Lessons

Since I've been here I feel like I've been learning and seeing things faster then I can process them. So many things are different and new to me. Some of the things I found interesting:

1. THEY HAVE DIET COKE!!! YAY! It's hard to find, but does exist here.

2. The most popular clothes are..... Hollister and Abercrombie. And other American brands. I know, lame huh? But it's true. Because A: they are hard to find and B: when you do find them you end up paying 90 swiss francs for just a basic t-shirt. People will travel all the way to America just to buy those clothes.

3. EVERYTHING is expensive. The swiss will charge you for everything. At lunch yesterday in Basel I ordered water thinking it'd be free. Try 6 francs. And when I changed in my American dollars and realized the exchange rate was 1.0025, I freaked. Half gallon of milk: 5.50. Pack of gum: 3.89. Number 1 combo at McDonalds: 9.10. Stamp to Argentina: 2.50. Living in Switzerland: Priceless.

4. The mormon teenagers here live by a whole different "standards system." If you get wasted Saturday night, then show up the next morning at church it's no big deal.

5. My English is awful. If I try and talk like I normally do to these people, they just stare blankly at me. I have to consciously try and talk in slow, complete sentences. Sad? Very.

6. When walking around in a big city DO NOT make eye contact with guys. If you do, they will "return the interest" with butt smack. How do I know this? It's not important.

7. They eat... different things. Would you all like to know what I had for lunch? Ostrich. That's right. We are talking about the 6 ft tall walking BIRD. It's weird. It tastes like a really tender juicy steak.

8. Europeans have a VERY distinct B.O. smell.

9. Going to bed past 10pm is really late for me. I know, what is this world coming to?

10. They like to listen to American music. And not even the new stuff.. like the old hits from every decade.

11. Apple is King. Seriously, there are no such things as "cell phones," its just iphones.

12. And last but not least, do NOT hop the fences into cow pastures. They ARE electric and they WILL electrocute you. Ouchy.

I spent three hours towing a 1 year old baby around in Basel yesterday. It wasn't fun for either of us needless to say. It's a gorgeous city though. Very "cultural" and "artistic." I'm excited to be able to really explore it... but next time without Nina haha.

Also, here are some pictures from my village...