Bonne Année 2011!!

December 31, 2010… Last blog post of the year:

Salut!

Well here we are at the end of 2010, and it has been quite a year, one I will never forget. Looking back at this year, I never would have been able to anticipate what would happen. This year probably held some of the biggest changes of my life; graduating from high school, getting my braces off (not quite so life changing haha), moving to Switzerland, learning a foreign language… yeah the list just goes on and on. But it's been a great year, and I can't wait to find out what's in store for 2011!

Next year I'll post all the photos from my trip to St. Moritz and the Glacier Express.

Au revoir,

Becky

Joyeux Noël tout le monde de La Suisse!

Joyeux Noël, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Here's a little update and video about what I've been up to this December.

Right now there's a flurry of snowflakes falling outside my window, and I can't help singing "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow" over and over again. But anyway, back to December, and what Christmas season is like over here.

The first weekend in December we celebrated the "Fete de St. Nicholas." This is basically a festival where (at least in my village) one person dresses up as St. Nick (robe and all) and then a bunch of other people are "barefautares" (sp?), dressed all in black (they even painted our faces black), who are supposed to "scare" the bad children. I got to be a barefautare with the Jeuness in Sorens, and we went from house to house giving children bags of peanuts and oranges. When we got to the house, usually the parents had presents set out on the porch that St. Nicholas would them give the children, and then a barefautare would give the parents a switch, just in case the children mis-behaved. :) It was a really neat experience!

I also went to the Fete de St. Nicholas in Fribourg with Laura and her family. At this festival they carried St. Nick around the town on a chair and sang, so strange, but fun. :) The pictures do a much better job of explaining.

In Switzerland they have a lot of "Christmas Markets" in the different towns, and I got to visit a couple of different ones. They're basically a bunch of little wooden booths set up selling all sorts of different things (a lot like a craft fair). They're really fun to walk thru, and it's always fun to see all the different little Swiss things.

During second week of December I went to St. Gallen to see Vanessa and take the ACT. Yeah, I couldn't get away from that test even in Switzerland. But on the plus side I got to see Vanessa and we had a lot of fun doing things in St. Gallen. I took the ACT at this boarding school that cost around $70,000 a year, so yeah let's just say there was more Gucci there then in Milan. It was a really pretty school, and the room I took the test in overlooked the city of St. Gallen, so who knows how good I did, but it was definitely a pretty view! Afterwards, I got to eat lunch at Vanessa's school and meet her friends, and then she and I walked around St. Gallen.

 On December 12, my Rotary YEO here took me and the other exchange student in my Rotary club to Geneva with his family for the Fete de l'Escalde. It was so fun! Everywhere there were people dressed in period costumes, and marching around playing the drums and fife. I also got to see the Swiss President, who was speaking at a sort of assembly type thing in a park. It's so crazy how different the security is here! In the U.S. you would never be able to just walk into a tent and here the President speak. We walked up to the top of the bell tower in the cathedral, and had a magnificent view of the city. After all that we watched the parade, and broke this cauldron made out of chocolate (apparently it's a tradition). Ah how I love Swiss traditions! :)

For Christmas my family celebrates on the 24 and the 25. On the 24 we got all dressed up, and Sophie did my hair and make-up (it's so fun to have a big sis :) ),  and then went to Jacques brother's house to have supper with all of his family. We had a big multi-course meal, and on the wall was a list of the course and who was supposed to help serve it, and I felt so special when they even remembered to put me on there. :) After dinner everyone started singing Christmas carols and then Swiss songs, and then someone got the bright idea to ask me to sing. I, of course, tried my best to get out of it, but to no avail, so I had the express privilege of singing the national anthem a cappella. Yeah, easily one of the most mortifying moments of my life. However, even with my awful rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," it was still a great night. After that we went to mid-night mass, and then off to bed!

On the 25 Sophie and I prepared Christmas lunch because Francine had had to work the night before. I love how pretty the Swiss make there food, every plate was like a little piece of artwork. A bunch of family came over, and we opened Christmas presents with everyone. Sophie, Julien, and Simon gave me a really pretty pearl drop necklace, and a really sweet card, and Jacques and Francine gave me 2 private ski lessons (SO excited to start!!). Then we ate lunch, and chatted as the snow fell outside the window. All in all a VERY Merry Swiss Christmas!! :)

Here's a video from what I've been up this December:

Click on this link to view my Christmas Movie!

Au revoir,

Becky

Lots to be Thankful for!

So I had this post all written out, but somehow forgot to post it. So while you're munching on Christmas cookies, here's a little story about Swiss Thanksgiving. :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Here in Switzerland they of course don't celebrate Thanksgiving, so I decided to spread the turkey love to Europe. :)
Yesterday I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for my family, and I think they actually liked it. :)  It was a bit of a challenge because no one eats turkey here, so I ended up just making turkey breasts instead of a giant gobbler, and I had to make the stuffing from scratch, but all in all it was definitely a success. My mom sent me some decorations, canned sweet potatoes for the casserole, and the surprise favorite,  cranberry sauce (what can I say? They know whats good.) I was scrambling around like a mad women trying to get everything ready, but fortunately Francine helped me, and my mom was nice enough to skype with me like 20 times, while I was trying to figure out if the turkey was finished. Here are some pics from the evening:

Bonne Appetite!

Today was a little tough because of course I had to go to school, but in English class I told everyone what Thanksgiving was and for the rest of the day my class kept saying "Appy Tanksgiving Becky!" or my personal favorite "Appy Turkey Day!", they are all so sweet! :) I got to skype with everyone back home before they all chowed down, which was really great-not quite the same as being there, but it was nice to say hi to everyone. So all in all not to shabby of a day. And to keep up the tradition I'm going to list a few of the things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving.
First of all, I'm so thankful for my familys, both at home and at my Swiss home. I am so blessed to have such amazing parents that would let me go on this adventure, and that the've been there for me when things have gotten tough. Thank you so much for sending me care packages, you have no idea how much I love (and use) all the things you send me! Thank you also for taking the time to talk with me when I have problems, even when you're swamped. I'm also very thankful for the friends I've made here, both Swiss and the other exchange students, I've had so much fun going on all these different adventures with you guys! Also, I'm so thankful for my friends back home, thanks for the cards and skype dates :) I love getting to hear about what's going on over there, miss you guys lots!
And last, but most definitely not least; thank you God for giving me this opportunity to grow, learn, and have one of the most challenging and amazing years of my life!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Au revoir,

Becky