It has been a bit over a month and I am really enjoying my time in Basel. My family here is great. Alma (11mo) is learning everything so fast, Kaete (4) and I love to run around and have special Thursday nights together, and Clara (7) had a great birthday party and is known for having wonderful braids everyday (thanks to me!).
I live in Dornach, a town outside of the city. Dornach is beautiful. There is a castle ruin just up the road where we had Clara's 7th birthday party. It was a knight's games party, with archery, jousting, catapult and scavenger hunt through the ruin that ended at the Dragon's nest full of "eggs" (paper mache balloons with sweets inside). We ate cake like a castle and chicken with our hands and had to throw the bones over our shoulders. Clara's entire class was invited and it was a blast.
At first it is easy to think that Switzerland is quite similar to the US. Very developed, similar money, education and careers alike. But as I have been here I notice and appreciate the differences. The language barrier is the most obvious. Although I can usually say that I don't speak German and they know English, I am making an effort to learn German. The problem is that you are taught hi-German, which is what Barbara and Norbert speak, but in Basel all I hear is Swiss German, which is REALLY different. Oh well, I'm trying!
The food is also great. Although I can get just about everything that I would eat in the States here, the "local" fare is AMAZING! I eat so much bread and cheese and chocolate! I went grocery shoppping with Norbert, which includes going to France and Germany. In France I was told to go to the cheese counter and get a few things. I was so overwhelmed! After I finally got three, I turned around to find Norbert and the entire wall behind me was ALSO cheese! I went to a Raclette party...you use a special grill and make veggies and melt cheese under a broiler in a special tray. Then you put the veggies on potatoes and top it with the super melty gooey cheese! WOW!!
I have been exploring in Basel a lot. I have finally become very comfortable on public transport...to go from my house to Basel city I take a bus to a train to a tram...and I have to time is all just right so that it only takes 25 minutes! I went with a friend to go to many of the recommended sights in Basel to take photos...we had both been but alone or without a camera! Basel is really beautiful; it is right on the Rhine river and has so many beautiful, old buildings. The Marktplatz, the market in the center of town, has the beautiful old town hall building and just from there is the Muenster cathedral. There are also towers and gates from when the city was walled which are very large and ornate...especially for a wall! There is the Tenguely fountain made by a well known artist/inventor with crazy water everywhere and children playing in it on warm days. There are cobblestone walk ways and "roads" barely wide enough for 1 car. It is quite enchanting.
I also went to Augusta Raurica, an area that was settled by the Romans hundreds of years ago and the amphitheater still is there. For the RomeroFest I attended, there were gladiators fighting and stalls with people doing trade work as it would have been done long ago. Bakers, weavers, wood working, metal working, marble carving, artists, and more. There was also chariot racing. The best part was that everyone was dressed in costume!
I am really enjoying my time here. Fall has arrived and the fall festivals are beginning. Weather is cooling off too. The girls have begun after school activities, so I'll be helping out with Clara's Girl Scout troop and volunteering in Kaete's preschool class. Clara also has violin and Kaete has soccer one day a week! I have been hanging out with a group of AuPairs (or former AuPairs). We have had dinner parties, nights out at the bars, and tourist adventures! I also go climbing 2-4 days a week before I go pick the girls up from school and have met a couple of nice people there too. I also can't wait for upcoming things, trips, parties, festivals! So much to do...I'm not sure how I'll get it all in in one year!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Riding the REAL Matterhorn!
After a week in Switzerland, I feel like I have done so much already! I have come to know the family pretty well. After the first few days here, we all went to Zermatt, a very small town in the Alps, by the Matterhorn.
Getting to Zermatt was an adventure in itself! We drove for a couple hours, then took a train...in the car. Yes, we drove the car onto a train and then went THROUGH the mountain. We continued to drive for another hour or so and then parked the car in Taesch. From there we loaded all the gear onto passenger train and went up, up, up into the Alps to the town of Zermatt. There are no cars there except the bus and very small electric taxi bus things!
We spent the first day walking around town. I got to hear some Swiss men playing horns, which is pretty rare! We ate at a beautiful Italian restaurant sitting outside and drinking wonderful wine. The town is full of people and horse wagons. There are so many shops and all of the buildings have spectacular geranium planters hanging from balconies.
We spent the next three days skiing! This too was quite an adventure. We took a bus to a main gondola at the bottom of the mountain. Then we took a gondola and 2 cable cars up to the top of the Little Matterhorn (12,200ft)! We went from summer hiking and bike riding to skiing and ice climbing in a few lifts! From there we were on the glacier. You could take an elevator to an observation deck on the Little Matterhorn with great views of the Alps and the big Matterhorn (when it was clear, only on Saturday!)
You then skied down a long cat track to the wide open glacier where there were runs and lifts. There was SO much race training...teams from Switzerland, Russia, Austria, Poland, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, and even Canada. There was a huge terrain park and a long, open run, like Buddy's Run. The lifts to the top of the runs were all t-bars. Because it is on a glacier, which moves all the time, they have to be able to move the lifts, which they can't do with chair lifts.
We ate lunch in Italy and the food was UNBELIEVABLE! The top of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (the area we were skiing in) is on the border of Switzerland and Italy. If I went down the wrong run, I would end up in the town of Cervenia, Italy! The view of that town was great. Being on a glacier in the middle of the Alps was amazing! We had views of SO much; We were usually above the clouds at 12,300+ feet above sea level! And the snow was fantastic! I thought glacier=ice, but it snowed every night making for beautiful groomers, and warmed up quickly making great mashed potato snow! I even tele-skied one day! Boy am I a clumsy mess on skis!
We had to be off the runs every day at 1:30 so we spent the afternoons in Zermatt walking around, eating GREAT food and drinking great wine and beer. I played with the girls in the pool at the hotel and relaxed a lot too.
After getting back, Monday I went to the girls' schools to meet their teachers. Tuesday I went to Freiburg, Germany. Norbert is from Freiburg and his parents still live their. The girls call them Oma and Opa, German for Grandma and Grandpa. We did some shopping, rode the tram and saw some of the sights, including the cathedral, which was the center of a great plaza, and the beautiful towers that are still standing even after the war. Unfortunately we faced a huge downpour and ended up in a cafe getting a snack and rushing to the tram with all three kids, trying not to get soaked!
What an amazing first week! The girls start school tomorrow and I will begin my routine...
Getting to Zermatt was an adventure in itself! We drove for a couple hours, then took a train...in the car. Yes, we drove the car onto a train and then went THROUGH the mountain. We continued to drive for another hour or so and then parked the car in Taesch. From there we loaded all the gear onto passenger train and went up, up, up into the Alps to the town of Zermatt. There are no cars there except the bus and very small electric taxi bus things!
We spent the first day walking around town. I got to hear some Swiss men playing horns, which is pretty rare! We ate at a beautiful Italian restaurant sitting outside and drinking wonderful wine. The town is full of people and horse wagons. There are so many shops and all of the buildings have spectacular geranium planters hanging from balconies.
We spent the next three days skiing! This too was quite an adventure. We took a bus to a main gondola at the bottom of the mountain. Then we took a gondola and 2 cable cars up to the top of the Little Matterhorn (12,200ft)! We went from summer hiking and bike riding to skiing and ice climbing in a few lifts! From there we were on the glacier. You could take an elevator to an observation deck on the Little Matterhorn with great views of the Alps and the big Matterhorn (when it was clear, only on Saturday!)
You then skied down a long cat track to the wide open glacier where there were runs and lifts. There was SO much race training...teams from Switzerland, Russia, Austria, Poland, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, and even Canada. There was a huge terrain park and a long, open run, like Buddy's Run. The lifts to the top of the runs were all t-bars. Because it is on a glacier, which moves all the time, they have to be able to move the lifts, which they can't do with chair lifts.
We ate lunch in Italy and the food was UNBELIEVABLE! The top of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (the area we were skiing in) is on the border of Switzerland and Italy. If I went down the wrong run, I would end up in the town of Cervenia, Italy! The view of that town was great. Being on a glacier in the middle of the Alps was amazing! We had views of SO much; We were usually above the clouds at 12,300+ feet above sea level! And the snow was fantastic! I thought glacier=ice, but it snowed every night making for beautiful groomers, and warmed up quickly making great mashed potato snow! I even tele-skied one day! Boy am I a clumsy mess on skis!
We had to be off the runs every day at 1:30 so we spent the afternoons in Zermatt walking around, eating GREAT food and drinking great wine and beer. I played with the girls in the pool at the hotel and relaxed a lot too.
After getting back, Monday I went to the girls' schools to meet their teachers. Tuesday I went to Freiburg, Germany. Norbert is from Freiburg and his parents still live their. The girls call them Oma and Opa, German for Grandma and Grandpa. We did some shopping, rode the tram and saw some of the sights, including the cathedral, which was the center of a great plaza, and the beautiful towers that are still standing even after the war. Unfortunately we faced a huge downpour and ended up in a cafe getting a snack and rushing to the tram with all three kids, trying not to get soaked!
What an amazing first week! The girls start school tomorrow and I will begin my routine...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Zambia 2008!
I have done many crazy things in my life but taking 6 high school students may top my list! After a mini-adventure getting to Zambia, being re-routed through Dubai, Nairobi and Lusaka, we arrived in Ndola, Zambia but without all 16 pieces of luggage. Everyone coped well; we had what we needed in our carry-ons. Students even acknowledged how little they really need to get by! We spent our 2 weeks in the Copperbelt at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Sanctuary where they all became chimp experts and made new friendships. We spent days observing the chimps, teaching at the Twampane School and playing with the kids in the compound. These were the moments that really opened eyes!
We also did a few "projects." We sponsored a nearby village school to come and see the chimps, do art projects, play soccer and stay the night. They also sang and danced for us. The evening turned into a dance party with all of the Chimfunshi workers and their families along with all of us dancing too! The power in their singing hits you deep in your soul. They sang the entire hour to and from the school...all of us in the back of a truck with rhythm and harmony carrying us.
We spent a day in the Muchinshi village. This is the nearest school up to grade 9. We taught English class, writing acrostic poetry about ourselves and our lives. This gave everyone a personal look at how rural, poor Zambians describe themselves, their families, and aspirations. The same day we also painted the girls' dormitories at the Muchinshi School. The dorms are free for girls that are able to pay their tuition for school but live too far away. Painting was just the excuse for us to spend a day there; some of us were asked to join them for meals, we were refered to as "sista" by many, and were very sad to be leaving when they invited us to stay the night.
Our final project was with the Fbwanse Women's Centre in Muchinshi. This group of amazing women grow and grind corn for the elders and orphans in the village. They are able to pay for this by running a small bakery selling scones. We spent an afternoon there being greeted with hugs and singing followed by a tour of their facility. back in the large roon they sang and danced for us then presented us with a huge traditional meal: nshima (ground corn staple food), cabbage, fried sweet potatoes, chicken, kapenta (small fried fish), chibwabwa (pumpkin leaves with peanut powder), sweet potato leaves, rice, rape (canola leaves), and sweet potatoes with peanut powder. After the meal we gave a small donation for the repair of one of their mill parts.
Overall our time in the Copperbelt was eye opening and very successful. All of the students made connections with the children and adults living there. They got to hold and play with a baby chimp and became experts on the subject. I hope that they also reflected on their own lives and possessions and "needs" and a bit of perspective was gained.
After a great 2 weeks we drove a hellishly long drive to Livingstone where we visited Victoria Falls. We viewed the falls from the Zambia side but also went up in a micro light aircraft (like a hand glider with a small propeller and a pilot). This was amazing! Not only do you see the ENTIRE falls, but you see elephants, hippos and crocs from the air! Viewing the falls from the air is breathtaking! We did a dinner cruise up stream from the falls and saw some more wildlife but the real trip was in Botswana.
We did a 3 day camping safari in Chobe National Park. I feel like I can say that we saw everything! There was plenty of elephants, giraffes, zebras, tons and tons of different birds, baboons, impala, buffalo and others. But it was the special moments seeing animals do things: lions mating, buffalo by the thousands moving, zebras stampeed, the impala in a tree carried by a leopard, the leopard in the neighboring tree hanging out on a branch, hyaenas, vultures and storks sharing a carcass, elephants swimming, zebras "foreplay", plus so much more. It was a great way to end a trip!
My goals for the trip were to help young people gain perspective and open their eyes; what I was opening their eyes to depended on the students. I KNOW that these students changed the lives of hundreds of children and I hope that one of those kids changed the life of one of the students. Whether they made a connection with the animals or kids, that's all that I wanted and I think that it was accomplished.
We also did a few "projects." We sponsored a nearby village school to come and see the chimps, do art projects, play soccer and stay the night. They also sang and danced for us. The evening turned into a dance party with all of the Chimfunshi workers and their families along with all of us dancing too! The power in their singing hits you deep in your soul. They sang the entire hour to and from the school...all of us in the back of a truck with rhythm and harmony carrying us.
We spent a day in the Muchinshi village. This is the nearest school up to grade 9. We taught English class, writing acrostic poetry about ourselves and our lives. This gave everyone a personal look at how rural, poor Zambians describe themselves, their families, and aspirations. The same day we also painted the girls' dormitories at the Muchinshi School. The dorms are free for girls that are able to pay their tuition for school but live too far away. Painting was just the excuse for us to spend a day there; some of us were asked to join them for meals, we were refered to as "sista" by many, and were very sad to be leaving when they invited us to stay the night.
Our final project was with the Fbwanse Women's Centre in Muchinshi. This group of amazing women grow and grind corn for the elders and orphans in the village. They are able to pay for this by running a small bakery selling scones. We spent an afternoon there being greeted with hugs and singing followed by a tour of their facility. back in the large roon they sang and danced for us then presented us with a huge traditional meal: nshima (ground corn staple food), cabbage, fried sweet potatoes, chicken, kapenta (small fried fish), chibwabwa (pumpkin leaves with peanut powder), sweet potato leaves, rice, rape (canola leaves), and sweet potatoes with peanut powder. After the meal we gave a small donation for the repair of one of their mill parts.
Overall our time in the Copperbelt was eye opening and very successful. All of the students made connections with the children and adults living there. They got to hold and play with a baby chimp and became experts on the subject. I hope that they also reflected on their own lives and possessions and "needs" and a bit of perspective was gained.
After a great 2 weeks we drove a hellishly long drive to Livingstone where we visited Victoria Falls. We viewed the falls from the Zambia side but also went up in a micro light aircraft (like a hand glider with a small propeller and a pilot). This was amazing! Not only do you see the ENTIRE falls, but you see elephants, hippos and crocs from the air! Viewing the falls from the air is breathtaking! We did a dinner cruise up stream from the falls and saw some more wildlife but the real trip was in Botswana.
We did a 3 day camping safari in Chobe National Park. I feel like I can say that we saw everything! There was plenty of elephants, giraffes, zebras, tons and tons of different birds, baboons, impala, buffalo and others. But it was the special moments seeing animals do things: lions mating, buffalo by the thousands moving, zebras stampeed, the impala in a tree carried by a leopard, the leopard in the neighboring tree hanging out on a branch, hyaenas, vultures and storks sharing a carcass, elephants swimming, zebras "foreplay", plus so much more. It was a great way to end a trip!
My goals for the trip were to help young people gain perspective and open their eyes; what I was opening their eyes to depended on the students. I KNOW that these students changed the lives of hundreds of children and I hope that one of those kids changed the life of one of the students. Whether they made a connection with the animals or kids, that's all that I wanted and I think that it was accomplished.
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