A year ago today I was in London. I was just starting my study abroad experience which is still one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I want to go back more often than I should (even though I was homesick sometimes). It still feels like I just got back, but, at the same time, like that study abroad was a world and a half away. In some ways, I suppose, it is.
A lot can happen in a year. It seems like such an insignificant amount of time, those twelve months, but a whole life--a whole world--can change in that period. And we hardly notice it until we look back.
A year ago today I was in London. I was learning how to live in a different culture and how to get around in a foreign city. Today I'm a little over a month away from marrying the most incredible man, I'm starting full-time at my job because I graduated from BYU, and the future is largely uncharted. That's exciting and scary at the same time. I have another year ahead of me. Another year in which life can change completely. Isn't that remarkable? I'm excited to see what that brings.
Showing posts with label Feeling Grateful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Feeling Grateful. Show all posts
Friday, April 29, 2016
Monday, April 11, 2016
Finish Lines
There's a certain feeling that always accompanies the end of a school year. The sun seems to shine just a little bit brighter, a little bit warmer. The birds sing a just a little bit sweeter. You seem to smile just a little bit bigger, more frequently. There really is no better feeling.
Sure, there are still papers to do and exams to ace (or take), but there's a light at the end of the tunnel and that light is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. Suddenly, outside seems the best place to be all of the time, and you walk with your head up because, guess what, you're almost there. You're a few short days away from no more homework assignments, no more tests, no more heavy backpacks bursting at the seams with books and notes and knowledge.
There's something about being able to see the finish line that makes the race doable. Sometimes seeing the finish line is all you need for that last burst of energy to kick in and fly through to the end. It's remarkable, really.
So here's to finish lines. There are starting lines ahead, of course, but this race will soon be over.
Sure, there are still papers to do and exams to ace (or take), but there's a light at the end of the tunnel and that light is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. Suddenly, outside seems the best place to be all of the time, and you walk with your head up because, guess what, you're almost there. You're a few short days away from no more homework assignments, no more tests, no more heavy backpacks bursting at the seams with books and notes and knowledge.
There's something about being able to see the finish line that makes the race doable. Sometimes seeing the finish line is all you need for that last burst of energy to kick in and fly through to the end. It's remarkable, really.
So here's to finish lines. There are starting lines ahead, of course, but this race will soon be over.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
An Afternoon Well-Spent
Today was rainy and I had a large amount of reading to do for classes. Unfortunately, I ordered my books too late for the most important ones to be here at the moment, so I went about looking for other ways to accomplish the reading assignments from them.
I remembered one semester that I was in the same situation and I found that Barnes and Noble had the book at their store. I sat on the floor in the aisle and read from Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. I received my textbook in the mail shortly thereafter, and didn't have to repeat the practice of being the worst Barnes and Noble customer there is. But I do continue to look at the experience fondly. It was a wonderful adventure to have that evening.
I found myself in the same situation this afternoon and once again found the needed textbooks on the Barnes and Noble website. I found myself at the store thirty minutes later, wandering the aisles crowded with books, a faint smile on my face that wouldn't quite leave, the smell of glue and pages and pastries and coffee mixed together to create an enchanting feeling. Books whispered on the shelves promising adventure and experience and beauty.
I couldn't find the textbooks I needed and decided that they weren't actually to be found in the store after all. Instead of leaving, though, I continued to peruse the aisles. Technically speaking, I didn't find what I was looking for and found myself no closer to finishing my homework by the end of my outing so it could be seen as a waste of a trip.
The thing is, though, is that it was rainy today and I was in a bookstore. Therefore, there was no way the trip could have been a waste. Trips to the bookstore never are.
I remembered one semester that I was in the same situation and I found that Barnes and Noble had the book at their store. I sat on the floor in the aisle and read from Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. I received my textbook in the mail shortly thereafter, and didn't have to repeat the practice of being the worst Barnes and Noble customer there is. But I do continue to look at the experience fondly. It was a wonderful adventure to have that evening.
I found myself in the same situation this afternoon and once again found the needed textbooks on the Barnes and Noble website. I found myself at the store thirty minutes later, wandering the aisles crowded with books, a faint smile on my face that wouldn't quite leave, the smell of glue and pages and pastries and coffee mixed together to create an enchanting feeling. Books whispered on the shelves promising adventure and experience and beauty.
I couldn't find the textbooks I needed and decided that they weren't actually to be found in the store after all. Instead of leaving, though, I continued to peruse the aisles. Technically speaking, I didn't find what I was looking for and found myself no closer to finishing my homework by the end of my outing so it could be seen as a waste of a trip.
The thing is, though, is that it was rainy today and I was in a bookstore. Therefore, there was no way the trip could have been a waste. Trips to the bookstore never are.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
On Writing Papers
When I started college I hated research papers. I found them boring and technical and entirely irritating. I took a Freshman Writing course because it was suggested, and I figured it would be good preparation for the rest of my college experience. It was relatively useless because my AP English teachers in high school had been so incredible, but I did learn something towards the end of the semester.
We were to write a research paper as our final. My teacher decided to be nice and have it due the last day of finals (even though that was technically against the rules), and I, like many freshman, procrastinated like the best of them. I had managed to make it through my entire history of schooling writing papers the day before (sometimes even the morning of) the day they were due. I suppose a part of me assumed this would be similar.
I was entirely wrong. The morning the paper was due I had two, perhaps two and a half extremely rough pages. I don't remember the topic of my essay, but I do remember deciding that the last day of finals was going to be completely devoted to writing that paper.
I couldn't do it. Thanks to merciful angels in my life like my neighbor who sat by me and proofread while I wrote, that same neighbor who drove me to campus so I could turn in the essay (which I finished writing in the car), my classmate who printed my essay off for me after several failed attempts on my part, and my professor who let my classmate throw my essay into the box as he was picking it up to leave. That was the most stressful essay of my life, and I can't tell you how many pages it was (only that it was shorter than the minimum page requirement), I can't tell you what sources I used (though I can tell you that I used a citation generator to hurriedly get my sources into a semblance of a Works Cited page), and I can't tell you what I got on it, but I can tell you that I haven't turned in a paper that close to the deadline in over a year and a half.
Flash forward to my junior year: I took a creative writing class and, at the beginning of the semester, my professor told me that what we would learn would apply to scholarly writing in addition to creative writing. He told us that if we applied the principles we learned that semester, we would never have a hard time reaching a page limit again. Rather, he told us, we would find it difficult to stay within the limit. I didn't believe him. My entire junior year I felt very similarly about research papers as I always had, and I was always relieved to be at the minimum page requirement.
This year, though, something is different. I took another creative writing class from the same professor and, while he didn't give us the research paper comparison this time around, I feel like I finally understand what he was saying last fall.
As an English major I write a lot of papers. I take tests too, because that's what the university requires, but I write papers. And, because the university requires it, I write at least one research paper per class every semester (with the exception of Creative Writing). I always dread that assignment a little bit, but I've been surprised this semester by how much easier writing has become.
I have two 8-10 page research papers due this semester, one of which I have already turned in, the other of which I am currently taking a break from writing (so I'm obviously still not perfect at the no-procrastination deal). In the one I turned in already, I found myself cutting things out because I didn't have room to explore them in the allotted space. From how this current essay is going, I think I'll find myself doing the same thing. I guess my professors do know what they're talking about. I'm so glad to find out that they were right.
We were to write a research paper as our final. My teacher decided to be nice and have it due the last day of finals (even though that was technically against the rules), and I, like many freshman, procrastinated like the best of them. I had managed to make it through my entire history of schooling writing papers the day before (sometimes even the morning of) the day they were due. I suppose a part of me assumed this would be similar.
I was entirely wrong. The morning the paper was due I had two, perhaps two and a half extremely rough pages. I don't remember the topic of my essay, but I do remember deciding that the last day of finals was going to be completely devoted to writing that paper.
I couldn't do it. Thanks to merciful angels in my life like my neighbor who sat by me and proofread while I wrote, that same neighbor who drove me to campus so I could turn in the essay (which I finished writing in the car), my classmate who printed my essay off for me after several failed attempts on my part, and my professor who let my classmate throw my essay into the box as he was picking it up to leave. That was the most stressful essay of my life, and I can't tell you how many pages it was (only that it was shorter than the minimum page requirement), I can't tell you what sources I used (though I can tell you that I used a citation generator to hurriedly get my sources into a semblance of a Works Cited page), and I can't tell you what I got on it, but I can tell you that I haven't turned in a paper that close to the deadline in over a year and a half.
Flash forward to my junior year: I took a creative writing class and, at the beginning of the semester, my professor told me that what we would learn would apply to scholarly writing in addition to creative writing. He told us that if we applied the principles we learned that semester, we would never have a hard time reaching a page limit again. Rather, he told us, we would find it difficult to stay within the limit. I didn't believe him. My entire junior year I felt very similarly about research papers as I always had, and I was always relieved to be at the minimum page requirement.
This year, though, something is different. I took another creative writing class from the same professor and, while he didn't give us the research paper comparison this time around, I feel like I finally understand what he was saying last fall.
As an English major I write a lot of papers. I take tests too, because that's what the university requires, but I write papers. And, because the university requires it, I write at least one research paper per class every semester (with the exception of Creative Writing). I always dread that assignment a little bit, but I've been surprised this semester by how much easier writing has become.
I have two 8-10 page research papers due this semester, one of which I have already turned in, the other of which I am currently taking a break from writing (so I'm obviously still not perfect at the no-procrastination deal). In the one I turned in already, I found myself cutting things out because I didn't have room to explore them in the allotted space. From how this current essay is going, I think I'll find myself doing the same thing. I guess my professors do know what they're talking about. I'm so glad to find out that they were right.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
I Don't Want to Climb the Matterhorn
Three more days until I'm home! Oh my goodness I can't wait.
Today was Sunday (and Father's Day), but it was a different sort of Sunday.
Earlier this week, Kenna and I looked up the nearest LDS meetinghouse to Wengen. It was located in Interlaken which was on our way to Zermatt, so we decided to go to sacrament meeting before heading to our next destination.
We ate breakfast as early and as quickly as we could, and we caught the 8:03 train to Lauterbrunnen. I was praying that we'd make it to Interlaken before 9:00.
We did make it before nine, and we headed South (we think) in search of the meetinghouse. We wandered/hurried down the streets of Interlaken until, thirty minutes later, we found ourselves back at the train station. We taken at least one wrong turn, and had gone in a big circle. Pulling my luggage. In our Sunday clothes. And the rain. By the time we made it back to the station we'd already missed the sacrament (and there was only one sacrament meeting there), so we opted to make our way to Zermatt.
We went to the information desk at the train station and asked the man the fastest way to get to Zermatt with the train passes we'd purchased in Geneva. He printed out a schedule for us and sent us on our way to catch the train that was departing in three minutes.
Kenna and I booked it through the station with my luggage, in our Sunday clothes, with my shoes getting knocked off every few feet. . . I'm sure we were quite the sight, but we made it onto the train with thirty seconds to spare.
When we got on the second train we realized that we were on a train that, on the map, was a dotted line, meaning that it was a reduction with our pass. I'm not entirely sure what that means, still, but I think we were supposed to purchase another ticket for that particular train and that we would get it at a reduced price.
The man at the first counter hadn't said anything about purchasing another ticket, so we'd just assumed that we were fine, but we were so worried during the entire train ride. We were lucky and the ticket man never made it to our car to check our tickets, so we still don't know what "reductions" means, but I'm glad we didn't have to find out the hard way. All the other trains we'll be using are good with our pass, though, which is immensely comforting.
We arrived in Zermatt just before noon, and found ourselves in a place that feels very much like Park City, Utah. We took it in for a minute, and then set off in search of our hotel.
We lugged my suitcases through the cobblestone streets, up and down hills, and across a couple of bridges before I remembered that I have data here and we turned on my maps app.
After a few more confusing turns, we found ourselves at the hotel. It was only later tonight that we figured out that we'd once again gone around in a big circle, and that our hotel is just up the street from the train station. I'm glad we figured that out before tomorrow morning, because I was not looking forward to a repeat of this afternoon's journey.
Kenna and I were both exhausted from yesterday, so we decided take it easy here. We really came here to see the Matterhorn (which we saw and documented), so after that we were pretty much content to see whatever. We figured we'd just wander and call it good.
We found a cemetery with really descriptive tombstones, and we spent some time reading about the many men who had lost their lives on the Matterhorn. Reading about how they died made me care a lot more about the fact that they died. Personal information will do that.
After the cemetery we meandered up and down the streets. The Matterhorn was incredible, of course, but I think both of us were more excited about the mountains that made it look like we were back in Utah. We are so ready to be back home.
This study abroad experience has been hard for me. It has been so rewarding and I am so incredibly grateful that I did it. I've learned so much, and this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, but there were some things that were hard about it. I've had to grow in unexpected ways, and I've learned a lot about myself in addition to other cultures. But growth is always difficult. It's good, but good things don't always come easy. If someone asked me if they should do a study abroad experience I would answer with a resounding "Yes!" but I'm glad that my experience is almost over. I'm ready for real life now.
Today was Sunday (and Father's Day), but it was a different sort of Sunday.
Earlier this week, Kenna and I looked up the nearest LDS meetinghouse to Wengen. It was located in Interlaken which was on our way to Zermatt, so we decided to go to sacrament meeting before heading to our next destination.
We ate breakfast as early and as quickly as we could, and we caught the 8:03 train to Lauterbrunnen. I was praying that we'd make it to Interlaken before 9:00.
We did make it before nine, and we headed South (we think) in search of the meetinghouse. We wandered/hurried down the streets of Interlaken until, thirty minutes later, we found ourselves back at the train station. We taken at least one wrong turn, and had gone in a big circle. Pulling my luggage. In our Sunday clothes. And the rain. By the time we made it back to the station we'd already missed the sacrament (and there was only one sacrament meeting there), so we opted to make our way to Zermatt.
We went to the information desk at the train station and asked the man the fastest way to get to Zermatt with the train passes we'd purchased in Geneva. He printed out a schedule for us and sent us on our way to catch the train that was departing in three minutes.
Kenna and I booked it through the station with my luggage, in our Sunday clothes, with my shoes getting knocked off every few feet. . . I'm sure we were quite the sight, but we made it onto the train with thirty seconds to spare.
When we got on the second train we realized that we were on a train that, on the map, was a dotted line, meaning that it was a reduction with our pass. I'm not entirely sure what that means, still, but I think we were supposed to purchase another ticket for that particular train and that we would get it at a reduced price.
The man at the first counter hadn't said anything about purchasing another ticket, so we'd just assumed that we were fine, but we were so worried during the entire train ride. We were lucky and the ticket man never made it to our car to check our tickets, so we still don't know what "reductions" means, but I'm glad we didn't have to find out the hard way. All the other trains we'll be using are good with our pass, though, which is immensely comforting.
We arrived in Zermatt just before noon, and found ourselves in a place that feels very much like Park City, Utah. We took it in for a minute, and then set off in search of our hotel.
We lugged my suitcases through the cobblestone streets, up and down hills, and across a couple of bridges before I remembered that I have data here and we turned on my maps app.
After a few more confusing turns, we found ourselves at the hotel. It was only later tonight that we figured out that we'd once again gone around in a big circle, and that our hotel is just up the street from the train station. I'm glad we figured that out before tomorrow morning, because I was not looking forward to a repeat of this afternoon's journey.
Kenna and I were both exhausted from yesterday, so we decided take it easy here. We really came here to see the Matterhorn (which we saw and documented), so after that we were pretty much content to see whatever. We figured we'd just wander and call it good.
We found a cemetery with really descriptive tombstones, and we spent some time reading about the many men who had lost their lives on the Matterhorn. Reading about how they died made me care a lot more about the fact that they died. Personal information will do that.
After the cemetery we meandered up and down the streets. The Matterhorn was incredible, of course, but I think both of us were more excited about the mountains that made it look like we were back in Utah. We are so ready to be back home.
This study abroad experience has been hard for me. It has been so rewarding and I am so incredibly grateful that I did it. I've learned so much, and this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, but there were some things that were hard about it. I've had to grow in unexpected ways, and I've learned a lot about myself in addition to other cultures. But growth is always difficult. It's good, but good things don't always come easy. If someone asked me if they should do a study abroad experience I would answer with a resounding "Yes!" but I'm glad that my experience is almost over. I'm ready for real life now.
Welcome to Zermatt. That river was the prettiest color.
I spy with my little eye. . . The Matterhorn. It's much cooler in real life than in Disneyland.
Me
Wandering in Zermatt
This place really is beautiful.
The church by our hotel
Kenna
The graveyard. This was the little one behind the church. We read every tombstone here. Then we walked a little ways and found a larger graveyard, but we didn't go into that one. One graveyard was enough.
It really is quite incredible.
We found a couple of older guys playing tennis so we stopped to watch them for an hour or so.
Stalker picture of Kenna
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Walking is Easy in Switzerland
This has been such an easy trip so far! Neither of us really has anything we're dying to do here (except explore), so we don't have to worry about catching trains at a certain time, or spending too long at any one place. We take trains to Wengen to Lauterbrunnen and vice versa, and we walk everywhere else. Today we walked/hiked a total of 15.38 miles!
We ate breakfast at the hotel, and then we headed to Lauterbrunnen to hike the waterfalls. We still love the views offered by the train. This is a beautiful place.
Once in Lauterbrunnen we headed out along the trail. We hiked up to one waterfall, and then we decided to walk on the path in the direction of he other waterfalls. We knew we could turn back at any time, so we just enjoyed the scenery.
The air is so clean here, and the world smelled incredible--for the most part--our entire hike. There was one field we passed where the man was spreading manure that smelled awful, but other than that it was wonderful in every way.
We saw a lot more gorgeous cows, and a couple of beautiful horses. . . We even saw a small, brown mouse on the trail at one point. The waterfalls were all breathtaking, as were the mountains on either side of us. I had a grin on my face the entire time.
Kenna and I also had several freak-out-due-to-excitement moments when we realize how soon we'll be home. We have church tomorrow (hopefully, it's looking tough to find), taking a train to Zermatt, staying the night there, staying in Geneva Monday, and then we're leaving Switzerland on Tuesday. I'll stay in London Tuesday night, and I'll be home Wednesday night! I am stoked. Kenna's just as excited as I am, so it's been fun. We both adore Switzerland, but home is the greatest place to be.
After seeing the most beautiful waterfall, Kenna and I decided we needed food, so we headed back towards Lauterbrunnen. We came across a porta potty on the trail and discovered that it was likely the cleanest porta potty on Earth. Everything is clean here, even porta potties.
We got back to town and looked at restaurants we could return to for dinner. Every meal is so expensive here, but we found an affordable menu that looked decent at the local pub. We continued on our way so we could get lunch items from the grocery store. We bought cherries, cheese, a loaf of bread, and some pastries, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We hopped back on the train to Wengen so we could pay for the hotel, rested in our room for ten minutes, and then headed out again for another hike.
This hike was probably my favorite one scenery-wise. It was incredibly steep, but it offered some amazing views. It was also a lot of fun. Because hiking is a lot of fun.
We headed back when we were tired, and hopped back on the train to Lauterbrunnen to eat at the pub. The food there wasn't my favorite, but it was filling, and it was warm. It was far from the worst things I've eaten, too, and it was cheap for the area so we couldn't have expected too much, really.
We were also the only females in the pub (aside from the women running the place and a woman who was with a guy, but they left shortly after we arrived) which was exciting. We got a lot of looks and almost-started conversations. One guy from Australia started talking to us (but he was definitely talking to Kenna) while he was waiting for his beer to come. He was nice, but I have never seen so much beer consolidated into one container in my life. And he only asked for one cup to drink all of it with. We didn't make eye contact when we left the pub.
Then we came back to the hotel, showered, and got ready for bed. We're exhausted from all the hiking, but it's the best kind of exhausted because it happened in nature and we're so happy for the time we spent there today. Switzerland is great.
We ate breakfast at the hotel, and then we headed to Lauterbrunnen to hike the waterfalls. We still love the views offered by the train. This is a beautiful place.
Once in Lauterbrunnen we headed out along the trail. We hiked up to one waterfall, and then we decided to walk on the path in the direction of he other waterfalls. We knew we could turn back at any time, so we just enjoyed the scenery.
The air is so clean here, and the world smelled incredible--for the most part--our entire hike. There was one field we passed where the man was spreading manure that smelled awful, but other than that it was wonderful in every way.
We saw a lot more gorgeous cows, and a couple of beautiful horses. . . We even saw a small, brown mouse on the trail at one point. The waterfalls were all breathtaking, as were the mountains on either side of us. I had a grin on my face the entire time.
Kenna and I also had several freak-out-due-to-excitement moments when we realize how soon we'll be home. We have church tomorrow (hopefully, it's looking tough to find), taking a train to Zermatt, staying the night there, staying in Geneva Monday, and then we're leaving Switzerland on Tuesday. I'll stay in London Tuesday night, and I'll be home Wednesday night! I am stoked. Kenna's just as excited as I am, so it's been fun. We both adore Switzerland, but home is the greatest place to be.
After seeing the most beautiful waterfall, Kenna and I decided we needed food, so we headed back towards Lauterbrunnen. We came across a porta potty on the trail and discovered that it was likely the cleanest porta potty on Earth. Everything is clean here, even porta potties.
We got back to town and looked at restaurants we could return to for dinner. Every meal is so expensive here, but we found an affordable menu that looked decent at the local pub. We continued on our way so we could get lunch items from the grocery store. We bought cherries, cheese, a loaf of bread, and some pastries, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We hopped back on the train to Wengen so we could pay for the hotel, rested in our room for ten minutes, and then headed out again for another hike.
This hike was probably my favorite one scenery-wise. It was incredibly steep, but it offered some amazing views. It was also a lot of fun. Because hiking is a lot of fun.
We headed back when we were tired, and hopped back on the train to Lauterbrunnen to eat at the pub. The food there wasn't my favorite, but it was filling, and it was warm. It was far from the worst things I've eaten, too, and it was cheap for the area so we couldn't have expected too much, really.
We were also the only females in the pub (aside from the women running the place and a woman who was with a guy, but they left shortly after we arrived) which was exciting. We got a lot of looks and almost-started conversations. One guy from Australia started talking to us (but he was definitely talking to Kenna) while he was waiting for his beer to come. He was nice, but I have never seen so much beer consolidated into one container in my life. And he only asked for one cup to drink all of it with. We didn't make eye contact when we left the pub.
Then we came back to the hotel, showered, and got ready for bed. We're exhausted from all the hiking, but it's the best kind of exhausted because it happened in nature and we're so happy for the time we spent there today. Switzerland is great.
I loved all the flower boxes. It added so much to the feeling of Switzerland.
Lauterbrunnen
Yodelers! We were hiking up to the first waterfall when we heard the most beautiful sound. We rounded a corner and found a group of yodelers performing across the way. Their song bounced off the walls of the canyon and followed us for quite a long time. Neither of us minded one bit.
The first waterfall. Every one we saw was so tall, we had to crane our necks to see the tops. And we couldn't always see the tops even then!
The view from the waterfall.
A nice Australian couple offered to take our picture.
These horses were gorgeous.
This was a cairn museum. Kenna added to one.
My camera was about to die so I switched over to my phone camera which isn't as good. Also, it looks fuzzy because it was a drizzly day.
It is so beautiful!
The first mountain river I'd been able to see for two months. I cannot tell you how therapeutic it was for me.
This was the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Oh Switzerland!
Kenna and I arrived in Switzerland today. It was a little crazy getting here (more on that later), but it was totally worth it. Switzerland is the most beautiful place I've ever been. I feel like God put special care into the creating of this country. Everything looks like it belongs in a fairy tale.
Getting here, though. . . That was an adventure I'd rather not repeat. Ever. I mean, it really could have been so much worse than it was, and the people were all so helpful and kind, but it was rough. I was blessed, though.
Kenna wasn't interested in going to Paris for the few days I as going with the other girls from the program, so she went to stay in Brussels with her cousins while I was in Paris, and then we'd meet up at the airport in Geneva on the morning of the 19th. That was the extent of our planning (aside from me asking what time her flight arrived in Geneva so I could get one that came at about the same time). We didn't exactly talk about how we'd meet up, nor did we specify where, but I had chosen a flight that arrived thirty minutes before hers, so I figured I'd just have to watch for her.
Getting a flight that arrived at 9:00 AM meant, however, that I had to leave my hotel in Paris at five in the morning. Rebekkah was going to be leaving from the same airport as I was, so we opted to share a taxi, even though her flight was leaving a few hours later than mine. Things were good to go.
Then, Mary had a devil of a time working out how she was going to get to her flight. She had to leave the hotel at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning, and she had issue after issue with regards to calling a taxi. Paris is very much a day/night city, and taxis don't exactly run very often at the wee hours of the morning.
Eventually, Mary opted to get a taxi to the airport last night and to sleep a few hours at the airport terminal (as this would be far less stressful for her).
We couldn't call a taxi, so she had to stand out on the streets of Paris to flag one down at 1:30 in the morning. She doesn't speak any French, so I needed to be there to speak to the taxi driver and to let him know where she was headed. The rest of the girls in the group decided to join with us both because there is safety in numbers and because it would make getting Mary's luggage to the street a lot easier.
The six of us stood on the side of the road for quite some time (you would not believe the number of occupied taxis roaming the streets at 1:30 AM), but we did eventually find one that was available. Thankfully, the taxi driver spoke English (MIRACLE!), and we were back at the hotel room by two. I settled down for a three-hour night.
I was so stressed about getting off, though, that I couldn't fall asleep right away. I may have ended up with two hours of sleep--tops.
I have realized that my French is not so good early in the morning, and the taxi driver pointed that out by asking me to speak English (even though his first question to us was whether or not we spoke French. Oops.). English is easier for me, though, so I was grateful he suggested it (even if my pride was a bit bruised).
I had no idea what side of the airport I was supposed to go to, my phone was dead, and it was so early in the morning. I'm sure I looked a sight with my unkempt hair, bleary eyes, my laptop open in the backseat of the taxi so I could charge my phone enough to find where I was supposed to go. . . It was not my best morning.
In spite of all the craziness, the taxi got us to the airport in good time, and I found myself walking in the front doors at 5:40.
I walked to the first kiosk I could find so I could print my boarding pass (as my phone was out of battery). I must have been standing there for a while looking confused, because an airport worker came up to help me. After a few minutes of problem-solving, he asked which airline I was using (in English, because my French skills were deteriorating by the second). When I didn't really know how to respond, he suggested that, maybe, I was flying with EasyJet. This was indeed the case, and the man directed me downstairs. I thanked him (after blushing), and headed towards the elevators.
As I was walking away, he called out to me, "Lady!" I turned around, thinking I'd forgotten something like my passport, and he continued, "You need SLEEP!" If only he'd known how incredibly accurate his observation was.
As I stood in line for check-in, I started to relax a little bi. I was finally in the right place, and I knew the rules for flying on an airplane. Things were looking up.
When I got to the desk, my first words were, "Parlez-vous anglais?" She replied that she did indeed speak English, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She asked for my passport and boarding pass, and I was thankful to realized that my phone had just enough battery to show my boarding pass. I told her that it was on my phone and she told me she could look me up with my passport. However, it didn't quite work, and I needed to grab my phone after all.
My phone was in my carry-on, still plugged into my laptop, so I managed to dump most of the contents onto the ground in my effort to get my phone to the lady. Can I just emphasize that I do not do well with only a couple of hours of sleep at night? Just in case this isn't being made abundantly clear as this story progresses.
As I bent down to re-collect the contents, the lady told me that I was only allowed one carry-on item (and I had a personal item with me as well which was not allowed with this airline). She asked if I could fit the smaller bag into my larger carry-on, and while I was working on that, she informed me that my flight to Geneva was closed.
My world froze. Closed? But I was there two and a half hours early. What was I supposed to do now?
I didn't cry, but I'm sure my worry showed clearly on my face, because she immediately began to backtrack and explain that I was too early and that I'd have to come back later when they called my flight location for check-in. I started to breathe again after that, and then made my way to chairs lining the wall to readjust my suitcase situation.
I am so glad I packed light, because fitting another bag into my carry-on was easy. I even had extra room in both bags by the end!
I got back in line half an hour later, and was lucky enough to get the same girl as before. She was so nice and helpful, and I immediately decided that EasyJet is a wonderful airline. If you travel in Europe, use EasyJet.
She asked if I'd been able to fit everything into two bags, and I proudly showed her I'd been able to do so. She told me I was the perfect passenger, and I left with a smile (albeit an exhausted one) with the boarding pass she'd been kind enough to print for me in hand. So, ultimately, it turned out to be a good experience. I'm looking into how to change my flight from Geneva to land in LHR instead of Paris, however. . . Travel is hard when the airport doesn't default to your language.
I was able to sleep on the flight for thirty minutes or so, and when I woke up we were flying over Switzerland. Seeing the mountains made me so happy.
As soon as I got to the Geneva airport, I calmed down significantly. I was where I was supposed to be, and things were going to be so much easier now. Plus, more people spoke English, and their English was really quite good. Bonus. Points.
I was a bit worried about finding Kenna (because we forgot to figure out how and where we'd meet), but I'd worn my blue dress today, so we found each other with no problem. It actually worked out perfectly.
We went to the railway information desk and the woman there was so helpful and wonderful. I have a good first taste of Switzerland.
Kenna and I found our way to Wengen (pronounced with a "v" sound because it's German) which is where we'll be staying the first two nights, and spent the entire train ride with our noses against the windows because the scenery was incredible. We're both from Utah, so seeing the mountains felt like coming home in many ways. It is stunning here, and I think it's the perfect place to end my stay in Europe. I feel much more peaceful here, and I'm grateful things worked out so that we ended up here. Switzerland is where both of us need to be.
When we arrived here in Wengen we about died of happiness. Wengen is a small ski town, and our hotel is pretty close to the railway station (though this place is so small that pretty much everything is close to the railway station), and it offers an incredible view. Actually, I don't think it's possible to have anything but an incredible view here.
We have a community toilet and shower (they're in adjacent rooms, and every time someone flushes the toilet the person in the shower is doused in boiling water), crocs are provided for the shower, they clean towels once a week, and I don't think they come in to make up the room. I love it. The man at the front desk is slightly awkward and incredibly nice, and we aren't going to be spending hardly any time at the hotel. This is a wonderful place to be.
Even though both of us are exhausted due to short nights and travel, we decided on the train that we were going to go exploring in the mountains as soon as we dropped our stuff off. Hiking was hard at first because we aren't used to being at altitude anymore, but it got easier as we adjusted to he thinner air. We took so many pictures, and we breathed the cleanest air we've been in for months. We came down from the mountain feeling peaceful and rejuvenated. God's hand and presence can be felt in nature.
Tomorrow I think we'll be hiking up to some stunning waterfalls, and I can't wait. I am so glad to be here with Kenna, and that we are in the most beautiful nature. We both needed it, and I'm happy to be in the mountains again. Life is incredible.
Getting here, though. . . That was an adventure I'd rather not repeat. Ever. I mean, it really could have been so much worse than it was, and the people were all so helpful and kind, but it was rough. I was blessed, though.
Kenna wasn't interested in going to Paris for the few days I as going with the other girls from the program, so she went to stay in Brussels with her cousins while I was in Paris, and then we'd meet up at the airport in Geneva on the morning of the 19th. That was the extent of our planning (aside from me asking what time her flight arrived in Geneva so I could get one that came at about the same time). We didn't exactly talk about how we'd meet up, nor did we specify where, but I had chosen a flight that arrived thirty minutes before hers, so I figured I'd just have to watch for her.
Getting a flight that arrived at 9:00 AM meant, however, that I had to leave my hotel in Paris at five in the morning. Rebekkah was going to be leaving from the same airport as I was, so we opted to share a taxi, even though her flight was leaving a few hours later than mine. Things were good to go.
Then, Mary had a devil of a time working out how she was going to get to her flight. She had to leave the hotel at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning, and she had issue after issue with regards to calling a taxi. Paris is very much a day/night city, and taxis don't exactly run very often at the wee hours of the morning.
Eventually, Mary opted to get a taxi to the airport last night and to sleep a few hours at the airport terminal (as this would be far less stressful for her).
We couldn't call a taxi, so she had to stand out on the streets of Paris to flag one down at 1:30 in the morning. She doesn't speak any French, so I needed to be there to speak to the taxi driver and to let him know where she was headed. The rest of the girls in the group decided to join with us both because there is safety in numbers and because it would make getting Mary's luggage to the street a lot easier.
The six of us stood on the side of the road for quite some time (you would not believe the number of occupied taxis roaming the streets at 1:30 AM), but we did eventually find one that was available. Thankfully, the taxi driver spoke English (MIRACLE!), and we were back at the hotel room by two. I settled down for a three-hour night.
I was so stressed about getting off, though, that I couldn't fall asleep right away. I may have ended up with two hours of sleep--tops.
I have realized that my French is not so good early in the morning, and the taxi driver pointed that out by asking me to speak English (even though his first question to us was whether or not we spoke French. Oops.). English is easier for me, though, so I was grateful he suggested it (even if my pride was a bit bruised).
I had no idea what side of the airport I was supposed to go to, my phone was dead, and it was so early in the morning. I'm sure I looked a sight with my unkempt hair, bleary eyes, my laptop open in the backseat of the taxi so I could charge my phone enough to find where I was supposed to go. . . It was not my best morning.
In spite of all the craziness, the taxi got us to the airport in good time, and I found myself walking in the front doors at 5:40.
I walked to the first kiosk I could find so I could print my boarding pass (as my phone was out of battery). I must have been standing there for a while looking confused, because an airport worker came up to help me. After a few minutes of problem-solving, he asked which airline I was using (in English, because my French skills were deteriorating by the second). When I didn't really know how to respond, he suggested that, maybe, I was flying with EasyJet. This was indeed the case, and the man directed me downstairs. I thanked him (after blushing), and headed towards the elevators.
As I was walking away, he called out to me, "Lady!" I turned around, thinking I'd forgotten something like my passport, and he continued, "You need SLEEP!" If only he'd known how incredibly accurate his observation was.
As I stood in line for check-in, I started to relax a little bi. I was finally in the right place, and I knew the rules for flying on an airplane. Things were looking up.
When I got to the desk, my first words were, "Parlez-vous anglais?" She replied that she did indeed speak English, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She asked for my passport and boarding pass, and I was thankful to realized that my phone had just enough battery to show my boarding pass. I told her that it was on my phone and she told me she could look me up with my passport. However, it didn't quite work, and I needed to grab my phone after all.
My phone was in my carry-on, still plugged into my laptop, so I managed to dump most of the contents onto the ground in my effort to get my phone to the lady. Can I just emphasize that I do not do well with only a couple of hours of sleep at night? Just in case this isn't being made abundantly clear as this story progresses.
As I bent down to re-collect the contents, the lady told me that I was only allowed one carry-on item (and I had a personal item with me as well which was not allowed with this airline). She asked if I could fit the smaller bag into my larger carry-on, and while I was working on that, she informed me that my flight to Geneva was closed.
My world froze. Closed? But I was there two and a half hours early. What was I supposed to do now?
I didn't cry, but I'm sure my worry showed clearly on my face, because she immediately began to backtrack and explain that I was too early and that I'd have to come back later when they called my flight location for check-in. I started to breathe again after that, and then made my way to chairs lining the wall to readjust my suitcase situation.
I am so glad I packed light, because fitting another bag into my carry-on was easy. I even had extra room in both bags by the end!
I got back in line half an hour later, and was lucky enough to get the same girl as before. She was so nice and helpful, and I immediately decided that EasyJet is a wonderful airline. If you travel in Europe, use EasyJet.
She asked if I'd been able to fit everything into two bags, and I proudly showed her I'd been able to do so. She told me I was the perfect passenger, and I left with a smile (albeit an exhausted one) with the boarding pass she'd been kind enough to print for me in hand. So, ultimately, it turned out to be a good experience. I'm looking into how to change my flight from Geneva to land in LHR instead of Paris, however. . . Travel is hard when the airport doesn't default to your language.
I was able to sleep on the flight for thirty minutes or so, and when I woke up we were flying over Switzerland. Seeing the mountains made me so happy.
As soon as I got to the Geneva airport, I calmed down significantly. I was where I was supposed to be, and things were going to be so much easier now. Plus, more people spoke English, and their English was really quite good. Bonus. Points.
I was a bit worried about finding Kenna (because we forgot to figure out how and where we'd meet), but I'd worn my blue dress today, so we found each other with no problem. It actually worked out perfectly.
We went to the railway information desk and the woman there was so helpful and wonderful. I have a good first taste of Switzerland.
Kenna and I found our way to Wengen (pronounced with a "v" sound because it's German) which is where we'll be staying the first two nights, and spent the entire train ride with our noses against the windows because the scenery was incredible. We're both from Utah, so seeing the mountains felt like coming home in many ways. It is stunning here, and I think it's the perfect place to end my stay in Europe. I feel much more peaceful here, and I'm grateful things worked out so that we ended up here. Switzerland is where both of us need to be.
When we arrived here in Wengen we about died of happiness. Wengen is a small ski town, and our hotel is pretty close to the railway station (though this place is so small that pretty much everything is close to the railway station), and it offers an incredible view. Actually, I don't think it's possible to have anything but an incredible view here.
We have a community toilet and shower (they're in adjacent rooms, and every time someone flushes the toilet the person in the shower is doused in boiling water), crocs are provided for the shower, they clean towels once a week, and I don't think they come in to make up the room. I love it. The man at the front desk is slightly awkward and incredibly nice, and we aren't going to be spending hardly any time at the hotel. This is a wonderful place to be.
Even though both of us are exhausted due to short nights and travel, we decided on the train that we were going to go exploring in the mountains as soon as we dropped our stuff off. Hiking was hard at first because we aren't used to being at altitude anymore, but it got easier as we adjusted to he thinner air. We took so many pictures, and we breathed the cleanest air we've been in for months. We came down from the mountain feeling peaceful and rejuvenated. God's hand and presence can be felt in nature.
Tomorrow I think we'll be hiking up to some stunning waterfalls, and I can't wait. I am so glad to be here with Kenna, and that we are in the most beautiful nature. We both needed it, and I'm happy to be in the mountains again. Life is incredible.
Welcome to Switzerland. The place where every angle is magic.
Some of Wengen. Wengen consists primarily of hotels and a few permanent residences.
Oh I'm in love with this place. Do you see those mountains?!
Me and Kenna. We were so.happy.
Seriously the most beautiful place I've been.
Everything is clean and orderly in Switzerland, even stacks of wood.
We came across a memorial to Felix Mendelssohn. The first bassoon song I ever learned to play was by him, so I was pretty excited.
Frozen, anyone? "Yoo-hoo! Big summer blowout!"
Me, finally back in the mountains. It's the best feeling.
I loved seeing all the cows (though I did not always enjoy smelling them). They all wear these big bells, and the sound of the cowbells is musical and delightful.
Also, I dare you to find more beautiful cows than these.
We looked back at one point on the hike. . . Stunning.
Kenna was just as excited as I was to be back in the mountains.
We both remarked several times that this was just like Heidi.
The view from the top of our hike. We're going tomorrow to that valley because apparently the waterfalls there are incredible.
Oh man this place smelled so delightful. This wood especially made for a pleasant aroma.
ARE YOU SEEING THIS?! Okay I'll stop freaking out on the Internet.
This is where we ate dinner. We got take-away from a local restaurant and climbed to this churchyard.
We went out hiking again after dinner, and Kenna revealed her skills as a cat-whisperer. Apparently this was the softest cat she found that night.
I just really liked the colors here.
Hello Wengen.
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