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:

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.