Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Noël, etc.
Hello everyone
My last week was pretty busy, but relaxing too. I celebrated Christmas in Switzerland, which I enjoyed a lot, though it definitely wasn't the same as being at home.
Okay to start, I honestly can't really remember what I did on Monday and Tuesday last week, so I guess it wasn't that interesting!
Wednesday was Christmas Eve.. I woke up and helped Béatrice prepare a bit for that evening by making these smoked salmon and fresh cheese things. Andréanne and Nicolas went to José and Tata's house (brother of Bernard, and his wife- so my host aunt and uncle) who live in the same village as us. They took down chairs from the rafters and set up tables for the event there the next day. After they came home we all ate lunch together. Then, we visited Béatrice's parents who are in a nursing home. It was quite surreal because everyone there spoke German (it's in a different part of the canton) and so it felt a bit like my first day here, when I understood absolutely nothing. Béatrice's sister Denise also came on the train to visit at the nursing home, and so when we were all done she came home with us. Around seven, Tata (that isn't her real name, by the way) and José came over, and the eight of us ate dinner together. Afterward we opened presents and then watched the movie Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis, which I have now seen three times here..
On Thursday, Christmas, we went to José and Tata's house for a giant family gathering for the people on Bernard's side of the family. There were around 30 people including us. I had already met nearly everyone at the birthday party of another host uncle. I recieved chocolate from at least 5 people, which is nice but now I have such an insane amount of chocolate that I am overwhelmed by it. I would share it with my host family but they have the same problem, so I guess I will just (sigh) have to deal with it. With these 30 or so people we ate fondue bourguignonne, which I hadn't yet tried. It's like fondue chinois, with the raw meet that you cook in the fondue pot, except instead of using a bouillon to cook the meat you use oil. I think they taste nearly the same but the bourguignonne definitely smells more. After eating we ate dessert (ice cream, raspberries with cream, spice bread, and meringues) and then played card games. When everyone else had left my host family and I helped clean up and then went home.
On Friday, because there was quite a bit of raw meat and other food left over from Christmas, my host family and I went back to Tata and José's to eat.. again.. fondue bourguignonne. It was good the second time too, and just as smelly! We ate pretty fast because in the afternoon Andréanne had to work and I had plans with Sakshi in Fribourg. After lunch my host family dropped me off at the station in Romont where I bought a ticket and caught the train for Fribourg, and then met up with Sakshi around two. We shopped for a coat for her because her other one is too short and not warm enough (I'm suprised she even has one since she's from Chennai- formerly Madras-where it's rarely less than 70°.) For me we found ski socks and long underwear. After we ate crèpes and then parted ways.
On Saturday, I woke up fairly early to get ready to go skiing with Nicolas. Andréanne couldn't come because she had to work so it was just us. We left around ten to drive up to Charmey, which is that village in the mountains where I went to les Bains de la Gruyère with Alicia and Claudine. There we parked and took this ski lift up to this station higher up the mountain where the snow hasn't yet melted. There weren't that many runs but they were longer than those at home, and Nicolas told me that it was the smallest ski station around.. so obviously skiing somewhere where there are actually mountains is different than skiing in Minnesota. It was weird to ski from way high up on the mountain to a little less high on it, instead of going from the top of a hill to the bottom. It is also different because it's much sunnier and warmer since you're looking down on all of the clouds. More pictures of Charmey can be found here.
Today Andréanne wanted to go snowboarding and Nicolas skiing. I would have gone again too but the girl who owns my ski boots needed them for two days (though that's the only time all winter) so I decided to go snowshoeing with Bernard and Béatrice. We went to a different ski station called La Berra where we parked and the ski pistes were immediately there, instead of taking a lift. The snowshoe path we took was pretty but so much work. We basically climbed up the mountain as far as the ski lifts went, and then a bunch farther. It took around 2 hours for the ascent and then an hour for the descent, and I was (am) ridiculously tired. After getting back home Nicolas, Andréanne and I watched Pan's Labyrinth which we had taped last night.
Tomorrow I am going to Berne for the first time with Béatrice, her friend, and Andréanne. It isn't far; about 40 minutes by car. Andréanne is going to go shopping and I think Béatrice and her friend I haven't yet met are going to show me some sights. Berne is the political capital of Switzerland where the federal government is based, however it's not as big as Geneva, the most international city of the country where lots of organizations are based, or Zürich, the most commercial city. I am glad to be going there though since I haven't really seen much of Switzerland outside of canton Fribourg.
And after that I unfortunately have homework to get started on. Next Saturday night Andréanne and I have our Souper de Classe, which should be interesting (it's a party where everyone in our class gets together and probably most of them get drunk.) Sunday is la Fête des Rois for which AFS is holding a get-together in the afternoon, and I think my whole host family is going with. And then after that.. unfortunately.. school. Two weeks go fast.
I hope all of you had excellent holidays and, if you have congé, I hope you're enjoying it.
My last week was pretty busy, but relaxing too. I celebrated Christmas in Switzerland, which I enjoyed a lot, though it definitely wasn't the same as being at home.
Okay to start, I honestly can't really remember what I did on Monday and Tuesday last week, so I guess it wasn't that interesting!
Wednesday was Christmas Eve.. I woke up and helped Béatrice prepare a bit for that evening by making these smoked salmon and fresh cheese things. Andréanne and Nicolas went to José and Tata's house (brother of Bernard, and his wife- so my host aunt and uncle) who live in the same village as us. They took down chairs from the rafters and set up tables for the event there the next day. After they came home we all ate lunch together. Then, we visited Béatrice's parents who are in a nursing home. It was quite surreal because everyone there spoke German (it's in a different part of the canton) and so it felt a bit like my first day here, when I understood absolutely nothing. Béatrice's sister Denise also came on the train to visit at the nursing home, and so when we were all done she came home with us. Around seven, Tata (that isn't her real name, by the way) and José came over, and the eight of us ate dinner together. Afterward we opened presents and then watched the movie Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis, which I have now seen three times here..
On Thursday, Christmas, we went to José and Tata's house for a giant family gathering for the people on Bernard's side of the family. There were around 30 people including us. I had already met nearly everyone at the birthday party of another host uncle. I recieved chocolate from at least 5 people, which is nice but now I have such an insane amount of chocolate that I am overwhelmed by it. I would share it with my host family but they have the same problem, so I guess I will just (sigh) have to deal with it. With these 30 or so people we ate fondue bourguignonne, which I hadn't yet tried. It's like fondue chinois, with the raw meet that you cook in the fondue pot, except instead of using a bouillon to cook the meat you use oil. I think they taste nearly the same but the bourguignonne definitely smells more. After eating we ate dessert (ice cream, raspberries with cream, spice bread, and meringues) and then played card games. When everyone else had left my host family and I helped clean up and then went home.
On Friday, because there was quite a bit of raw meat and other food left over from Christmas, my host family and I went back to Tata and José's to eat.. again.. fondue bourguignonne. It was good the second time too, and just as smelly! We ate pretty fast because in the afternoon Andréanne had to work and I had plans with Sakshi in Fribourg. After lunch my host family dropped me off at the station in Romont where I bought a ticket and caught the train for Fribourg, and then met up with Sakshi around two. We shopped for a coat for her because her other one is too short and not warm enough (I'm suprised she even has one since she's from Chennai- formerly Madras-where it's rarely less than 70°.) For me we found ski socks and long underwear. After we ate crèpes and then parted ways.
On Saturday, I woke up fairly early to get ready to go skiing with Nicolas. Andréanne couldn't come because she had to work so it was just us. We left around ten to drive up to Charmey, which is that village in the mountains where I went to les Bains de la Gruyère with Alicia and Claudine. There we parked and took this ski lift up to this station higher up the mountain where the snow hasn't yet melted. There weren't that many runs but they were longer than those at home, and Nicolas told me that it was the smallest ski station around.. so obviously skiing somewhere where there are actually mountains is different than skiing in Minnesota. It was weird to ski from way high up on the mountain to a little less high on it, instead of going from the top of a hill to the bottom. It is also different because it's much sunnier and warmer since you're looking down on all of the clouds. More pictures of Charmey can be found here.
Today Andréanne wanted to go snowboarding and Nicolas skiing. I would have gone again too but the girl who owns my ski boots needed them for two days (though that's the only time all winter) so I decided to go snowshoeing with Bernard and Béatrice. We went to a different ski station called La Berra where we parked and the ski pistes were immediately there, instead of taking a lift. The snowshoe path we took was pretty but so much work. We basically climbed up the mountain as far as the ski lifts went, and then a bunch farther. It took around 2 hours for the ascent and then an hour for the descent, and I was (am) ridiculously tired. After getting back home Nicolas, Andréanne and I watched Pan's Labyrinth which we had taped last night.
Tomorrow I am going to Berne for the first time with Béatrice, her friend, and Andréanne. It isn't far; about 40 minutes by car. Andréanne is going to go shopping and I think Béatrice and her friend I haven't yet met are going to show me some sights. Berne is the political capital of Switzerland where the federal government is based, however it's not as big as Geneva, the most international city of the country where lots of organizations are based, or Zürich, the most commercial city. I am glad to be going there though since I haven't really seen much of Switzerland outside of canton Fribourg.
And after that I unfortunately have homework to get started on. Next Saturday night Andréanne and I have our Souper de Classe, which should be interesting (it's a party where everyone in our class gets together and probably most of them get drunk.) Sunday is la Fête des Rois for which AFS is holding a get-together in the afternoon, and I think my whole host family is going with. And then after that.. unfortunately.. school. Two weeks go fast.
I hope all of you had excellent holidays and, if you have congé, I hope you're enjoying it.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Funeral and Christmas Vacations
Hello everyone
First and foremost, something really sad happened for my host family. Friday my host mom Béatrice's brother Marcel died; Andréanne and I found out when we came home for lunch. He had a sort of developmental disability, and couldn't talk but seemed to understand a bit when Béatrice spoke in German to him. He lived in a care home but once every month he would come here during an afternoon to have dinner with us- other weeks he would go to the house of Béatrice's siblings (I met him twice.) It is really sad for my host family, especially because it's the holiday season, the start of vacations, and it came totally unexpectedly (apparently the doctors think he had an epileptic attack while sleeping.) Anyway, now my host family is quite sad as one would expect and I am sad for them too. At this moment they are at the mass for him, and there is the funeral tomorrow. My host family and I agree that it is better if I don't go to either. If I thought that would give them emotional support, I would go, but I don't think it would. It would be putting myself in a sad atmosphere, and they know that, and so they too think it better if I don't go.
Okay so off that subject.. I will just describe a bit my week as usual. It was busy. Monday I had that geography test I wrote about before; I earned a 6 (which is 100% - it's a scale where 1 is zero and 6 is 100%) I guess all of that studying paid off. In Chemistry I got 4.9 which is also pretty good- my teacher wrote 'bien!' on the top so I'm happy. Thursday and Friday my classmates each presented in English a short review on a film or book. I corrected my host sister's text and helped her prepare a little bit, and she did really well. I myself prepared a small presentation about high school in the US but there wasn't enough time for me to present so I will probably do it after the vacations. In Math on Friday we had a test that was super hard, but at least everyone thinks they failed so I am not the only one. Thursday afternoon we went snowshoeing for gym, because there is an insane amount of snow. Andréanne and I brought her parent's raquettes from home. It was hard work but fun too; the whole class ended up throwing lots of snow at each other.
For the next vacations, which is of one week in February (after la semaine thematique), I am planning on going skiing with Nicolas and Andréanne for one week up in the mountains. Their family friends have a chalet there that they won't be using during that week so we are free to go. My host mom Béatrice has been asking everyone she knows if they have any old or unused ski boots in my size.. the skis wouldn't be a problem because I could use Nicolas's old ones. However if we hadn't found boots I would have had to rent them which is really expensive. Luckily one of their friends in our village said that they had some that might be my size.
Thursday night we went to their house and I tried on a few different pairs, and found some that fit (from what I know of my ski boots from last year they are a good fit.) And not only that, they happened to have a pair of skis and poles (quite good ones too, just a little beat up), both my size, that no one uses. I guess this is common here, because nearly everyone in every family has their own skis or snowboard, and they get replaced at least every 5 years. Anyway, we had amazing luck to find everything in my size, and the husband of this family who is on a ski team brought them to a sports shop to get adjusted for me. Obviously I will have to ski on them first to make sure everything works together.. we are probably going to go somewhere nearby sometime during the vacations. I am really thankful to this family to just let me use their equipment. From what I've seen, the Swiss are a prudent frugal bunch, but they also posses unrivaled generosity.
This weekend has been really relaxing, especially so because there is so much more free time in front of me. It's nice. Yesterday Andréanne and I made three types of Christmas cookies in the afternoon, and then in the evening we went to her friend Lauren's house. Angelique came too (these are the two friends we go to the gym with) and we watched two movies, one really bad not scary killer movie called Untracable and also Ratatouille. It was not quite the same in French, as the over-Frenchness of it all and the silly French accents are lost, but it was still good. We walked home around midnight and I went straight to bed.
Today I started wrapping my host family's Christmas presents, and I wrote a long entry in my journal for the first time in a while (less to get out now that I am with a normal family, and I can better express myself in French.) For lunch we ate cheese fondue, it was good as usual. In the afternoon we went to Bernard's brother José's house where Thomas, Emilie, and Vincent were too (those are Nicolas and Andréanne's cousins) and we played cards like the last time I saw them.
Ahh, right, so before I go I have to write about something that I forgot to write about before. In the spirit of going to a Madonna concert in Switzerland, I will be going in April to.......... WWE WRESTLING in Switzerland! I don't know if I've mentioned this before but my host sister and brother watch WWE wrestling once a week, and my host sister is an especially big fan. She loves this wrestler that comes from Chicago, it's really quite funny. Anyway, they have already been to a WWE thing a few years ago, and there is another in April in Geneva. Andréanne's aunt agreed to go with her, and she asked me if I wanted to buy a ticket too.. and I just figured, why not? Perhaps I am crazy, but it should be entertaining even if I do think it's a bit (really really) ridiculous.
Okay and now it's getting late so I should get going. Joyeux Noël to everyone!
First and foremost, something really sad happened for my host family. Friday my host mom Béatrice's brother Marcel died; Andréanne and I found out when we came home for lunch. He had a sort of developmental disability, and couldn't talk but seemed to understand a bit when Béatrice spoke in German to him. He lived in a care home but once every month he would come here during an afternoon to have dinner with us- other weeks he would go to the house of Béatrice's siblings (I met him twice.) It is really sad for my host family, especially because it's the holiday season, the start of vacations, and it came totally unexpectedly (apparently the doctors think he had an epileptic attack while sleeping.) Anyway, now my host family is quite sad as one would expect and I am sad for them too. At this moment they are at the mass for him, and there is the funeral tomorrow. My host family and I agree that it is better if I don't go to either. If I thought that would give them emotional support, I would go, but I don't think it would. It would be putting myself in a sad atmosphere, and they know that, and so they too think it better if I don't go.
Okay so off that subject.. I will just describe a bit my week as usual. It was busy. Monday I had that geography test I wrote about before; I earned a 6 (which is 100% - it's a scale where 1 is zero and 6 is 100%) I guess all of that studying paid off. In Chemistry I got 4.9 which is also pretty good- my teacher wrote 'bien!' on the top so I'm happy. Thursday and Friday my classmates each presented in English a short review on a film or book. I corrected my host sister's text and helped her prepare a little bit, and she did really well. I myself prepared a small presentation about high school in the US but there wasn't enough time for me to present so I will probably do it after the vacations. In Math on Friday we had a test that was super hard, but at least everyone thinks they failed so I am not the only one. Thursday afternoon we went snowshoeing for gym, because there is an insane amount of snow. Andréanne and I brought her parent's raquettes from home. It was hard work but fun too; the whole class ended up throwing lots of snow at each other.
For the next vacations, which is of one week in February (after la semaine thematique), I am planning on going skiing with Nicolas and Andréanne for one week up in the mountains. Their family friends have a chalet there that they won't be using during that week so we are free to go. My host mom Béatrice has been asking everyone she knows if they have any old or unused ski boots in my size.. the skis wouldn't be a problem because I could use Nicolas's old ones. However if we hadn't found boots I would have had to rent them which is really expensive. Luckily one of their friends in our village said that they had some that might be my size.
Thursday night we went to their house and I tried on a few different pairs, and found some that fit (from what I know of my ski boots from last year they are a good fit.) And not only that, they happened to have a pair of skis and poles (quite good ones too, just a little beat up), both my size, that no one uses. I guess this is common here, because nearly everyone in every family has their own skis or snowboard, and they get replaced at least every 5 years. Anyway, we had amazing luck to find everything in my size, and the husband of this family who is on a ski team brought them to a sports shop to get adjusted for me. Obviously I will have to ski on them first to make sure everything works together.. we are probably going to go somewhere nearby sometime during the vacations. I am really thankful to this family to just let me use their equipment. From what I've seen, the Swiss are a prudent frugal bunch, but they also posses unrivaled generosity.
This weekend has been really relaxing, especially so because there is so much more free time in front of me. It's nice. Yesterday Andréanne and I made three types of Christmas cookies in the afternoon, and then in the evening we went to her friend Lauren's house. Angelique came too (these are the two friends we go to the gym with) and we watched two movies, one really bad not scary killer movie called Untracable and also Ratatouille. It was not quite the same in French, as the over-Frenchness of it all and the silly French accents are lost, but it was still good. We walked home around midnight and I went straight to bed.
Today I started wrapping my host family's Christmas presents, and I wrote a long entry in my journal for the first time in a while (less to get out now that I am with a normal family, and I can better express myself in French.) For lunch we ate cheese fondue, it was good as usual. In the afternoon we went to Bernard's brother José's house where Thomas, Emilie, and Vincent were too (those are Nicolas and Andréanne's cousins) and we played cards like the last time I saw them.
Ahh, right, so before I go I have to write about something that I forgot to write about before. In the spirit of going to a Madonna concert in Switzerland, I will be going in April to.......... WWE WRESTLING in Switzerland! I don't know if I've mentioned this before but my host sister and brother watch WWE wrestling once a week, and my host sister is an especially big fan. She loves this wrestler that comes from Chicago, it's really quite funny. Anyway, they have already been to a WWE thing a few years ago, and there is another in April in Geneva. Andréanne's aunt agreed to go with her, and she asked me if I wanted to buy a ticket too.. and I just figured, why not? Perhaps I am crazy, but it should be entertaining even if I do think it's a bit (really really) ridiculous.
Okay and now it's getting late so I should get going. Joyeux Noël to everyone!
Monday, December 15, 2008
À La Prochaine..
Hello everyone
I don't have much time to write an update today because it's Monday night of the most demanding school week I've had so far this year.. so I will have to make this relatively short! I promise to write again after vacations start, and hopefully in a more detailed manner.
Last week in school not much important happened. I say that every week, but it's sadly a bit true.. Yes I learn things but they aren't very interesting to write about. But actually I dissected a fish Friday afternoon, and that was interesting, though un peu degeulasse. Otherwise, what happened.. oh yeah, Thursday evening my family's AFS contact came over for maybe an hour or so to make the routine visit that usually they make before the exchange student is in the country. That was nice, she just asked some questions about their jobs, how I get to school, what a normal day in the family is like, etc. Also last week it snowed for two and a half days almost sans arrêt, and by the end there was probably more than a foot. I felt fortunate because everyone tells me that in the last few years the winters haven't been snowy.
On Saturday Nico, Andréanne, Béatrice, and I left the house at 8h00 to go shopping in Fribourg (it was necessary to leave early to get a parking space at this time of year.) We split up and I bought some nice chocolate for my host family for Christmas(Villars brand, made in Fribourg, which my host mom has said many times is the best. Which it is. It's really good.) And I bought a toothbrush, and some paper to make those Swedish paper hearts that I am going to hang on a string as a decoration to give them also (see here.)
After that we picked up Bernard from the bank where he works in the village, because the other car was getting fixed from when my host mom backed into a pillar in a parking ramp. We went to Romont where we ate at a restaurant and afterward rented movies and went home.
At home Andréanne and I made Christmas cookies and then in the evening watched some movie about Unaccompanied Minors (I think that was the title. It was pretty bad.)
Sunday I studied for many hours to prepare for my geography test today on the Swiss cantons and their major cities, European countries and capitals, and African countries.. In the evening we watched the movie 23. It was better than the other movie.
This week is crazy busy, with a total of 7 tests for my class (although luckily I only have to do two or three.. but still, it's stressful.) The profs aren't giving us a nice break before the holidays.. au contraire. And so, I must malheureusement go faire mes devoirs d'informatique.
Grandma and Jim, if you are reading, I got your card. Thank you so much! It was nice, and a little strange too, to get a letter from Arizona (for some reason, maybe it's the climate difference, it seems like Arizona is super exotic in relation to Switzerland.) I have been thinking about you and the rest of the family too, as the holidays are when I normally see all of you the most.
I will write more soon!
I don't have much time to write an update today because it's Monday night of the most demanding school week I've had so far this year.. so I will have to make this relatively short! I promise to write again after vacations start, and hopefully in a more detailed manner.
Last week in school not much important happened. I say that every week, but it's sadly a bit true.. Yes I learn things but they aren't very interesting to write about. But actually I dissected a fish Friday afternoon, and that was interesting, though un peu degeulasse. Otherwise, what happened.. oh yeah, Thursday evening my family's AFS contact came over for maybe an hour or so to make the routine visit that usually they make before the exchange student is in the country. That was nice, she just asked some questions about their jobs, how I get to school, what a normal day in the family is like, etc. Also last week it snowed for two and a half days almost sans arrêt, and by the end there was probably more than a foot. I felt fortunate because everyone tells me that in the last few years the winters haven't been snowy.
On Saturday Nico, Andréanne, Béatrice, and I left the house at 8h00 to go shopping in Fribourg (it was necessary to leave early to get a parking space at this time of year.) We split up and I bought some nice chocolate for my host family for Christmas(Villars brand, made in Fribourg, which my host mom has said many times is the best. Which it is. It's really good.) And I bought a toothbrush, and some paper to make those Swedish paper hearts that I am going to hang on a string as a decoration to give them also (see here.)
After that we picked up Bernard from the bank where he works in the village, because the other car was getting fixed from when my host mom backed into a pillar in a parking ramp. We went to Romont where we ate at a restaurant and afterward rented movies and went home.
At home Andréanne and I made Christmas cookies and then in the evening watched some movie about Unaccompanied Minors (I think that was the title. It was pretty bad.)
Sunday I studied for many hours to prepare for my geography test today on the Swiss cantons and their major cities, European countries and capitals, and African countries.. In the evening we watched the movie 23. It was better than the other movie.
This week is crazy busy, with a total of 7 tests for my class (although luckily I only have to do two or three.. but still, it's stressful.) The profs aren't giving us a nice break before the holidays.. au contraire. And so, I must malheureusement go faire mes devoirs d'informatique.
Grandma and Jim, if you are reading, I got your card. Thank you so much! It was nice, and a little strange too, to get a letter from Arizona (for some reason, maybe it's the climate difference, it seems like Arizona is super exotic in relation to Switzerland.) I have been thinking about you and the rest of the family too, as the holidays are when I normally see all of you the most.
I will write more soon!
Monday, December 8, 2008
St-Nicolas.. and more!
Last Monday I went to school in the morning but I felt really quite sick, and I was almost falling asleep, so in the afternoon I stayed home from school. I stayed home Tuesday too, and by the end of the day I felt much much better.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I went to school but not much happened that I can remember.. My week really wasn't that interesting!
Friday evening was the St-Nicolas celebration in my village, but because it was rainy we decided not to go. The whole point is that all the village kids walk in a little parade carrying lanterns they made, with a donkey I think, but in bad weather the celebration is moved inside and apparently not really worth going to.
So, we decided to go to the St-Nicolas celebration in Fribourg the next day instead, and Andréanne and I met up with her friend Angelique. Taken from French Wikipedia and translated by me (the article in English is missing this part), this describes what it's about a bit:
We watched the procession at the beginning of the path, just next to the collège. At first there were some people dressed in black robes with their faces painted black, carrying bunches of twigs, then some people dressed in simple costume with torches. There was a band that played, then a flute/piccolo group, then a little choir, and afterward the St. Nicolas on his donkey, throwing out spice bread to the crowd. After the procession passed we went down to the cathedral to try to get a view of the balcony where he would give his speech. The procession passed us again as the St. Nicolas made his way to the cathedral. Afterward he gave his speech in French and German, which I heard but couldn't really see because there were so many people. The student that was chosen to be the St. Nicolas this year is actually the older brother of the boy I sit next to at school.
I didn't bring my camera because it was drizzly out, but to see pictures or the St-Nicolas festival from other years, look here and here.
Sunday was the birthday of one of my host dad's brothers. We went to have dîner at this restaurant in a little village maybe 20 minutes by car, where there was a room reserved for us. There was tons of family and I definitely don't remember everyones' names or how they are all related, but everyone was really nice. After eating fried chicken and french fries (it felt oddly American) I played cards with Andréanne, Nicolas, and their two cousins until evening. It was quite fun.
Today there is no school in my canton and I believe two others, to celebrate L'Immaculée Conception de Marie (Immaculate Conception, in case you didn't get that, haha.) But really it's not to celebrate, it's just a reason to have a day off, which is nice.
After.. more school. And then vacations. Like I said last week, except now it's closer!
Sadie, if indeed you're reading this, I've finished writing you a nice letter and plan on posting it tomorrow.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I went to school but not much happened that I can remember.. My week really wasn't that interesting!
Friday evening was the St-Nicolas celebration in my village, but because it was rainy we decided not to go. The whole point is that all the village kids walk in a little parade carrying lanterns they made, with a donkey I think, but in bad weather the celebration is moved inside and apparently not really worth going to.
So, we decided to go to the St-Nicolas celebration in Fribourg the next day instead, and Andréanne and I met up with her friend Angelique. Taken from French Wikipedia and translated by me (the article in English is missing this part), this describes what it's about a bit:
The St-Nicolas is celebrated December 6th in the Catholic cantons of Switzerland of French and German language. The festival is especially a big festival in Fribourg, because St. Nicolas is the paton saint of the city.
Fribourg:
The procession crosses the center of the city, starting at the Collège St-Michel and ending at the Cathédrale St-Nicolas. Normally, the procession startes at sunset (around 5:00) and ends at 6:30. At this moment, the St. Nicolas leaves his donkey and climbs to the balcony of the cathedral. Traditionally, he gives a speech containing satyrical passages on the events in the city in the past year. The St-Nicolas festival in Fribourg attracts many people; It's estimated that 30 000 (50 000on the centennial) people go each year to listen to St. Nicolas (citation needed.) The St. Nicolas is chosen each year from among the bilingual students at the Collège St-Michel.
We watched the procession at the beginning of the path, just next to the collège. At first there were some people dressed in black robes with their faces painted black, carrying bunches of twigs, then some people dressed in simple costume with torches. There was a band that played, then a flute/piccolo group, then a little choir, and afterward the St. Nicolas on his donkey, throwing out spice bread to the crowd. After the procession passed we went down to the cathedral to try to get a view of the balcony where he would give his speech. The procession passed us again as the St. Nicolas made his way to the cathedral. Afterward he gave his speech in French and German, which I heard but couldn't really see because there were so many people. The student that was chosen to be the St. Nicolas this year is actually the older brother of the boy I sit next to at school.
I didn't bring my camera because it was drizzly out, but to see pictures or the St-Nicolas festival from other years, look here and here.
Sunday was the birthday of one of my host dad's brothers. We went to have dîner at this restaurant in a little village maybe 20 minutes by car, where there was a room reserved for us. There was tons of family and I definitely don't remember everyones' names or how they are all related, but everyone was really nice. After eating fried chicken and french fries (it felt oddly American) I played cards with Andréanne, Nicolas, and their two cousins until evening. It was quite fun.
Today there is no school in my canton and I believe two others, to celebrate L'Immaculée Conception de Marie (Immaculate Conception, in case you didn't get that, haha.) But really it's not to celebrate, it's just a reason to have a day off, which is nice.
After.. more school. And then vacations. Like I said last week, except now it's closer!
Sadie, if indeed you're reading this, I've finished writing you a nice letter and plan on posting it tomorrow.
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