Great TIMES

= Swiss Time

Well, we have now arrived at the 5 month mark. Can you believe it? Because I certainly cannot. The last five months have gone by so quickly and yet, it also seems like an eternity. I am a different person, and yet so much of me is the same. So much seems to have happened, and yet not so much at all in the grand scheme of things. Time passes, without asking our permission, blessing or acknowledgment. It's not very nice of time, if you ask me. But yet, we cannot stop time, and even if we could, would any of us really want to? Good and bad things happen throughout time. Happy and sad. Breathtaking and awesome, beautiful and ugly, joyous and strenuous. It's that dreadful balance that we must accept. There is no avoiding it, no ignoring it, no changing it. Time is the one thing that everyone, everywhere in this world, in this universe has in common. Time never changes, a minute is a minute, an hour is an hour and unless you're really picky and into rocket science, a year is a year. (Yes, I know that actually our planet is slowing and each year is actually a few seconds longer, but all in all, its the same). Yet, a year can change so much. Time has inconceivable powers. It can do so much without doing a thing. Why we are so obsessed with time I will never know. But in a country known for its watches nearly as much as its cheese and chocolate I've been thinking quite a lot about time. What does time mean to the average person. Other than dictating our days, when to get up, when to go to bed, when to eat, when to play. Time is a very peculiar thing.

Since I've been in Switzerland, I've had at least 3 friends/acquaintances get married, I've lost a dear, dear mentor & friend to a long and painful illness, my sister-in-law has announced her pregnancy and one of my (several) expecting friends has given birth to a beautiful baby boy. Here in Switzerland, the time has made me say goodbye to many wonderful people, and hello to many more. I've gained "sisters" the way I never thought I would. I was reminded of the love & glory of God, and slowly I'm rediscovering my lifelong education of faith. I've had déjà vu IN FRENCH and I've found out that I can carry a conversation in a foreign language with its native speakers. (I can even get complements from FRENCH people on mon français). I've listened to thunderstorms, and prayers. I've watched real football. I've been out with friends until 1am and yet still were not tired to keep laughing and running about. I've waited patiently (and not so patiently) for the sunshine. I've watched movies, listened to music and read books. I've lost nearly 30lbs. I've dyed my hair. I've gotten in touch with my European side (not like that was all that difficult).

Still it's TIME that dictates everything. Even in that last paragraph, the references to TIME are nearly inescapable. I've said hello & goodbye, I've waited and I've stayed up. In my recent "rediscovery" of church, of faith and believing, I've been reminded on more than one occasion of the Ecclesiastes excerpt from Chapter 3, verses 1-8. Now I'm certainly not one to preach but this passage I think speaks to everyone, of faith or not because as I said before WE ALL HAVE to accept time. It is the one thing we cannot avoid, deny or hide from. I am learning this all over again. I look back on time without realizing that every time I do, "back" is further and further away. Time takes and gives, but it never steals. It simply finds another way around, another action you hadn't thought of and leaves you with a memory. Positive, negative or something in between. I do not know what TIME has in store for me. I have another (at least) 7 months here. Chances my time will be longer. But I have to decide. And that's what makes time so hard, we have to make choices about time. Make decisions that effect the outcome of the unknown.

One year, 12 months, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes (and I won't even go into the seconds). These are units of time. But so is life. One LIFETIME. Pregnancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood. School, work, family, friends. Smiles, wishes, hopes, fears and desires are all measurements of time. Funnily enough, as I'm writing this very sentence, this paragraph, my itunes decided to play the song "Come What May" from the OTS to Moulin Rouge. That song, just as so many other songs, memories and stories mentions TIME. "And I'll love you, until the end of time. Come what may, come what may, I will love you until my dying day." We NEED time. We need the stability and the certainty of time. We need the restraints. The boundaries. The limits. Time is perpetual but not infinite. Not for us anyway. Even science agrees that there was a time when time as we know it did not exist. Before the sun, before the solar system time stood still and there was nothing. NOTHING. The emptiness, the vacuum of space was all that was available. We weren't even there. Then OUR time came. However you look at it, whether it was God, creating everything from nothing, from emptiness or a big bang that lead to a series of unbelievable but undeniable chance that brought LIFE about either way it TOOK TIME. And it's how we look at that time, examine that time and accept that time, that we will be satisfied with the reply. We cannot escape time. But we can embrace it, join it, share it and love it for the mysteries it provides and the uncertainty it will always bring about.

I do not know what I am going to do when my time here is over. In fact I do not even know when my time WILL be over. But what I do know, is that until that day arrives, I will continue to take the time, the opportunities provided and embrace this life, to the best of my abilities.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (emphasis given)

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Time Moves on, like a river. It moves forward, never backwards. It runs into bumps along the way, but always makes it through.

Two dear friends, I've had to say goodbye to. Chelsea & Sam.

Tinna, my first ever Icelandic friend, whose time in Switzerland has finished.

Dear Friends who have taken off, are preparing to and ones that have only just arrived (L-R: Heather, Jennifer & Brittany)

Quick Trips & Dèja Vu Experiences

Well, first and foremost the positive news. Today, the 22nd June 2010 I had my first MRI in nearly 5 years. The immediate report was that there is nothing to report (meaning no change, no problems). I'll be able to pick up a copy of the report Thursday. So that's good. But it was eerie going into an MRI again since it had been so long. One of the leaders of our au pair group met me in Geneva and graciously waited for me while I sat inside the machine for an hour. It was nice though, an open MRI which was a lot more comfortable then being stuck inside the tube for an hour. Afterwards, we quickly met with the radiologist who said that there was no immediate news to report, other than things I already knew, but that he would send the report to my doctor here & also get a copy for me to pick up Thursday when I'm back in Geneva for class.

In other news, on Saturday/Sunday I went to Basel, in the German part of Switzerland, where I couchsurfed for the first time! It was great, I stayed with a very nice older couple who have a son my age, and offered to take me out Saturday night. So I met up with him after doing a little shopping and we walked around the city a bit, had a beer and then he invited me to his flat to join his roommate and friend for dinner. We sat, talked politics, football, history, etc. and had a yummy pasta with salmon.

On Sunday, I got up, my couchsurfing hosts provided me with breakfast and then I went on a long leisurely walk around the city, which was FREEZING but beautiful. I met up with a friend who came into the city about 1pm and we then headed to Art Basel, a huge, GIANT, ENORMOUS art show that was literally like a small city in size. They had galleries represented from all over the world, and mostly modern art, but some amazing pieces.

My friend Diana and I spent about 3 hours just walking, staring and enjoying the massive scope of the place until about 6:15, when we headed back to the train station and got on the train to go back to Nyon.
All in all a great weekend, and somewhat cheap. It was a lot of fun to just hop on a train and see another part of the country. And coming back after 7pm made my return trip free! :)

Anyway, more will come soon. I feel like I have lots to report on just in general, but thought I'd give a little update on what happened today and last weekend.

Love & Miss everyone,

Mattie

Another Month

I'm finding it hard to believe its really been a month since I last wrote. For those few who read this blog, I apologize for the lack of news. Or at least tangible news. News is still happening, I haven't fallen into a hole, but time is simply FLYING by and it's hard to comprehend the time that has already passed. It's almost been 5 months since I said goodbye to my family and friends back home and it has been a struggle to truly gage that. I feel like I'm doing so much, but simultaneously I'm not doing much at all. Ok, that's a lie. But time is passing and finding the moments of consciousness to write it all down are few and far between it seems.

Here's whats happened since I last wrote: I've started saying goodbye to some incredible people I've met in Switzerland, many of the Au Pairs do their year abroad in conjunction with the school year, and as that winds to an end, so does their time here. It's amazing how close you can get with someone you've really only just met. In the last 3 weeks I've said goodbye to some incredible people, with big hearts and brighter smiles. I also went on a weekend trip with my au pair club to Interlaken (picture perfect Switzerland, on the German side).

Since that trip I haven't gone anywhere, but instead have been spending a great deal of time thinking. About 3 weeks ago, my host family asked me to consider staying until July 2011 instead of just February. This has been a very difficult decision to make. Do I stay, hoping to improve my French, perhaps travel some more and prepare for life back in the States here or do I go home in February, after living away for a year already and try to make sense of things from home. I don't know what is the better decision. On the one hand, it's an incredible opportunity to live abroad, study and travel. Enjoy the world around me and find out more about myself every day. On the other hand, I'm already missing a lot by being in a foreign country and another 6 months will just increase that feeling. The tough part is deciding if I am going to go to University when I return to Seattle. And if so, where, how and what for... Lately, an urge to write, and be better at writing has gotten me to look into a BA in Communications. Funnily enough, that is the degree my own mother graduated with and surprisingly, I'm looking at the same school. Who'da thunk? In my own little world, it seems like a pretty significant decision, but when I start thinking about what it means for my life, my future, my time here and at home I mainly just get nervous. The decisions to be made are both little and big. The choices I feel the need to be making are incredible and vast.

I've been making more use of my Voie 7 (my train pass for free travel after 7pm, going to meet friends in nearby Nyon or Geneva) and been enjoying that quite a lot. I've also been attending classes in Geneva twice a week instead of the course I was taking at Migros which I feel is better and I'm actually learning a little more. On the 5th of June my host family had a party at their house for 40 people and 10 kids. It was a little crazy to say the least but fun and exciting to see a true European party. It reminded me a lot of all of the parties we have back home, with masses of people, wine, food, and fun. There was even a midnight football game (European football that is) and a full cheese course after the rest of the food. I think the last guests left at about 2am. It was spectacular! And I was able to invite a friend of mine to keep me company while we spoke (about 85%) in French. I received a few complements on my struggling French skills and lots of encouragement that by the end of this year (or longer) I'll be in much better shape. This summer I've been enrolled in an "intensive" course of 4 days/week for about 2.5 hours/day which if it goes to plan, will really boost my skills. That way when my parents come to visit me in August I'll be able to impress them with my communication abilities. Or at least I hope! :D

Speaking of family, I have also been signed up, flight booked, etc. to go home to Seattle for CHRISTMAS! I'm really excited. Originally I wasn't going to go home, for a few reasons, 1) I was scheduled to then leave about a month later to end my stay in Switzerland and 2) because my host family was planning to go to Thailand for the winter holidays and invited me to join them. However, with the current, instability in the Thai-region, they'll postponing or perhaps canceling their trip and felt that even if I do end my stay in February it would be important to be home with my family for Christmas. So, we booked the flight, and I'll be getting to stay for about 2.5 weeks back home. Where I will also be looking into schools for the fall, catching up with friends and wondering how on EARTH I'll be able to take everything home with me.

Other news from the land of Swiss: Well - the weekend I went to Interlaken I came home sunday night to find my host family had gotten TWO kittens. Yes, two, aptly named Tom & Jerry. AND 3 Guinea pigs which quickly became 5 Guinea pigs (they're worse than rabbits, I swear). We went from a pet-less house to a zoo in a matter of a weekend. It's quite fun, actually. Except when the cats decide that my late morning nap time is their "let's run all over Mattie" time and do backflips off my bed. But otherwise, quite fun. I don't spend much time with the Guinea pigs, but they're all white and pretty adorable. Most of the time. Thank the lord I don't have to empty their cage.

We've also celebrated Melchior's 3rd birthday (last Friday), which was a success (the only failure of that was the Ben not understanding it's not HIS birthday and then the next day, Melchior not understanding that at the little girl's birthday party we were attending he would not be receiving any gifts. But we manage. And I got further complements via Solveig that the other moms were in "awe" or something to that effect with my ability to deal with them. That made me feel good. Saturday evening, after getting dressed by Sol I went out to meet some friends at our local pub/hangout to watch the World Cup game USA vs. England. It was a tie game, but fun nonetheless and I think I'm starting to understand how it works. But still not entirely sure.... Afterwards my friend Diana and I went clubbing in Lausanne with a guy we met that night (Moroccan via Texas, now an architect in Geneva) and got home at 3am. It was splendid, a lot of fun and certainly going to have to happen again.

Other news from Switzerland: I've booked my MRI here (now that I finally have health insurance, and my host family is very supportive of me getting my "stuff" checked out, I've finally received my scans from the US and have booked my MRI for Switzerland, I'm not having any major issues, so don't worry if thats what you were thinking, but since I have the ability to do it now, and it's been 5 years I thought it might be a good time to go forward with the scan). That will happen next Tuesday late morning, so a week from as I write this. I have no idea how it will go, what (if anything) they'll have to say and even more importantly if I'll understand it! :D tee hee. Actually most physicians speak at least a little bit of medical english, so hopefully we'll get through. Speaking of head though - my headaches have alright, nothing terrible, but obviously still there (which I actually take as a good sign, because if they completely disappeared I would have no idea why and that scares me). They are very much tolerable and my physician here has refilled my pain medication (of which the Swiss version is much stronger and the first time I took it I was caught a tad off guard) but it works quickly and efficiently and keeps the pain at bay when it needs to.

This weekend I'm thinking about trying to go to Basel (on the other side of the country, which honestly isn't such a big deal since Switzerland takes 3.5 hours to drive from SW to NE, but nonetheless is worlds apart in their style, heritage and language) where an Art exhibit is taking place of which my host mom says is spectacular and I should go. So I might do that (if I a) can get someone to join me, b) have/find enough money and c) decide if it'll just the the day or an overnight and if an overnight where I would be staying). Other places on my Switzerland travel todo list include Zurich which I'll likely be going to with the au pair club this fall, and Gruyere (as in the cheese) which will also likely happen with the club. I'm also hoping to find a way to do an overnight or day trip to Paris and/or other French destinations and will be hopefully traveling with Solveig's mother to Germany one weekend (she has taken a liking to me, and since I have a lot of interest in her, her family's history and travel she's invited to take me on a trip sometime to visit her grandfather's home in Germany).

Day to day hasn't changed too much, except that I seem to be more into the swing of things. I've also started attending church when I can the last two weeks and it's been nice to sort of explore that side of me once again. Who would have thought I'd "rediscover" religion in Switzerland?

Well the day is over half done, I have yet to start my laundry but I really wanted to catch those 3 or 4 readers up on what's been going on. Below are a few photos, and of course more are available on Facebook. (Also, here's a link to all of my Interlaken photos from the end of May)

Love to everyone, hope to see you around Christmas when I get my butt back in the States and until then, I'll be here. :)

Picture Perfect

COWS!!!

Standing in front of incredible mountains in the alps.

Saying goodbye to great friends...

Alissa's 6th Birthday at our house, just a cake for the kiddos.