Genève, Suisse

Day Sixty-Six

I spent the day in Genève with Amelia today!  The weather called for cloudy and rainy but thankfully it was just a little chilly with sunshine.  We walked into centre ville (center of town) and found the Mur des Réformateurs (Wall of Reformation) of Guillaume Farel, Jean Calvin, Théodore de Bèze and John Knox who were all pioneers (internationally) for the Protestant Reformation.  It was a very cool monument in tribute to their efforts.  The wall was in a huge park and they had five or six human-size chessboards with chess and checkers pieces.  They also had ping pong tables!  It was a sunny day so everyone was out playing games and enjoying the good weather.  Amelia and I played a game and we didn't realize until the end that what we thought was the "king" was really the queen...so I had lost a couple moves before haha.  We also walked in St. Peter's Cathedral which is where John Calvin preached from 1536-1564!  It became a Protestant church in 1536 and so the cathedral's altar, furniture, paintings and statues were removed. 

Had lunch at a café and it was so delicious!  I am going to miss european bread.  Something about it just tastes so good and makes all the difference!  Then we took the bus out of centre ville to visit Les Palais des Nations (Nations Unies = United Nations).  Originally where the League of Nations was located and later became the United Nations.  I was initially confused because there's a United Nations in NYC but learned during our guided tour that the one in NYC is where the Security Council and General Assembly meet (mostly focused on political issues), whereas the one in Geneva has a focus on humanitarian issues (the WHO, ILO, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights/Refugees and many more) are located there.  If I pursued a civilian route--that would be my dream career.  However, I could never live in Geneva (more on that later).  We took an hour tour and it was so interesting!  I've visited the UN in NYC so it didn't have the same "wow" factor as the first time I was able to see the large conference rooms but it was still a treat.  We saw the initial assembly hall for the League of Nations.  It's just humbling to think of the great people who have passed through these rooms, who made such a difference in world history to demand international cooperation for the promotion of human rights.  Amazing, absolutely amazing.  Forgot to mention, when we were walking through centre ville, we happened upon the Hôtel de Ville (town hall) where the first Geneva Conventions was signed!  Again, INCREDIBLE!  We couldn't go inside but just to read the plaque marking the room where this document was signed was an experience. 

Some interesting facts I learned today:

• the UN working languages are English and French.  Some meetings are in French/English/both and whenever they have delegates come, the seating arrangements vary depending on which alphabet is used.  For example:  Germany in English = Allemagne in French.  However, this has posed a problem for Iraq and Iran because their names are so similar and no other country comes between them, so they always sit next to each other which in itself can cause tension. 
• the 5 official lanuages of the UN are English, French, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian.  Every UN delegate must be able to speak at least one of these five.  There are translators for delegates and they translate in real time.  Like they hear French or English and are translating the speech into their native language at the same time.  Their shifts are 30 minutes followed by a 30 minute break and so on because of how grueling their job is.  I can't even comprehend how this happens!  It's not like they read off a script.  Incredible!
• Not really interesting, more like depressing--across from the UN is the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.  I was SO excited to see it and guess what?  It's closed until May for renovations.  :(  So I did the next best thing, take pictures of the building.  Nothing in comparison but I guess that just means I'll have to visit there again someday in the future.  If I could work in the humanitarian field after I retire, I would be one happy person. 
• SWITZERLAND IS EXPENSIVE!  You cannot be a penny pincher there or you will go out of your mind.  Everyone had already told me it would be so expensive, so good thing we only spent the day there.  Lunch (sandwich and drink) was 14 franks which is around 12 euros.  And worst of all, buying our train ticket back to Lyon was equivalent to $48...It was about $15 when we came from Lyon to Geneva.  We never knew, but fair warning to anyone traveling to Switzerland and planning on using the trains, there is a 10 frank automatic tax on foreigners for the trains.  Say whaaa?  They don't even do that in Paris.   So we didn't have dinner in Geneva as we had planned haha.  We decided to wait until we made our way back home.  So lesson learned?  Buy return tickets in advance IN france and realize that "you live and you learn."  When I look back on today, I probably won't remember the frustration of 35 franks in comparison to the experience of visiting Geneva.
• be more thankful for France!  I learned this after coming back from Italy where everything was more expensive and there were a lot of hidden charges targeting tourists.  Today I was once again reminded that I have it so much better in France.  Yes, it's more expensive than the US but in comparison to other countries in this area, I've got it made.  Crêpes are 2 euros and not 4,50.  Sandwiches are 3,50 euros and not 10.  Be thankful for what you have, that's for sure! 

St. Peter's Cathedral

Plaque outside the room where the first Geneva Conventions was signed!

Chess!

Wall of the Reformation



Les Nations Unies

Jean Jacques Rousseau!

 

Allemagne

Day Sixty-Four

This past weekend I visited my cousin and her husband at Vilseck, Germany.  Completely worth the trip.  I left Friday afternoon so I had Saturday, Sunday, and half of Monday to spend with them.  I haven't seen her in a few years so that was a real treat.  Saturday we visited the nazi party rally grounds ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_party_rally_grounds ) in Nuremberg.  Wow.  They have turned it into a museum that I felt was very well-done.  Really showing the history of the party and how Hitler came to be in power.  It was crazy to see how enormous the rally hall was as well, only one part of the huge architectural display the nazi party intended to show its power.  Much of the building material was brought from a work camp nearby...just the magnitude of the numbers of those who went through the concentration camps is unfathomable.

Later that day we tried this restaurant called 's Baggers.  Don't ask me about the name but it's the closest experience I've had to seeing the life of the Jetsons.  There are no waiters/servers.  You recieve a card and each person has a designated number at the table.  You order everything on a touch screen with your card and then it is delivered by a metal railing where the food from the kitchen (on the 2nd floor) slides down the railing straight to the table!  say whaaa?  Yeah, it was really cool--and the price of a normal restaurant too.  Get ittt!  On Sunday we went to Easter Sunday service and that was nice--a reminder of home being at a military post chapel.  Then we had a BBQ with bratwursts and sauwerkrawt and some of their friends and talked for hours.  A great time.  Monday we walked around downtown Nuremberg before dropping me off at the airport.  I was able to try a schnitzel sandwich!  Those things are way too messy & delicious to eat while walking.  Plus, it was freezing and my hands were numb when I finished eating haha.  Ohh, forgot to mention!  Had a reunion with a close family friend from Korea!!  What are the chances??  I found out he is stationed at the same base so we met for breakfast and attempted to catch up over coffee in an hour!  lol.  I also found out that I know two other people stationed there--one being an old frog grad and another being the older sister of my best friend at WP!  Once again, what a small world--small Army! 

Back in France, things are still going very well.  It's really starting to feel like spring.  Let me just mention that Wednesdays here are pretty much just like the weekend.  Middle/high school students have a half-day every Wednesday and elementary students don't even have school (a law was just passed saying that they will have a half-day as well starting later this year/early next year).  And it seems like a lot of people get off work as well too.  So I decided to go on a long run after class and it was so crowded around the city!  Everyone was outside hanging out, laying on the grass, having picnics, etc.  It was just too picturesque!  I should've taken my camera on my run.  I went exploring and ended up doing a 6.2 mile run!  Obviously I feel sore today haha.  But I love when everyone is outside because you just know that the weather is getting warmer and there's more options to be active. 

This weekend I'm going to Genève (Geneva) on Saturday.  I cannot WAIT!  I'll give an update after that.  I have to make the most of my last few weeks here!  No pressure or anything haha.

What the nazi party rally hall once looked like and the remains today.

downtown Nuremberg and a huge market

Coolest restaurant I've been to.  You can see the touchscreen and the railing!



View of the city from above

Beautiful city.

My cousin and I!  Plumley reunion in Germany :)  I'm pretty sure our last name is German too...

Korea reunion with Josh.  He gave me a tour of his office because he works with AFN! (that's the Army radio/tv broadcasting station for bases overseas) 

La Présentation

Day Fifty-Eight

Yesterday Jihui and I had our presentation on Walt Disney.  It was a pretty sick powerpoint, lol.  I've got a lot of time on my hands and a lot of motivation when it comes to fun, creative projects.  Wish we had more of these at WP, haha.   It was a really fun presentation.  Learned a lot about him, he has a very interesting biography.  Also, we were the first group to present which gives some brownie points.  Hopefully that helps because I totally said he was married at the age of 44 instead of 24...the French number system + public speaking = your brain cannot add up the words fast enough.  lol

After class there was a movie showing for my program and they showed Freedom Writers in French =  Écrire Pour Exister.  The volume wasn't loud enough so it was really hard to understand without subtitles.  Thankfully I'd seen it before so I followed along.  Whenever I watch French television, I put the volume louder than usual haha.  It's just so hard to understand!  With subtitles, piece of cake.  But without them, I'm lost in translation. 

Today I'm all packed up and ready to fly to Germany!  I'll be spending Easter weekend with my cousin Megan and her husband!  Incredibly excited to spend this holiday with family and visit another place in Europe.  I won't be practicing much of any French--I'll just make up for it when I get back.   ;)

If you have a few minutes free, watch this video.  Let's remember why today is Good Friday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w39N3vHn1mQ

I won't be posting this weekend so here's one for Easter.  His grace has delivered us. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhoFEuw2GPA

Les Relations Internationales

Day Fifty-Six

Today I had my cultural classes again.  In "actualités" (news), we were split into groups and had to design the front cover page of a newspaper.  With a twist!  For April Fool's Day (Blagues), the French newspapers put in a fake headline on the front page of the paper.  So, we had to make up a fake headline amidst the authentic news stories.  We had fun with that and in my group there was a guy who is a good artist for drawing caricatures/designs.  Then a group did a presentation on an article concerning "le mariage pour tous" which is a pertinent current event debate in France.  This past Sunday, more than 20,000 people gathered to protest against the adoption rights of homosexuals--on the Champs-Elysées.  That's not allowed and it turned out to be violent with the police.  In my francophone class, today we had an exam and I think it went fairly well for me.  I haven't memorized dates like that since...history class freshmen year!  Haha.  After we discussed the importance of language and why man has the need to communicate.  Interesting stuff.

I just came back from going to a friend's apartment and having KOREAN FOOD!!!  There were five of us girls from class (deux chinoise, une coréenne, et une columbienne). It was so such a great time!  Jihui cooked dinner for us and Hui made an apple tart!  Jihui cooked dduk-bok-ee and korean pancake (don't know the word in hangul).  IT WAS SO GOOOD!  Like from the restaurant, which makes sense since her mother is a cook.  Jeez!  Loveeeeee it, haha.  And then we had apple tart and turns out Elsa ALSO brought an apple tart...so we had to finish that!  After an authentic Korean meal, two pies, and five cups of green tea--we went to the living room to relax and chat.  We compared different things between our respective countries, talked about relationships, gave opinions, gave advice, etc.  Almost 4 hours later, it was time to go home!  I can't believe we talked non-stop almost as long as I have class each day!  This is EXACTLY why I came here--to have these moments where I'm really engaged in the language with others.  I told them we have to make this a weekly event and everyone pitch in to buy ingredients, haha.  :)

P.S.  I recieved my grade from last week's exam on compréhension écrite (written comprehension) and I recieved a 15.5/20!  Why am I happy?  Because anything over a 15 is considered an A according to the French grading scale!  Weird--I know!  But she did write "Très bon travail!  Bravo!" haha.  Just another aspect of the differences between the US and France. 

The chef herself!

 

just like from a korean restaurant, amazing!

 

Hui and her homemade apple tart!

  

Korean pancakes too??  YES!

The girls!

 

The outside of a city library!  Wow, very aesthetically pleasing

Lunch with Sakura this past Monday for some good Japanese food!

Avignon et Les Bonnes Conversations

Day Fifty-Five

I didn't realize how long ago I updated.  Some notable things:

• Tried a "Korean" barbecue buffet in Lyon.  But nothing about it was Korean--except that we had an individual grill on the table to cook the meat.  All the food, soup, and sauces were either Chinese or Japanese.  I was so excited on our way there, words can't express how dissapointed I was haha.  Plus it was 24 euros.  Eeeek!  Most expensive meal I've paid for but it would've been well worth the cost for some good Korean food!  Alas, it was not so.  But the company was good.  Went with my friends Elsa and Jihui from class and we talked for a long time about various things, mostly the food and also surprisingly religion!  I told them I attend an international church and Jihui was interested in coming!  Found out she lived in San Diego for three years in middle school and that it's easier for her to read the Bible in English than in Korean!  Weird!  But she told me that the Bible in Hangul (Korean language) is more traditional with formal words and harder to understand than in English.  --Follow up: I brought her to my Bible study on Friday and so she was able to have fellowship and practice her English!
• Visited Avignon (town in southern France) just for the day on Saturday.  I didn't even look at a map before buying my train tickets and came to find out it's so close to Marseilles!!  But the ticket was so cheap--who would've known.  This town is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site because of Les Palais des Papes there.  I learned that for several decades in the 14th century, the Great Schism took place where there was a Vatican pope and an Avignon pope.  The French pope resided in Avignon, in a grand palace.  It's incredibly large and long ago much of the walls inside were covered with colorful murals--a few remain but are well faded over time.  That was very neat to see.  Also while there we visited an indoor market, Les Halles, where we saw a free cooking demonstration by a top chef of Avignon and had a free sample!  That was cool because I was able to ask the elderly women watching what was going on and they were happy to chat for a while too.
• My host parents went skiing in the Alps this weekend so Anish and I had to cook, which was really fun!  Sunday for lunch we cooked veal with spices, potatoes, and vegetables.  Neither of us had cooked veal before but it turned out delicious, haha.  Thank goodness!  We had a good talk over our meal, once again the topic of religion came up.  He is purposeful in all things.  Anish comes from a Hindi background but when he was younger decided he couldn't follow Hinduism and so I asked him about that and he asked me about my Christian background.  I am always open to learning about other religions and talking about different beliefs, so that was very cool.  I'm not a Biblical expert or anything but I hope I was able to relate to him with sincerity the focus of Christianity--Jesus. 
• If I am in Lyon on Sundays, I make at trip to the Sunday farmers' market along the river.  It really does go on for several blocks and after walking back and forth to compare all the prices, I bought 7 large grapefruits, 3 cucumbers, and bananas for around 7 euros.  The grapefruits here are sweeter than in the states and I know they're healthy--so I'm trying to eat one a day!  :) 

This week I have two tests and a presentation, but I expect the presentation to be fun.  We had to choose a public figure, so Jihui and I chose Walt Disney!  Then Friday I'm headed to Germany to visit my cousin Megan and her husband for Easter weekend.  Very excited! 

Elsa and Jihui at the restaurant with me

chef at hard work!

the final product!  Fruit salad with sweet cream on top!

Le Palais des Papes

one of the chapels

Le Palais des Papes in the background

I can't imagine how beautiful it was back then!

Bible study group filling Easter eggs for the kids next week

L'arc En Ciel

Day Forty-Nine

What a wonderful day!  Worked out, got ready, had breakfast, did my devotional, some homework and headed to class.  Since it's Wednesday, I had my news and francophone class again.  News was very interesting.  A group presented on nuclear energy and the recent protest in Paris where 20,000 joined hands and made a human chain in various points of importance within the city.  They discussed their news article and then lead a class discussion, mind you all in French.  It was really cool.  Had a quick bite to eat (curry chicken wrap from Tasty Toast right across from the university for 2,90 euros) then went to francophone class which was a review on everything we've learned since we have an exam next Wednesday. 

After class I quickly made my way to another classroom where my teacher set up a French movie screening with une dégustation afterwards (trying French cheeses and wines).  The French movie (Les Saveurs du Palais) is based off a true story of Danièle Delpeuch (a self-taught cook) who became the personal chef of French President Mitterand for two years because he wanted simple country styled meals instead of the high cuisine he was surrounded by.  Link to a NYT article about it: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/27/world/europe/culinary-battles-of-mitterrands-chef-go-from-kitchen-to-screen.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Then we had a wine/cheese tasting that was really good!  Basically all of the cheeses were from cows (instead of sheep and goat--bleghhhh) so that was good!  It was such good time of sharing some laughs and experiences with classmates.  I really love them!  Our class always has fun and we have some personalities who are so comical, lol.  Everyone was taking pictures all over the place!  On our way out of the university about to take our separate ways, we saw a huge rainbow (l'arc en ciel) in the sky!!  And perfect timing, it's the first day of spring!  :)

Food & Gifts

Day Forty-Seven

Just an average day this morning.  I went to lunch at the same sandwich place before (Pomme de Pain) with Anish (again, the English boy who is also staying with this host family for studying French) and that was nice to talk in French and get to know him better.  Then went to class and loved it, as always.  With Ms. Ludvine (I won't ever get used to how people call professors by their first names), class literally flies by.  It all depends on your professor.  Then afterwards, came back right after class to help Anish make chicken curry!  We have the option to make a typical dinner from our native countries for the host family.  Since he's Indian, he made curry and I'm thinking of making a Korean dish, just because I don't think they'd ever try anything like it otherwise.  Anyway, I helped him with that and it's funny--when you don't have the option to cook, you really really want to.  So it was nice to help him out.  I absolutely love curry and althought it wasn't the same to what I'm used to, it was still very good.  It took longer than he'd expected so we didn't eat dinner until nine!  But actually, this is not very unusual for the French.  I have a friend whose host family eats at 8:30 every night!  But that was cool because we talked about Indian traditions and they also asked about Korean traditions.  Always nice to shed some light on Korean culture :) 

Tonight I oovoo'd with my family and they recieved a box I sent them from Italy with gifts!  I bought three authentic Italian leather brand-name purses for my mom, Bridget, and I and let them choose which ones they could have.  The brand is Nicoli and it is based out of a town right next to Vicenza, Italy.  I recieved the deal of a lifetime with my purchases and I think they really liked them, at least I could tell from my mom squealing when she saw them :)  I refrained from telling them about the package so it would be a surprise and I'm glad I did--because it was worth it to see their shocked faces!  I also made them read my 2-page letter beforehand, haha.  Surprisingly, Bridget actually read it before opening the bags!  I also recieved some good news about my upcoming summer at WP, so today ended on a very high note.  Thank you Lord!!  I don't know why, but You keep on giving.

Spring is coming!

Haha I love them so much and I think...they love me too (AND their Italian purses!)

Anish cooking!

 

Yummy curry!