30.08.09

Since my room is temporary at the moment, I've resisted putting up all the pictures I brought to decorate the walls. For now, my room decor mostly consists of my favorite birthday cards that people gave me this year or in years past, a few sand dollars and a shell that I couldn't not bring with me. Whatever the reason, I was reading through the cards again and the one that Sabrina sent me suddenly carried more meaning that it had only a few weeks ago. The front of it reads:

"We all let people into our lives, but you will find that really good friends let you into your own."

You all know how how much I'm a sucker for the sentimental, and yeah, I guess you could say that I relished in nostalgia for a few moments, thinking about all my friends and family at home and how much I really miss everyone. But instead of getting really sad or upset, I felt a huge wave of gratitude to have those people in my life, regardless of how far away you all may be. And being here gives me the opportunity to establish a similar, though different connection with people elsewhere, using a new language, exploring a new country, and perhaps, learning more about myself in the process.

My friend Ali has definitely helped me take a step in that direction, though he may not realize it. Since we both had a long break today (from noon to 6:45pm), we decided to hang out in the afternoon and go for a walk. Chatting and laughing and walking, we made it to a small park that jets out like a mini peninsula where many people go to sunbathe, swim, and play volleyball. We sat there and talked about our families, friends, plans for the future, and music. Armed with his iPhone, Ali took on the role of DJ and played some popular American tunes, the two of us bopping our heads while catching some afternoon rays in the grass. His playlist included: Akon's "I Wanna Love You" (yes, the clean version), some Michael Jackson numbers, Bob Marley's "Get Up Stand Up," Kid Cudi's "Day and Night," and my personal favorite, Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." Apparently, when Ali spent a few months in London learning English, he would walk around listening to Celine when he was lonely (he also loves to sing this song and the others when polishing glasses after the dinner rush--our very own nightly playlist by Ali). If I didn't already think we would be friends, this did it. Oh, and he played Rihanna's "Disturbia" which nearly made me cry (shout out: Shan and Car!). And get this: when Rihanna was giving a concert in Casablanca last summer, Ali's dad was the guy that ran the venue where her concert took place, and since Ali was the only person on staff that could speak good English, he got to hang out with her and be her personal translator for an afternoon. I just about died.

Because we both have this Friday off, I think we may take the boat for a ride on the lake. As much as I love being alone at times, I could not be happier to have a friend that wants to go exploring during the day. And equally as cool, I know that Ali is grateful to have me too. The others don't usually do stuff during the day beyond sitting in their rooms eating and sleeping. A new partner in crime? Yup, I think I may just have one! Okay, he may not be dancing on the tables to Rihanna with me at a bar, but that's what I have Shan and Car for among other things.

29.08.09

Work was actually fun today. Like really fun. It was super busy and I don't think that any of us stopped moving or running around for four hours straight. The time flew by and before I knew it, only one table was left. I feel like I'm getting the hang of this job, and best of all, I've adopted a friendly banter with my co-workers which makes everything much more entertaining. Finally, I've relaxed a bit more into myself and can socialize as I would with casual friends (though the language barrier still gets in the way sometimes).

After we finished clearing tables and prepping for the next day, we all collapsed into the chairs, a luminous moon rising high up into the sky over the mountains and lake below. The name of the hotel 'Swiss Majestic' suddenly seemed so perfectly appropriate for the evening. The guys took beer while I sucked down a gin 'n tonic in a few minutes flat, despite all my efforts to resist my American habits of finishing what's in front of me too quickly. Steve thought this was hilarious. I proceeded to listen to the five guys talk, all their words blending together and me only catching every one out of ten. Hey, at least I didn't have the look of terror on my face of the first day, and one out of ten? That's better than nothing!

A sunset stroll around Vielle Ville, Montreux

Today when I was parked at my usual spot at Mayfair, checking emails and such, I spent a few minutes looking up “things to do in Montreux.” Well, not much comes up that I haven’t already done or heard about, but I read something about Vielle Ville (this is the oldest part of the city) and figured I could catch some nice views of the mountains and lake around sunset.

There’s no specific path to follow, which I prefer, so I started off from the hotel and simply headed up the hill. The cobblestone streets quickly become smaller the further up you go, eventually only allowing one car to carefully maneuver between the multicolored buildings that are all sandwiched together. The best way to distinguish between residences is by the the color of matching window shutters. From red to blue to green to yellow, some shutters are framed by well-kept boxes of flowers and some serve as an ideal place to hang clothes out to dry. Going slighty camera crazy (don’t worry, I haven’t changed a bit), I couldn’t help but think of Nat and the pictures she took of windows the last time we were all in Switzerland. For whatever reason, they are instantly charming, each telling a different story and safe-guarding the private lives of those who live inside.

I found a path that looked private, but with no sign forbidding my entrance in sight, I kept trudging uphill, following the stairs made out of stones as they wound between large houses and the tiny gardens and vineyards that are carved into the mountain. Sounds of plates clattering and people chatting escaped out into the streets, perhaps signaling the end of a family meal. The streets run so close to each house that I almost felt like I was joining them all for dinner, or at least taking part in their conversation though they remain oblivious.

Near the end of the path there is a large stone wall that runs alongside some grape vines and a modern-style home that looks as though it belongs in Malibu. I clammered up just in time to see a golden sun finally penetrating through the clouds, turning the pale yellow sky into a canvas of burning orange. The contrast of colors between the sky and heavy set, charcoal clouds is mesmerizing.

I spent about fifteen minutes sitting on the wall, listening to the dinner party a few houses away while enjoying my own dessert of chocolate biscuit cookies and watching the molten sun drop closer and closer to the water until it disappeared behind a wall of shadows. It was the perfect evening to end my first official ‘weekend’ in Switzerland. Oh, and to top it off, amidst the sound of church bells ringing in the background, a little black cat decided to join in on my walk back down the hill. For a moment I considered taking her back with me, but after some deliberation, we went out separate ways. Ah, companionship. What a luxury.

Lausanne in photos

Found a park. People watched, sat, read, and napped. Note: the swiss know the art of benches. I swear, every time I find myself wishing there was a comfortable place to sit, voila! A wooden bench appears. I also find this to be true with boulangeries (bakeries), but that's another story, and being that they are on nearly every street corner, they are far more dangerous in an oh-so-delicious-I-want-more kind of way.

Walked through a different part of the city that I hadn't yet seen.

Went into Chailly Cathedral, the first of many churches that I'm sure I'll wander into.

Hungry, tired, and thirsty, I parked myself at this 'Salon de The' (red awning, in the corner), and indulged in coffee and a chocolate eclair (Chels, it wasn't the same without you!).

(No photo provided, seeing as taking the picture would have made me slightly, okay really, stalkerish.)

Sat the train next to a guy that seriously needed to wear more (or some) deodorant. I love Europe and all, but this is one thing that I do not understand. Seriously, smelling bad is not attractive. And no, it wasn't that 'natural' smell that some of us find lovable (Car, you know what I mean ;).

* * *

It was a lovely day and it felt good to be in a bigger city that is not merely filled with tourists like Montreux. But, I'll admit, it felt great to come home to my room, my fluffy white bed, and the sound of a rumbling train to rock me to sleep.

The joys of hotel living

1. Ecstatic with my first day off, I decided to do the unthinkable: I did NOT set an alarm. And as most of you know, I never do this. Never. However my aching feet and legs and back were begging for mercy, so I caved. Well, low and behold, at the bright and sunny hour of 7am, I awoke to the sweet roaring sound of a chainsaw. Ah yes, construction in the morning. How lovely! And I thought I left that behind in Mission Beach. As a part of the impending renovation on the hotel, a number of trees had to be cut down on the street a few floors below my window, and lucky for me, they chose to start on my day off. Not even pillows over my head smothered the very unwelcomed wake-up call.

2. Two words: hotel food. Okay, allow me to be more specific: hotel food prepared for the employees. Now we’re talking. Lunch is served from 11:00 to 12:30 and dinner from 6:00 to 7:30, every day. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes, not so good. I’m still not exactly sure what the lunch menu was today, but it looked and tasted something like leeks wrapped in jambon and drenched in some goopy cheese and cream sauce. But, since eating in the staff lounge means free food, it’s not so bad. And sometimes when we’re really lucky, we get the buffet leftovers from La Terrace, including bite-sized desserts that look more like art than food. Often in the evenings, we also get to try the ‘plat du jour’ in the kitchen. The cooks make an extra plate and within five minutes, it’s demolished by the service employees (including any juices left on the plates as every last drop of butter and sauce is soaked with bread).

3. Laundry. The way it works: there is one washing machine in the large laundry room (also used to clean all hotel linens) that is available to employees. It cost one swiss franc, and we have access to it anytime after 7:30pm. There’s also an industrial-sized dryer, but since I’m too scared to walk away with clothes the size of Barbie, I think I’ll stick to letting everything hang dry. So in short, laundry isn’t a huge hassle, but I’m avoiding tackling it until absolutely necessary.

Vendredi

Another day off and sooo many choices! The plan for today, you ask? After I finish my first cup of coffee and perusing the Friday Flee market along the lake, I'm taking the train to Lausanne to walk around and see something new. And perhaps I'll take a little boat ride around the lake with my book and camera in tow.

The 411: Co-workers edition

Steve: Nationality: Swiss. Blondish hair, blue eyes, nice build. Age: Looks 25ish, but not sure. Stop right there. I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no. (And as a side note, before I arrived, Andy apparently told all the employees that I am off-limits. “Touch her and you die.” So yeah, that’s great.) Anyway, I digress... Steve’s a super nice guy and is very good at his job, but he’s definitely not my type. I only worked with him the first day, so that’s pretty much all I have to say about him for now.

Nicolas (1): Nationality: French, Parisian to be more specific. Dark hair, dark eyes, very skinny, pretty tall, gold necklace chain, and slightly intimidating. Age: too afraid to ask (yet). Okay, I’ll admit, I was initially scared shitless of “Nico.” He didn’t smile, didn’t say much and squinted his thin face every time I spoke French to him, as if that would help him understand me better. Ha. Good try. But after a few days of working with Nico, he’s opened up a bit. Okay, we may not be giggling and talking like we’re BFF, but he seems like a nice guy and he actually has started smiling on occasion, though he remains faithful to his Parisian culture. We’ve talked about traveling a lot, and Nico told me about a friend of his working in San Diego (we bonded, I know). He spent some time working at the French restaurant in Miami at Disney World and has visited New York and LA. He may not be the chattiest person, but he’s nice enough and gives me constructive criticism that I appreciate.

Lea: Nationality: French and a Parisienne as well. Light brown hair, brown eyes, small frame. Age: 21. Initially, not so friendly, but she definitely warmed up to me and we’ve laughed about random stuff. She spent some time living in Sydney, Australia, so her English is fairly good. Sadly though, she leaves on Saturday morning as her time in Montreux is over. Bummer.

Alexandre: Nationality: Also French and yes, also from Paris. Dark hair, dark eyes, smaller guy. He has the warmest eyes, and we’ve chatted in the cafeteria a few times. The conversation was sufficiently awkward but only because the cafeteria fosters awkwardness for a lot of people (or at least it seems to me). He’s made a few jokes here and there which made me feel comfortable and he’s great with helping me in French. He corrects me when I say something wrong, but not in a condescending way, which I’m grateful for. Sadly, Alex also leaves at the end of the week, so poof. Another one gone.

Nicolas (2): Nationality: Don’t know. Blondish hair and blue eyes. Age: 23 (but only because I asked Lea). Nicolas is the boss. And he definitely seems to take his position extra seriously. I appreciate the effort and attention he pays to his job, but he’s extremely formal and completely unapproachable. In a nutshell, he intimidates the hell out of me. He has not smiled. Once. And walks with his feet turned out to the side, and perhaps has a bit of a waddle. Duck-like maybe. I can’t quite pinpoint it.

Liza: Nationality: Austrian. Darker hair with darker features. Age: 16! Speaks four languages, though she’s not quite fluent in English or French (yet). Apparently for the school that she attends, she needs to learn five language. Yup, FIVE. Crazy talk. Liza works in the cafe that joins Le Brasserie, mostly in the morning into the early afternoon. She seems nice, though I really haven’t spent much time working with her. She also leaves in a few weeks to go back to school.

Diana: Nationality: Kazakh. Dark brown hair, dark features, taller than me. Age: 21. She speaks great English and definitely likes to party. She mainly works in the cafe, but she usually shows up at the end of the night to help with polishing glasses and cleaning up last minute things. I’ve asked her about the best bars in the area, and she’s provided some solid guidance on which places to check out and which ones are a total bust.

Ali: Nationality: Moroccan, from Casablanca. Dark features and a little bit taller than me. Age: 19. Excellent English. Ali’s doing his internship for hotel school at Suisse Majestic. Apparently, he goes to the second best hotel IN THE WORLD. Uh yeah. I told him that he’s a sort of celebrity to me. He thought that was funny. To say that Ali is my favorite employee is an understatement. From the second I met him, he welcomed me with the warmest smile and didn’t make me feel like a total foreigner. He is incredibly patient with me and expertly dishes out constructive criticism, which I am so grateful for. He is VERY good at what he does, a total natural as his family is also in the hotel business (more on that in a moment), and has adopted me as his protege. He is constantly showing me how to do things, only the “professional” way, which translates as 5-star hotel status. A few more weeks and I’ll be serving the Queen at Buckingham Palace! Ha, I joke I joke. But the amount of detail that goes into every little thing (serving plates, setting tables, stacking plates, etc etc.) is unbelievable. I’ll have to write an entire post on that later, so don’t you worry.

Lucky for me, Ali and I work together quite a bit, so I can count on learning new skills every day. And more than being nice, Ali is actually interested in getting to know me, which makes me feel less like an outsider. On the first shift that we worked together, he asked me about my family, home, and what I think about Islam (this last question totally caught me off guard, but I appreciated his honest curiosity). Then I proceeded to ask him about his impression of Americans/ the U.S. We didn’t really get to dive into the conversation because of work and all, but he told me we should have a conversation about both sometime after work. And when I said that I like running along the lake, he suggested that we be running buddies. Don’t freak out, he’s definitely NOT hitting on me, he’s just a sweet kid with a great heart and a genuine curiosity about other people and their traditions. As for him, he is fasting in honor of Ramadan (the Muslim month of fasting during which you cannot eat or drink anything until 8:30pm). The moment the minute hand finds the six on his watch, he nearly sprints to the kitchen, chugs milk and eats bread or whatever the kitchen staff can make him. And when I asked him about it, he was more than eager to explain more about his religious beliefs and life in Morocco. One night after work, I went to his room and he showed me a bunch of pictures on his computer. Pictures of the mosque in Casablanca, his HUGE family, the hotel his grandfather started and father now runs (called Le Palace Blue, this place looks GORGEOUS. OMG.), and the decorations involved in putting on a Moroccan wedding at his parents hotel. If you haven’t seen pictures or heard about these kinds of festivities, wow. You’d die. To say that it’s beautiful does the celebration no justice. Oh, and side note... seeing his room made me REALLY appreciate mine cause his is more like a jail cell. Lastly, when I mentioned that I wanted to visit Morocco sometime, he said that I’d have to go and that he would show me around and take me to all the coolest places. Awesome Foreign hookup number 1: Check!

Obviously, there are plenty of other people I’ve met, but this is the low down for now. Hopefully I’ve painted a better picture of the people for y’all. And obviously, the moment I get pictures, you’ll be the first to see!

Namaste

(Written 27.08.09)

Today I decided to check out the yoga studio I found online a few weeks ago while in Cd’A this summer. It’s called Studio 88 and is literally a one minute walk from the hotel, overlooking the train station. In order to enter the building that the studio is in, you actually have walk down the first platform of the station. Strange location, but I thought I should try it out regardless. And when the owner--Julie--messaged me back about the class schedule, she sounded nice enough. The only class she had in the evening was Pilates, but I figured why not, right?

The studio itself is really nice. I mean, it’s no CorePower (for those of you who know what I mean), but it had a bohemian flare and cool music that actually felt authentic. The wooden floor creaks occasionally, which I personally found endearing, and french windows open up to some beautiful buildings and of course, the mountains. Ah, sigh.

Then there is the train issue. Imagine this: you’re mindfully focused on your body, your breath, your environment, and Julie’s voice in order to follow directions (which are given in both French and English), and the rumbling begins... Soon enough the train is zooming by--yes, you can actually see it as it is about 50 feet outside the windows on the right-hand wall--and Julie has to pause her instructions since her voice would disappear completely with the sound of the high speed train if she continued. And once during the 90 minute class, not one but three trains decide to go by, one after the other after the other for nearly a solid 20 seconds of iron and metal and noise. I literally almost burst out laughing at that point because the whole concept of practicing yoga while you’re virtually standing on a train platform sounds just ridiculous. But honestly? That class was the best thing I could have done and I felt like a million dollars walking out onto Voie 1 (translation: Platform 1). And at the end of the class, I recognized one of the women as a hotel employee that works in the management office. Franchesca is her name (her title: Sales Manager), and we chatted for a little while after the class. If anything, going to the class made me feel a part of a mini community, and the fact that nearly everyone speaks English is just plain AWESOME.

Despite the whole train thing, I’m definitely going to make a habit of taking classes on my days off and when my schedule permits. Walking back to my room, I felt a sense of true normalcy and balance that I haven’t quite felt since I arrived in Montreux. And for that... hell, I’d practice next to a airport runway if it did the trick.

Walking the streets

One of my favorite things to do here is walk. Sounds boring, right? Ha. Wrong. The people watching is just fantastic and sometimes on my time between shifts, I'll go down to path along the lake, walk, grab a coffee, find a bench, and sit and listen to people that walk by me. A fun game I've invented: guess the language. With my earphones in and iPod turned off, I discretely watch people as they approach and guess what language they'll be speaking... German? French? English? Spanish? Portuguese? Arabic? I'm actually getting pretty good at it!

And walking around the town of Montreux is entertaining as well. The city itself is VERY clean, maybe because it is sooooo touristy. It's very much a resort town, so by the time late September roles around, I have a feeling that it will be a little bit dead to say the least. The town itself is pretty small, about 25,000 people, so there isn't a ton to do, but I have everything I need (so far) and in time I know I'll discover some more hang out spots. For now, I have adopted a few places:

1. Cafe du Globe. This is my morning coffee spot where I walk to every morning before work to sit and have coffee and read. It's an adorable cafe with all wood paneling inside and a few tables on the quiet cobblestone street it faces.

2. Mayfair cafe. (Where I am currently sitting) This is my internet hot spot with super comfy chairs and an interesting crowd. Flat screens line the walls and because it is located on the main drag (Rue du Lac), it can get pretty loud with buzzing cars and the sound of a boat leaving the dock 100 feet away.

3. A bakery that I don't know the name of. I've tried a few places out comparing croissants and baguettes, and so far, this place is by far the best. And trust me, the art of makin the perfect croissant is essential in my search for the perfect bakery. This particular bakery is a two minute walk from the hotel front door and emits an intoxicating smell of baked bread and butter... lots and lots of butter. Maybe I'll just call it heaven for now.

I suppose that's it for now. I plan on making a trip to Lausanne this afternoon or tomorrow to walk around and maybe discover a few new places. I may even take the boat over there (and don't worry, I'll take pictures) and train back. God I love Europe.

Oh! And one more thing I forgot to mention... On the first day I was here, I was walking through the center part of town and saw a young guy wearing a University of San Diego t-shirt. No joke. My mouth literally dropped. I think it's a sign... Of what? Who cares. But cool, huh?

Le Flat (as in my home for the next few weeks): PART II

View from the living room. You can see the train station platform on the bottom right.

The Montreux train station.

My living room and front door in the background.

Photo taken from the bedroom door.

Le Flat (as in my home for the next few weeks): PART I

Here are some pics of my room on the 8th floor. Like I said before, renovations start here in a few weeks, so I'll be moving someplace new... not sure where yet. But for now, take a look at my current home. Enjoy!

Bathroom

Looking from the bathroom, through the living room to the bedroom.

From the front door. Bathroom is the doorway on the left, and by the table on the right is the door to my bedroom.

And... the master suite!

Bedroom

Walking along Lac Leman

Some photos from my first full day in Montreux:

The city of Montreux.

Lac Leman at sunset (aka Lake Geneva)

The hotel! See the yellow umbrellas at about the halfway mark on the building? Yup, that's 'La Terrace,' as in my work place. Yeah, life sucks. Ha.

Benches like these line the entire three mile walk from the city of Montreux to le Chateaux de Chillon, which you can see in the distance by the trees on the left. I've already spent a significant amount of time sitting here reading (this being one of my favorite benches) or taking an afternoon nap in the sun.

24.08.09: Monday

(Written the night after my first day of work at the La Terrace Restaurant.)

It’s raining outside, the droplets quietly reminding me that summer is coming to a close (thankfully). It was a splendid summer in retirement, but as all things must end one way or another, my time to move onto something different came rather quickly. Today was my first official day of work. My feet hurt, my back hurts, my mind hurts from thinking in English and French while trying to get the hang of this new job. Everything aches just slightly. But I finished it. And even though I can’t quite believe it myself, I actually had fun near the end--not really when I was working, but at least with the people I work with. And then, after the darkness fell and fewer tables remained caked with food and glasses and people, it started to rain. Hard. And sporadic lightening lit up the French Alps across the lake, like a framed black and white Ansel Adams photograph. It was a much needed reminder of where I am, what I’m doing, and how happy I am to be here, despite my exhausted body and confused brain. It feels good to be learning something new, even though sometimes I want to kill some of the people I serve, though I am quite good at masking any aggression I feel by putting an obviously foreign smile on my face.

And then there’s the whole language thing. Trying to speak French with Parisian waiters. It’s hilarious when I think about it. I stand there, harnessing and focusing every bone in my body just to understand them, their critiques, their directions, and as soon as I nod my head thinking that I understood, one tiny and fairly significant piece of information either gets lost in translation or in my head. But, by the end of the evening, I had a better grasp on most things and on receiving directions from my boss Steve. Not sure how old he is, but he’s professional and the fact that he’s so patient with me makes him a saint. Then there’s Nicolas, your typical Parisian: tall, skinny, speaks with very aggressive “r”s (those of you who know a Parisian accent will understand this), and not a smile on him... at least the first day. I don’t think he cracked once, at least that I saw. Then there’s Lea, also from Paris, but much more approachable, though not initially. The fact that she’s leaving at the end of the week, makes me less interested in her personality as bad as that sounds. She’s kind though and is a very good worker as is most everyone I saw today. And finally, my favorite, Ali. I may not tell Ali this right away, but he is the closest thing I have to a friend here. He’s has the kindest smile of anyone I’ve met or seen thus far in Switzerland. Pehaps his not being Swiss or French or German has something to do with it. He is Moroccan, from Casablanca, and has the sweetest eyes and remarkable English, which I am SO thankful for. Within the first thirty minutes of meeting him, he was asking me genuine questions about myself in effortless English, which I was so very grateful for since the French-thing is proving to be difficult indeed. While he was showing me some random odds and ends, he asked me what I think of Islam. I was not per se shocked by the question because I found it to be a good one, but I suppose I was slightly caught off guard. We chatted a bit about it and I asked what he thought of most Americans. We both decided that we should continue the conversation later in the one of our rooms after work (I chickened out tonight since I’m just too tired to think and socialize like a normal human being, but I told him another night, definitely). Of all the people I met today, I’m relieved that Ali is the one who will be staying, at least for a while longer than the others. He seems to be a great person to chat with--in English--and I’m sure I could learn a lot from him. And the fact that he’s only ninetten makes him cuter with a slightly boyish quality.

Finally, at the end of a long day, I’m happy I made it through, mostly unscarred. And with the possibility of a friend. That’s more than I started with this morning! And I have to say, I definitely saw some interesting things... a woman wearing a diamond necklace that was shaped like a tie (bizarre, I know), a VERY American couple who took great interest in me and actually gave me their unredeemed swiss lottery tickets (they won thirteen francs but didn’t have the time to cash it!), a man who chewed each bite he took about forty times before swallowing (no joke), and plenty of other Germans, English, Swiss, French, and Portugeuse that I cannot distinguish very well at the moment. They all sort of blend together into one long ten hour day. I’ve never worked that much in one day in my life.

After my incredibly hectic summer (weighed heavy on the sarcasm here), this job is going to take some getting used to. But hey, one day down! And tomorrow, who knows!

Here we go!

I have officially been in Montreux for one week, and now that I am finally making myself a home here, at least temporarily, this blog has become my newest project for several reasons:

a) It gives me an excuse to go enjoy a cappuccino at the cafe down the street (they conveniently have free wifi).

b) I get to write anecdotes and share amusing stories with you all while simultaneously posting pictures and links for your reading pleasure (and my own personal entertainment).

c) Eh, that's enough reasons for now :).

So, without further ado, here's to the next adventure, the "Unknown Adventure" as Chels so perfectly titled my music playlist. I may not know how long I'm staying here (thanks to the fine people at the Swiss Consulate) or where I'll be living in another few weeks or what my job will be come tomorrow, but I suppose that keeps life interesting, which as a college grad is more than I could ask for.

And one more thing... I love you all. So much. And as much as I find this place beautiful and new and exciting, it doesn't compare to being closer to all of you. Soon enough, soon enough.

All my love,

Mel