switzerland, truffles, and wee-fee!

Yesterday we went to Switzerland - specifically Lake Geneva and Montreux. I have no non-generic terms for it at all. It was beautiful, it was a lot of walking, and I took an entire gigabyte of pictures. Let's just say: Lake Geneva - beautiful lake, strange architecture, banks and watches; Montreux - like a Suisse Monterey Bay with crepes, breathtaking cloud-shrouded mountain vistas, and an ancient castle set near the water up a winding, lakeside cobblestone path. I will post pictures as soon as I can ...

While in Lake Geneva, we stopped in a tiny gourmet chocolate shop run by the sweetest, funniest Suisse woman. We complained about the conversion of the Euro from the dollar, and she said, "Oh, well it is all your fault!" In a funny way, not rudely. I got some of the most beautiful, delectable truffles (raspberry, strawberry, and my favorite, champagne!) ... I haven't dared touch them yet. Plus, I was so tired after our long, long day in Switzerland that I didn't even eat dinner before falling asleep at 10 p.m.

Also, I finally got an internet connection through my laptop ... so I'm not hunting and pecking anymore. It's reaaaalllllyyyyy sloooooooowwwwwww ... but it's there. Also, those of us with laptops met up with the college's IT guy to get our internet set up. He had trouble saying Wi-Fi (he said, wee-fee), and the guy from Oklahoma (that was also getting his internet connection set up) knew way more than the Frenchman did. It was just a funny example of how the French are a little ill-at-ease with computer lingo ...

Also, I didn't really mention it before, but I'm here with about 20 other students. It's been interesting getting to know everyone. After our whirlwind weekend, I know them all a little better. It was hard going without knowing anyone, but it's also forced me to make new friends; I see some of the others who came with one other friend, and they're not venturing out to meet some of the other people in the program. However, my own roommate is very reserved and goes to bed early. So, I've been out in the kitchen/lobby area with my journal in the evenings.

Today was our first day of class. It was really strange to sit in our classroom and look out the window at all of the old brick chimneys and cathedral peaks (we're on the third story, which is really the fourth, since they consider the ground floor the first - make sense?).

Well, I think it's off to the hotel room for a bit and then see about dinner somewhere ... I miss everyone but homesickness hasn't set in yet.

bon soir!
Jennie