Where I'm Going and Where I've Been

Again...quite a while since I've updated my blog. It seems as though the last two months went flying by..in fact, two months from now, I'll be back in the States for a visit. I think it will be easier to start with what am I up to now...and the answer to that question is: trying to lay low (unlikely, but trying). So much went on the past two months that i need to recover. Also, it is ski season and while I absolutely love the mountains and the idea of skiing and boarding, the actuality is I am awful and should stick to snowshoeing. This should keep me home a couple of weekends, but I will still have to ski again as we do have another ski trip in March for work and I am compelled to be in the mountains. In the next few weeks I'll begin my studies for the CFA and between that and German my educational pursuits should take quite a bit of my free time. I'm still trying to go rock climbing on Tuesdays and Squash on Thursdays. Of course, I have to do some socializing(people are coming over for dinner shortly)...but I really am trying to stay focused.

So what have I done...I guess my last post puts us back to Halloween so...
I had such a great Halloween Party. Everyone showed up in all types of costumes. At the end we went off to Paddy's...and then I got a Kebab and went home. I couldn't have asked for a better time! Then it was my birthday...27...I feel so old (sorry to whomever is older than me) but seriously...I have so much to do...My birthday was pretty much the first time I was homesick...and then the next day was the beginning of the two month cold. My eyes were swollen shut when I woke up...I had to go to work or they would have thought I just partied too hard on my birthday. I did go home early once they saw my eyes. Well back to the two month cold; I haven't been sick the entire two months but off and on I've had colds all the way until yesterday.

The next big thing was our trip to Prague...what happens in Prague stays in Prague...but the city was beautiful, the night life incredible, and we had the most fun I think you could possibly have in a weekend.



A couple weeks later was the trip to Zermatt. I must admit, I completely wasted this trip. The way there was great and the first night was so much fun....but the next day, nothing would go right for me. I completely forgot everything I learned about snowboarding, I fell off a ski lift (no, not getting off, getting on...so embarrassing), I went the wrong way on the train, I couldn't find the hotel room, and I was tired... Dinner that night was great and I had an early night so that I could start fresh the next day...unfortunately a fresh start does not make me able to snowboard. I fell so many times I was laughing and crying together. I decided to go home early (I was supposed to stay the next day) and I left for Basel Saturday night. I felt like such a loser because the people I went with were incredible and so much fun...but I was in a slump and I was Basel-sick.

In between these trips and Christmas a lot of things went on....snowshoeing in the Alps, bowling, parties, driving to Ikea, Curling at our work Christmas event, fondue....but the next big event was when Matt flew in from Sudan. I borrowed a car and picked him up from the airport in Zurich. It was the second time I drove since August and so fun. We drove to Germany to shop, France for lunch, then had dinner and drinks that evening with a group of friends in Basel. The next day a group of us went to start our Christmas trip...the first stop, Bern. Bern was a beautiful city, and the hostel was incredible. I may just go back to stay at the hostel!!! We also had Mexican food, which I love love love. The next day we headed to Lauterbrunnen for fun in the snow. The first day we went for a walk...how beautiful. The next day I tried boarding again. I do have a witness, I fell so hard under a bridge I bounced. When I showed the bruises on my leg that evening everyone was like, you didn't say anything happened to my leg...I said that the other fall (on my ass) hurt so much worse the leg didn't count....no, I didn't show all of them. There were only three of us left the following day and I opted for snowshoeing...safer, but challenging, and rewarding!

Finally it was Christmas eve. I had my tree and it was time to start cooking my seafood alfredo. I had several friends (quite an international croud) over for dinner and we had games and drinks and an incredible time. The next day we had brunch at another friends house and watched "A Christmas Story," one of my favorite movies. I think that was the best brunch I ever had..seriously. Unfortunately Matt was sick...but he woke up later and we went out and met some friends for drinks.

The next day it was time for Matt to return to Sudan...I felt so bad as he was really sick. When I got back I cooked dinner for some friends and went to bed early. I had to leave very early Saturday morning to meet Scott in Geneva. Scott is a friend from Wake Forest that had come to do an incredible trip to Chamonix, Paris, Vienna, and Basel...we only made it to Paris.
Saturday in Geneva was great. We wondered, rested, ate an incredible meal, and drank some incredible wine. On Sunday we had two choices, take a transfer to Chamonix that takes about an hour, or take the train which takes three hours but has incredible views...we opted for the train...bad idea. We got on the train and when we got off at the first stop I began to search for my backpack....oh yea, I left it in Geneva. I prefer blaming Scott for this (sorry Scott) but I was carrying one of his 3 bags!!! But the fact is I left it sitting on the floor and my computer and Passport were in it. Luckily I got my bag but we had to wait forever. After a series of wrong turns we had to pay a fortune and get a cab to take us there...but the reception was incredible. The next day we went skiing...yes I skiied believing I would be better at that than boarding...I was wrong. The views were so incredible but I don't want to talk about what happened; I had to take the lift down...yes down. Anyhow, dinner was nice that night and the next day I just relaxed in the Sauna while Scott went skiing. The next day Scott headed directly to Paris and I headed to Paris via Basel to drop one of Scott's bags off so we could fly to Vienna. My head cold got so bad that I was really sick by the time I met him in Paris. The restaurant we went to was incredible but I was so sick...it was New Year's Eve and I just wanted to sleep. I did make it til Midnight but I left Scott in Paris the next day and went home to rest...unfortunatley I also left Scott with a cold, and he had to go home early as well...and that leads us to know...cooking dinner.