A lot has happened in the past 5 weeks: I arrived in Switzerland, figured out the train to get to Bern, met my coordinator (Christian), spent a day in Bern, met the other incoming IFYE’s and some of the IFYE Swiss organization and learned about them and their country/where they have traveled. I have been up the Titlis mountain and to a glass factory. I have experience a high school graduation and I have been to a tractor pull/party. I have experience life on a pig farm including shipping pigs, cleaning pens and moving pigs as well as how to cut/collect hay and make small hay bales on a steep hill. I have been to a town festival in Landiswil, a cottage on the lake in Estavayer-le-lac (which is in the French part of Switzerland), floated down the Aare river in a "gummy" boat with 2013 Swiss delegate Christa! I have been to a workshop where Alphorns are made (by hand! and I got to play an Alphorn!), to the Kambly cookie factory store, and to the Doctor. I have been up the Stockhorn mountain, to IKEA and to the Emmental Show Dairy (where they make the “Swiss Cheese” with the holes in it!). I have been to Bern, twice, which included a city tour and a trip up the famous Zytglogge clock tower. Plus, I have been to various local stores and town when we go shopping or to visit someone.
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| The View from the top of the Stockhorn |
Both Mountains have a spectacular view! I went up Titlis on the IFYE Incoming weekend, we took the cable car ⅔ of the way up then walked part way down and rode on scooters the rest of the way! I went to the top of the Stockhorn with Franzi and Fritz on Sunday July 19th. We took the cable car to the very top then walked half way down. I never knew it was so difficult to walk down a mountain! But, it is all just gravel/rock/dirt paths and it can be very steep! Walking down the mountain there is times that you are literally just walking through a cattle pasture!
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| View from Estavayer |
From Saturday, July 11 - Tuesday, July 14 I was in Estavayer-le-lac at Franzi’s parents house. It was beautiful! It is on Lac de Neuchatel which is the largest lake in Switzerland (there are bigger lakes but they are partially in other countries). Estavayer is a very small town, so small that it really isn`t even a town but because of its medieval heritage it is called a medieval town. During my stay here I spent a lot of time on the lake; swimming, tanning, and stand up paddle boarding; but I also spent time touring the city and getting to know Franzi`s parents. Franzi`s mom was a ski instructor and speaks some english and her dad was a teacher and doesn't really speak english. The funny coincidence is that her dad was who I ended up socializing with the most; this made for some fun times as I tried to guess what her was trying to explain to me or show me. But, we made out ok. He taught me a few Swiss games, asked me how I slept, made sure I had enough to eat and made sure I saw interesting things and had time to take pictures when we were by the lake and out on the boat.
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| The Castle in Estavayer |
On Wednesday, July 15th I had an amazing day out with Christa (2013 Swiss delegate) and her friend Martina. We took a "gummy" goat down the Aare River. We started in Thun and floated to Munsingen (where Martina lives) the river has a very strong current and a few places it has some small rapids so you end up a little wet! There were so many people doing the same thing as us! I was told that it is even crazier on the weekend! To end our wonderful day out Christa treated me to a lovely dinner at a little grill restaurant with a beautiful view!
Life on a pig farm has been very interesting; I have learned how to clean the pig pens, ship pigs, move pigs and how they do hay. One day I helped to transfer 8 pens of little piglets from the nursery to the bigger pens. This included Franzi and I going into the nursery pens and catching the piglets and lifting them into a little feed cart so they could be transferred to the bigger pens. This was very funny because I really haven't worked with pigs before! They all squeal and run frantically away, and when you finally catch them and pick them up they squirm and fret until you put them down. But, once they are in the cart they all sit their calm while they get moved to the other barn. This was really funny, I definitely wasn't very much help in the beginning and I am sure that my mom and my Grandma and Grandpa Reibeling would have been laugh at me if the could've seen me trying to catch pigs! Doing hay up the steep hill was very interesting too. The hay is raked into rows going up and down the hill then it is collected using a special truck/cart, it goes straight up the hill then straight down the hill then is is full and it gets taken to the barn to be unloaded. The hay is is unloaded loose onto a wagon, from there it goes up an auger and into the mow.
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| The view from the Zytglogge Clock Tower, Bern |
I have had a great first 4 weeks in Switzerland and it is hard to believe that the first third of my exchange is over!
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| Fritz, Myself, and Franzi |
To the Rothenbuhler family: you have been so great to me and I appreciate everything that you have done for me and shown me! It was so great getting to know you and your family! Thank you for taking me in and making me a part of your family! I look forward to keeping in touch and seeing some of you in Canada one day!
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| View from the Stockhorn |
Next up: I am with the Trauffer-Greub family for the next 3 week where I have 2 little brothers! I will be spending August first with them which is Switzerland`s birthday and the weekend after that I go on an IFYE Hiking trip!
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