Ironique

About 2 weeks before my departure for Switzerland, I changed my mind. I didn't want to come here, I didn't want to leave my friends and family behind. I had a marvelous life and spent my days with amazing people.

Now, about 2 weeks before my departure for America, I've changed my mind. I don't want to leave. I don't want to go back to the small bubble of Bay Village. I've got amazing friends who've kept me alive and an even more amazing family who've shown me how wonderful Switzerland is.

Kind of ironic, isn't it?

Sometimes I don't even know what I'm supposed to be feeling. At times all I want to do is leave this place, because I promise, I honestly do miss my friends and family. But then I think of how small my life was before Switzerland. I've been with the same people since I was born and it's been so nice to get away. I've figured out who I am here, and I've become so much more honest with myself and others. I'm surrounded by culture and I'm with people from all over the world. I have the entire country of Switzerland to explore, I take trains almost everyday, just trying to discover a new part of the country. Today I went to France by boat, wanna know why? Because I can! I have so much freedom here, and then I start to think about going home... I have to find a job, I have to start college, I have to study and work hard to become successful. I'm already stressed just thinking about it, a to-do list has already been forming in my head for weeks. So why leave a place where I have no stress and am completely comfortable? Because I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss boating on Lake Erie and eating Taco Bell at 2am. I miss aimlessly driving around and blasting my music. I just hope that when everything else returns to normal, I can still remember everything I learned this year.

Time for another photo update!

My host family in Barcelona! We rented bikes for an afternoon and cruised around the city.

My host sister Pauline and I while waiting in line for the cathedral.

Epitome of my family. Maxime, Guillaume, Me and Pauline

The beach in Barcelona!

Parc Güell

Barcelona was amazing and it was really fun to take a trip with my host family, but it was still good to get back to Switzerland.

This week my friend Kelsey came to visit me! She's from Bay Village but is studying in Florence for 6 weeks. So she came up to Switzerland for the weekend.

We took an afternoon to go see the Castle of Chillon with Mylisha and her cousin April who is also visiting Fribourg.

Lac Léman

With Mylisha at the castle

Just doing some interpretive dancing

On another note, I have to leave Switzerland in 19 days. What? I'm pretty sure I'm not okay with that. And it doesn't really help that my host mom brings it up practically every single day, making sure that I don't overpack, talking about train times and plans for the last week here. But don't worry, I told my host sister that I'm just going to stay here and she didn't have a problem with it. Although I am looking forward to seeing the midnight premier of Harry Potter in Bay Village, so I guess that means I'll have to leave...

Hola, cómo estás?

Long story short, Barcelona was amazing! I forgot how much I love the ocean and napping on the beach. Spanish people are awesome and Spain is so much more relaxed than Switzerland. But it was still a relief to come home. I prefer trains instead of taxis, mountains instead of the beach (well actually, that might be a tie) and in general, Switzerland is a lot cleaner than the rest of Europe. I'll post some pictures once I've got them on my computer.

On another note, my ankle is healing quite nicely, but sadly I've gotten terribly sick. I've got a nice combo of a runny nose, a cough and some congestion/headache situation going on. It's like a mix between a cold and allergies. So much fun. and ladies and gentleman, karma has taught me my lesson: I've been skipping way too much school to go exploring, so now when i'm actually sick and could use a day off, I have to go to school. great. But it's okay because my host sister Pauline has been making me this magical tea that is super yummy, so hopefully all will be well soon!

I come home exactly one month from today. But I'll save the freakout for another time.

merde...

Once upon a time I thought it would be smart to go running in the forest. I tripped and fell over a root and sort of killed my ankle. So now my foot is the size of a balloon and I have a very lovely bruise on my ankle.

but it's fine, because I'M GOING TO BARCELONA TOMORROW!

adios switzerland!