Mom's Besuch

My mom visiting was something that everyone had been looking forward to long before I actually got on the plane to Switzerland. Andri and I thought it would make it easier to leave if there was a set date that we knew we would see each other again, hence my mother's first trip abroad.

I am not going to go into the details of the delayed flight, the terrible service, and no refund policy of United Airlines, but suffice if to say they are bastards. If I were the supervisor that I spoke to on the phone, I would not want to go on living with myself. What a terrible attitude and I can't even think about it without my anger rising up again, so I will just leave it at this: she made it, if a day late. There seems to no point in writing a letter (as this task inevitably falls on me to be accomplished), because they are too big and too heartless and they know it and I know it as well.

Anyhow, she made it! I finally got to pick her up in Zürich and get the show on the road. We did some sightseeing around Bern: the Bärengraben, Rosengarten, and Bundeshaus, among other things. We showed her where Andri works, my German school, and where I would be working over the summer, so that she might be able to know a little more about where I am. She even got to meet Lori, but unfortunately Trevor was out of town, so she was not able to meet him. But we picked Lori up from German school and ate the most delectable gelato the Italian gelato gods have ever conjured up: Nutella, Rafaello, and Kinder Beuno gelato. We then went on to take a little tour of Fribourg, the town where I go to school and for once I was the expert on where to go. Oh, what a wonderful feeling.

A couple of days later we took a train to Vicosoprano, the little village where my father-in-law lives. The trek is long and wide, although one can opt to eat in the dining car, which is what we had decided upon. It's like stepping into the past with the velvet covered seats and old-fashioned lighting and beautiful wood. There was a great local lunch that I was very hearty and filling, but delicious. The Alps along the way are breathtaking and a strip of the journey is considered a UNESCO world heritage site only because of the view. After arriving we all went for a nice hike within the village, then a little more into the Alps. The flowers were in bloom and the fields resembled those in which Julie Andrews frolicked.



There were more than a handful of train rides involved in this trip, but that is what Europe is all about, right? Switzerland has an extravagant train system compared to other European countries, and my mother experienced it full on, with two hours and there, three here, one here, five here. She even got to take the TGV to Paris.

Ah Paris, the city of love. This was a very beautiful part of our trip, as it is one of those places that every girl dreams about. We saw all the great sites, saw Rachel again, ate some great food, and walked a ton in the beautiful weather. This makes it completely justifiable to eat crepes, cream puffs, and French onion soup with more cheese than soup. My mom tried everything we put in front of her or suggested and I think paid off, because food is an important part of a trip as it enriches one's understanding of culture. This is one of the most memorable experiences of my life because I was able to experience it with my mom and Andri, two people that I love very much.

It was sad to see her go, but I know that she had to and that things would be okay. She knows where I am and therefore knows more about my life and can see that I am happy here. Switzerland is my new home, not just another year abroad. And I want to continue making it just that: my new home and share it with the people I love.