Ski Heaven

I just returned from a weekend trip that will be very difficult to top in the next few months that I am here. I don't know if any sights or activities will compare to the amazing majesty of the Swiss Alps and my opportunity to ski the fresh powder and wide open slopes.

A large group of our students caught a 2:00 train to Interlaken after class on Friday. We booked rooms at the Balmer's Hostel, a pretty famous spot for backpackers in Interlaken, a city located in the German speaking part of Switzerland. Cheryl and I were sharing an 8 person room with a group of girls from South Korea. We didn't spend much time in the room, but It definitely made me appreciate the clean and well kept facilities at the Montarina, our home in Lugano. The beds were steel poles, particle board and a thin foam mattress. It wasn't very comfortable, but it was fairly cheap..and that mattered more this weekend.

I grabbed a bite to eat at the gyro/pizza place next door, then went to the club below the hostel for happy hour. The hostel was crowded because the World Cup downhill ski race was at the mountain we were going the next day, and a bunch of fans were using the inexpensive rooms for a place to stay. We met a bunch of different people at the bar downstairs, many of them were American.

I had a long conversation with a group who are nurses in the US Army and stationed in Germany. One girl went to UVA and she introduced me to her favorite drink. It is called Strongbrau and is a cider that looks like beer but tastes somewhere between champagne and apple juice. It was very interesting and not that expensive.

We went to bed early so that we could wake up and hit the slopes. Cheryl and I were awoken at 7:00 by the people sharing our room (thats hostel life for ya!)...but we had planned to get up by 7:30 anyway. Katie, Alexis, Brittany,Whitney, Sarah, Katherine and I grabbed breakfast (it was included!) and walked next door to rent our gear. We caught the bus at 10 and after finally getting situated on the correct train were were on the slopes by 11:30. The choices fro slopes seemed innumerable, but we decided to go the the Grindlewald area to avoid the crowds.

I have been going on yearly ski trips to various resorts in Virginia since I was very young, but I have never experienced ANYthing as amazing as the slopes in Switzerland. I literally teared up at the beauty of the Alps as we rode our first ski lift. I could not believe that I was actually seeing what I was with my own eyes...it felt like it should have been in an IMAX movie. We could not have asked for better weather: Blue Skies and sunshine the whole day--We even got hot after skiing the longer runs.

I was nervous at first because Kathleen fell and broke her knee while skiing last weekend and I was afraid of incurring the same fate. Once I got up there I decided I that skiing the Alps is in some ways easier than other slopes I have been on. We took the gondola to the very top of the mountain where there were no trees. The whole mountain was covered in ski slopes of varying difficulty. They were wide and there were so many options that any one slope was not very crowded. The snow was powdery and there was hardly any ice. I felt safer skiing these slopes because I never was afraid of being run into from behind or running into a tree off the side.

We skied for a few hours before taking a break at a restaurant the overlooked the slopes. There was a band playing a variety of om papa music and American marching band type music. We ate some bratwurst and enjoyed the music and the view before heading back to the slopes. The whole experience was amazing and I am promising myself I will come back and ski the Alps again.

We grabbed the train back to Interlaken when the slopes closed and got ready for night sledding. About 30 people from our group took vans to a local ski area where we took a gondola in the pitch dark night to the top of a mountain. A guide lead us down the mountain on toboggans and we weaved back and forth on paths for 4 miles. We each tied a glowstick to our back to prevent running into each other, but beyond that the only light was provided by the moon and stars. It was so clear!

The guide lead us to a restaurant at the bottom of the hill where we had a traditional Swiss cheese fondue dinner. Afterwards, we went back to Balmer's. I showered up, grabbed a drink with some of the group, and went to bed.

We left Balmer's the next day and grabbed a train home to Lugano. We stopped halfway in the town of Luzern, which is famous for its wooden bridges and Weeping Lion statue. We grabbed lunch, ran around the town to see the sites and headed back to the Montarina.

We are continuing Consumer Behavior and Italian this week. I think I will be ging to either Milan or Munich next weekend, and will be touring Dublin, London and Paris the first week of February.

A group of South African students came to speak to our class today. They are working for a nonprofit organization to promote social responsibilities in South Africa. Their stories were fascinating and I am excited to learn more about their lives and their work when we have dinner with them tonight. David will be taking a group of students Jun 24- Aug 8 from our Virginia Tech program and students from the University of Lugano to work with students from Nelson Mandella Univerity to South Africa this summer. This group would have an internship and create programs to assist South African youth in making positive life choices and creating opportunity for themselves. They would also get some school credit. I am very interested in participating, but it will cost $5,000. I am trying to figure out all the details now, but it is a once in a lifetime experience that I know would be difficult to turn down.

oh...this is a STUDY abroad?

So it is our third day of class, and I haven't really done much except go to class, read, and plan for my upcoming trip to Interlaken this weekend. Consumer Behavior is interesting. We have a chapter or two of reading every night, and three hours of class a day. It is an interactive class, and David will call on people who look like they are dozing off...so it is important to stay alert and pay attention. We have started to discuss the difference between European and American culture and how that might change the way marketers present information to the public.

We started Italian yesterday with an adorable local lady who is very energetic. She also will call on random people to respond to her questions, so we have to keep up and pay attention. We have 2 major assessments in the class, and both have a conversational component, so I am nervous about my ability to pick up the language in such a limited amount of time. We have vocabulary to study every night and we get great practice by talking with locals around town.

We are still having trouble getting our student visas. Switzerland just changed a few rules in December, and even the people at the government offices are confused about what exactly we need to do. Therefore, we are staying in Switzerland and traveling to Interlaken this weekend. I might go skiing with a group of people. I would LOVE to go skiing in the alps, but am afraid I will hurt myself. A girl in our group went skiing last weekend and broke her knee. She is having surgery today, but I can't imagine how terrible it would be to try to recover while everyone else is traveling. If I do decide to go, I will be extra careful and take it easy.

Class is about to start...but below are some pictures that I have taken so far.








Ciao

Walking into a Fairytale

So much has gone on since I posted last. I caught up on some much needed sleep and got the chance to explore Lugano and some surrounding towns by day and night. On our second night in Switzerland, most of the group went to a local bar and enjoyed getting to know each other. We also met some of the locals who were going to a Reggae concert, so a few of us followed them and got to see Lugano behind all the wealthy locals and gorgeous views.
The next day I slept in a bit, I was still trying to adjust to the time (and the lifestyle) and went with Kelly, a girl who lives across the hall from me, to a cafe near the shore and we started our journals. We grabbed a bite to eat in an upscale version of a dining hall and went back to the Montarina. Most of the group went to the closest bar to our hotel where other Virginia Tech groups have frequented in the past. We made friends with the bar tender and some locals, who I am sure will be happy to have our business in the coming months.
Yesterday, Cheryl, Sarah, Ali, Mike and I caught a 30 minute train ride to the nearby city of Bellinzona. It is known for 3 huge castles that are amongst the homes and businesses of the town. It was a long hike to the furthest castle, which rested on a hill overlooking the city, but the walk was worth it just to take in the view. We got some great pictures and walked back towards the town and stopped at the other two castles on our way back to the train station. The attached picture is of Sarah and I in one of the castles.
On our way down from the 3rd castle we almost ran right into a protest about the Israeli conflict, so we decided to turn around and take a different route to the train station. We were worn out and happy to be back in Lugano, where we shared a frozen pizza. Lugano is one of the most expensive places to live in Europe, and it is evident by the meal prices. We have a kitchen and a refrigerator at the Montarina, so I plan on packing some lunch for class each day.
We had a relaxing evening so that we could get to class on time this morning. There is a 25 minute walk, so I will never complain about my walk in Blacksburg again! Consumer Behavior started today and we will start Italian tomorrow.
I was able to use the school's wireless internet so I Skyped a few people and am attempting to keep up with my blog and Facebook. I will try to post links to the websites where I am posting pictures soon, and will also post an address where you can send me packages:-) I have to leave now to get back to the Montarina in time for dinner...then read 2 chapters before tomorrow. Goodnight!