of a little alone time and zero physical activity.

And I still haven't recovered any photos. I'm so heartbroken. Pictures of Manchester, Dublin, and Bern. There might be some hope, but I'm not crossing my fingers. Oh well. Just photos, right? At least I didn't lose my passport. On to my adventures.

I had an absolute blast in the UK with my family. Aunt Peggy and Uncle John absolutely spoiled me rotten. Seriously. I barely did anything... just slept and relaxed. I did get a haircut, just a trim, which Aunt Peggy took care of, as a Christmas gift. It was soooo nice being with my family, and seeing old photos, and eating old family recipes (like Nana's butter balls and nutbread angel food cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting). I also had Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, Parmesan Goldfish crackers, root beer, Doritos, Lucky Charms, Oreo's, and other American junk food. It was wonderful. Super wonderful. It was just so nice to spend Christmas with family, and be in a house that was immediately comfortable and recognizable. The UK is such a smash-up of America and Europe, I decided. And I liked it.

I had the BEST time in Ireland. Yes, seeing Dan was the best part of the whole vacation, but it was so so so fun to be with Dave, Jason, and Rabin, and to meet all of Lawrence's friends from when he lived there. I got to see his office, the kitchen he built, and the building where he lived. I also just loved Dublin. We saw soooo much - the Guinness factory (awesome! another life goal accomplished), Newgrange (a tomb 1000 years older than the pyramids, take that, Egypt!), Powerscourt, Glendalough, Trim Castle, etc. It was so beautiful. I can't wait to go back. It's definitely a place where I could see myself living. The New Year's party we went to was great too - we missed midnight, because everyone was too busy making drinks and talking and laughing. I popped the champagne at about 11:50, and after a glass or two (or three) I asked the hostess, "what time is it?" She quick looked at her watch, blanched, and starting counting down... "10, 9, 8, 7..." It was 12:02. So very Irish. Loved it.

Dan and I made a quick stopover in Manchester for a night, and then headed back to Switzerland, where we spent nearly two wonderful weeks together. I was working most of the time, but it was nice just to do normal, everyday things with him. The kids absolutely loved him, despite the language barrier, and had a blast playing with him and making music. Dan and I also got to do quite a bit, despite my working a lot. We visited the Château de Chillon, which was incredible, and spent a weekend in Bern, which was gorgeous, but very, very cold, and took a day trip to Gruyères, and visited the Château there. Gruyères is incredibly beautiful and looks like a postcard. I would post pictures but... you know. So do a google image search and we'll call it a day.

Anyway, Dan left Thursday, and it pretty much broke my heart. Luckily, I was working, so I didn't have to worry about moping alone, cause as soon as I got back into the house, the kids were all over me, demanding things and asking questions. And since it was a beautiful day, I opened the back door to the deck, and let the dog out for a few minutes.

And then the stupid dog escaped.

Which, really, was a good thing, cause it got my mind off of Dan's departure, and got me outside with a pocket full of treats, searching for a pure white dog in a field of snow. The dog came back, thankfully, but I'm never letting her outside again without her electronic collar (which I didn't put on cause I couldn't find).

Anyway, I'm kinda tired, and I think I'm going to cook a little something, in the great big kitchen in our chalet. I'm probably going to make some more frosting for the cake I made yesterday. Mmmm.....

Schedule for today and tomorrow - relaxation! Yea! Not that I don't miss Dan (a whole bunch), but I definitely need some alone time/recharge my batteries time.

à plus tard!

heartbroken.

I just lost about 400 photos of Ireland.

I'm really hoping I can restore them, but things are looking pretty bleak right about now.

I'm not dead yet

but you might have thought so because I haven't posted in ages.

I spent a wonderful week in the UK with my family for Christmas, and then a wonderful week with the lads in Ireland and my favorite person in the world (Dan).

Now I'm back in Switzerland, and Dan is here with me, and I probably won't post again til he leaves. Sorry Internet, I'd rather give him my undivided attention.

A bientot!

My favorite chocolate place

I highly recommend the the chocolate shop Chocolathé if you are in Nyon. It's a little tiny shop in La Combe, the shopping center in Nyon, and it's a little expensive, but completely worth it, because the people that work there are incredible. Ivana and I went there Thursday; she buys a lot of tea there. I decided to go back there today because of how generous and sweet the man (the owner? not sure) is who works there. When Ivana and I were there, she commented on a certain chocolate, because it's now being made in dark chocolate, not just milk. She asked if it was any good, and he said, "yes! you must taste it!" So, he pulls a bar down from the shelf, opens it right on the counter, grabs a knife, and cuts off two huge slabs for me and Ivana to taste. And yes, it was delicious. The thing that struck me was how kind and generous that was - this bar of chocolate was on sale for about 4 CHF - not that cheap. But he didn't care. He was so excited for us to try it. It was the nicest customer service I have ever received in Europe. Today I went there because I was buying some Christmas gifts (I'm not saying for who, because I'm not sure who's reading this), and again, he was so kind, to me and the other five people in front of me. He asked if he could wrap up the gifts for me, and then gave me a little piece of chocolate. Maybe because I spent 50CHF, but still, he's definitely earned me as a customer. I also found some chocolate there I haven't found anywhere else. It's a great little store. My spoils. I found a Christmas chocolate, from Lindt, with cinnamon and coriander mousse, and a Camille (hey! that's my name!) Bloch caramel mousse bar... I'll let you know if they're any good. Oh, and the little red bar is one he tossed in my bag with my receipt. Nice, huh?

brief update

I am enjoying a really nice, quiet evening right now. This week has been a little strange, schedules have been a little different, and I've been a little cranky. Something I learned about myself while in university is if I don't get enough alone time, I get cranky and not fun to be around. So I've learned to cherish my alone moments, and really take advantage of my alone time - that's when my batteries are recharged.

This week I haven't had much alone time, and it really took its toll. Tonight, I'm babysitting, and I am very thankful that I am. At first, I was crabby about babysitting, because two of my friends are having a joint birthday party tonight, and the au pairs I hang out with Monday nights are having a special get together tonight. But I'm thankful I'm alone, enjoying some stillness and quiet. I'm drinking a nice glass of red wine (the family had a big Christmas party for their neighbors today, so there is a lot of wine and food about the house right now), and munching on some chocolate.

Today I went to Geneva with some of the au pair girls and celebrated L'Escalade, which is a holiday unique to Geneva. I won't go into too much detail, because I feel a little lazy and don't want to type everything out, but the link above is to the Wikipedia page. It's a neat if you like history, and it was fun to learn a bit more about Old Town in Geneva. The big parade is tomorrow, but the secret passage was open today, and we all got to go through it. I love learning and seeing history first-hand.

Anyway, here are a bunch of pictures I haven't shared with you yet. From Thanksgiving to today.

The Thanksgiving table (lots of wine, cause we're in Swissland)Friends at Thanksgiving
It snowed! Yea!
Gun demonstration today during Escalade - really LOUDMilena and Heather traversing through the secret passageOur cats have gotten really fat.

Well, that's all for now. I'll try and post again before I head off to England and Ireland! Bon week-end!