30 October Journal Entry
Vacation Recap Part I and Part II
Part II added 31 October 2003
camp/prevacation recap
What could be better than 5 days with 80 teenagers from around the world in berreks in the middle of the Jura? Nothing. After a long train and a cramped bus ride we all finally reached our destination--The PAO (that's exchange student jargon for Post Arrival Orientation Camp). Yes, my newly boughten pantoufles (slippers) did come in handy. We quickly seperated off into our groups. Mine consisted of 3 German speakers and 3 French speakers aka we spoke English together. The funny thing is that there were 9 students from the French speaking part and about 70 from the German speaking side. Ooo those Suisse Allemand! All the directions given by the staff were in the following order: German, French and English. They'd first say something in German and most of the people would laugh, leaving me clueless. However when it came turn for French, only 9 of us would laugh, leaving us awkward. It was rather fun and frustrating when staff would walk up to me and speak to me in German. I would say, "I don't speak German." Then they would seem mad at me cause I wasn't learning German. I would than say "I live in the French side." The weird thing was, everyone and I mean everyone used English to communicate with each other! Even if they were both in the German section. Okay so when the Latin Americans got together they spoke Spanish and the same for the Finns (which were 8 of them...the same amount of Americans). We had lots of group sessions and worked on what this exchange year means to me and how to make it a good year...most of all be open minded. We also did lots of activities like walking threw the woods at night with torches, dessert, and 'discos' aka a party with lots of Latin music till 1 a.m. every night. Except the last night, when I went to bed at 5 a.m. The food was okay and we had to set the tables and wash the dishes. Overall, it was really hard to leave. Lots of people were crying. I was sad but not that sad! It was hard to come back to the family and school cause at the camp everyone wanted to talk to me. We all had lots of fun and didn't want it to end. When I came back to my family, it was really boring and quiet. First of all, I fell asleep at 6p.m. at the grand parents house! Since I was so exhausted and my knee still hurt I skipped out of the Morat-Fribourg (the 17km race I was going to run). That's okay cause it was really cold and rainy that day. However, the camp had beautiful weather. I went back to school and it was kinda depressing. That Monday, I received a letter from Mom! It had stuff with horses so it made me happy. I started the band that night. The guy next to me is nice and he talks to me. They are actually open and want to talk to me...not typical Swiss people!! Even at the camp we all talked about how they are not open and if you want friends you HAVE to make them. The next day I forgot my art at home. I think the teacher wasn't too happy with me. I went to tennis and the teacher doesn't explain anything! Just play. Well, to begin with I would like to know how to hold the raquette! Then he critiques me like I am stupid. Ah well. I will get better. That night I received a rather depressing letter from Emma and it made me sad. I think I failed my physics test. Ah well. I don't get grades anyway. October 10th, the last Friday before vacation things looked a lot better. Yes, there is a dead body in my school! My mission is to take a picture with it, however, the room is locked! That day I changed the ring tone on my cell phone to Murder on the Dance floor by Sophie Ellis Bextor! My class was having a party and people kept asking if I was coming but it was too far away and I didn't have a way home so I couldn't go. I missed out on a bonding experience! Instead, I went to band practice and afterwards some guys told Pierre-Alain that they were taking me to Boire Un Verre ( I will put the definition of that on the main page) with the band and then to a party up in the mountain. I went to the party and it was quite interesting. We had to take a bus from the parking lot and I saw my host uncle there. I had a good time with the people from the band and I also saw Magaly. Nevertheless, DDR was supposed to come out that day but I couldn't order it from Manor.ch cause there wasn't a shopping cart! From there...I was on vacation!
-Kris
October 29, 2003
Ahhh 2 weeks of vacation! I was anxiously awaiting the release of DDR (which I will cut to the point and say I still can't order it from Manor.ch!) and Clay Aiken! The 12th rolled around and it was 2 months since I had left Duluth International Airport and said goodbye to my family. Also, it was Gennie Lynn Neuman's 19th birthday. I took out my phone card and gave her a call. It felt so good to talk to her! However, it was said when I asked for Gennie and her mom didn't say Hi Kris! But I guess how was she to know it was me when I live in Switzerland now! not just down the road. She updated me for a good 25 minutes and then she had to get on the road for Moorhead, where I had to go to bed. The next day was 2 months IN Switzerland so Pamela (American), Johanna (Swedish), Simone (German) and I (American) went to Switzerland's capital, Bern. It was like a different country! The city, the language, and the life are totally different than that of Fribourg! When we got off the train there were tons of stores in the train station it was like a tiny city inside. Bern's streets were lined with stores, and stores and stores. Yes, I did buy my very expensive red Puma shoes there. We walked around the city and did some sight seeing (see photo page). It was a good day! The next morning, October 14th, Elise came by with her host mom and asked if I wanted to go shopping with her. So of course, I said yes! We went to Avry Centre, a mall, and she bought some shoes. It was also Clay Aiken release day in the states!!!
Well I hate to interrupt this recap but I must get to Italian. Tomorrow I will try to finish updating!
Ciao,
-Kris