Sunday, September 16, 2007

September 15-16

After lunch on Saturday I headed to <Centre Ville> (downtown) to try to buy a cell phone. I got a really cheap pre-pay phone. It is not cheap to use it, 0.38 centimes a minute. text messages are only 0.10 though, so I will probably text more.
In the evening I met the other student from ISU, Elizabeth, and we went to a grocery store downtown. Most things are closed on Sundays, and Monday si a federal holiday, so she wanted to get a couple things to last her until tuesday. We went back to her apartment and then walked around the lake some. It is funny to me to see cows, sheep, and fields within the city. The agriculture is very different here, and much more diverse than Iowa. It is so wonderful.
We thought about going to a movie, but it cost 17 francs (about 15 dollars) so we changed our minds. We ended up going to a bar with one of her roomates from Canada. It was my first experience of alcohol. It was very interesting. It was surreal to be sitting outside, drinking a beer, while chatting with interesting people, all while in Switzerland. I'm still in a state of Euphoria about everything new.
I don't want to be drunk. I think too many people appreciate drunkeness instead of appreciating alcohol. I do not want that for me. Drinking socially and occasionally is one thing, but partying is a completely different scene that I really have no interest in.
On the bus back home, a man walked on with his buddy. He was apparently drunk, and had vomited all over himself. The other people on the bus clucked their tounges and shook their heads at him. I do not ever want to be in his situation. I commend his friend though, for staying with him and getting him home.
I went exploring today. There are several beautiful churches in Centre Ville. I didn't go in any of them, because I was there after their visiting hours had ended. I plan to go back though, maybe next weekend. I want to attend their services sometime.

5 comments:

Sebastian said...

Agreed on the topic of drunkenness. And it was pretty neat when I went around Europe...the hostels had bars and you could meet other students. I hope you are having an amazing time! I was in Austria for a weekend...if Switzerland is anything like it, I'd love it there!

Mandy said...

Text me! :-)

VicarLance said...

Surreal is indeed the word for it! It can feel like you've been transported to a different planet. As you note, the colors are even different somehow!

What kind of beer?

Kimberly said...

It was Heineken.

Shelly said...

oh Shimberly, you socialite, I'm glad you seem to be enjoying yourself and all the new experiences you're having :)