Brothers and Sisters

I haven't really talked about any of my work, mainly because I am unsure of how much I can disclose, but here is a little taste...first, I am working on a healthcare redesign in South Africa. I am having so much fun working on this, and learning more about South Africa. :) Also working to redesign templates for a private Swiss bank chain. My proposal was presented today, and all went well! Also, a rebranding of a pharmeceutical company, and some work with our website. I guess that is as much as I will tell about my projects. But work has been great, and I have really been enjoying my conversations with Martin and Benno. Today, I said, "Benno, I know this is going to sound cheesy, but I just got this big wave of happiness, just sitting here researching. I thought, wow, I have so many things I want to do in my life. And I am even getting to do some them! Life is great." Whenever I make these kinds of comments, people just sort of smile at me, like they are happy too, but also think I am a little crazy. But I am ok with that. It's so funny... I have always said how much I wanted an older brother, and how that is impossible now, but having Roger and Daniel, Martin and Benno, that's a lot of older brothers! And it's all that I thought it would be...lots of goodness and laughter.

Tuesday night was a lot of fun, hanging out with the roommates. Roger is at the army, and Daniel is on holiday in Sweden, so it was Katie, Laura and I, the girls, drinking coffee and eating chocolate, watching Friends. Friends with friends...who are becoming more and more like sisters! We are going through season 8 right now, meaning Joey is in love with Rachel. That is just heartwrenching to see (I will always be a Seinfeld fan first, but Friends is growing on me). I ate a Lindt truffle, which Katie warned me was very liquidy filled, and I almost sprayed Laura with the chocolate inside! It was a supernatural phenomenon, I think. Who knew chocolate could be so wild?!?

Went to the Fondation Beyeler after work today, in nearby Riehen. 

It is a private art collection, with an amazing exhibit of Fernand Léger right now, who influenced a bunch of Pop Artists and has roots in cubism/tubism. The building is designed by Renzo Piano, who is pretty well-known. It is amazing, really, because the building makes its own statement but does not push its way in front of the art. And it connects to the nature surrounding it. Wow, a beautiful experience. Then went out for drinks with Courtney, who leaves to go back to the States tomorrow. Will miss you and your antics, girl!

Some things that I just like here:

—Learning and using military time!

—People that always say "in guerta" (sp?) before every meal, like bon appetit.

—Good bread, cervelas, johannesbeeren (kind of like cranberries)

—The black bird window clings on every window to detour birds from ramming into the glass

—Hearing the fountain trickle from around the corner

—The perky alarm clock ring on my Swiss phone

—Feeling the breeze go through my apartment

—Girls who ride their bike in a skirt with umbrellas, with no hands

—Guys who open doors for you and pull out your chair

—The people who suck up the street leaves, every. single. day.

good night.

8,122 words

A picture's worth a thousand words. I'm too tired to talk, so I will let them.

Inside self-playing grand piano at small art gallery.

Sweet self-portrait in ink blot painting at Museum für Geganswarstskunst? (MoMA of Basel).

Laura made us a chinese feast!

I feel like this may be one of the most magical pictures I have ever taken, excluding the fluorescents.

The Family (me, Roger, Laura, Daniel, Katie)

Watched some rowing races on the Rhein saturday.

Our flat had a party on Saturday night.

Some gentleman doing what I want to be doing right now 

(just need to wait for some laundry).

Went swimming in the Rhein today... delightful. And met for ice cream with my friend Lisa. Good night.

Oh Where Does The Time Go?: The Triquel?

Güerzi! It's already Thursday, and I am still to write about Sunday. I feel like I should have named this in "parts," like The Godfather, because, seriously, triquel cannot be a word. Hmm. Let me get to work. So I can finish these and get to come up with some good puns for next post...

So Sunday, at church, we talked about The Word as a love letter from God. I have heard this analogy many times, and at first, I was disappointed to hear I would be listening to it again; it can sound so cheesy, rather than something deep and meaningful. But I am telling you, hearing about God in another country can put a whole-new, fresh spin on things. The speaker was explaining how he read doodle-covered love letters from his girlfriend (now wife) in college: feeling weak inside as he opens it, in anticipation, reading it over and over and over again, analyzing every word, smelling it even! And this is how we should approach the Word of God, with a Love Hunger. I love that phrase. He also explained that we should not approach the Bible in hesitation, scared of finding more errors in need of correction in our life. We need to approach it as a bottle of water. You do not question that it is safe; it is bottled water, and you just swig away, not doubting, but firmly believing it will hydrate and provide for you. He also told us that it is difficult to have an entire Bible in China, that you can only get your hands on a part; they are just not widely available, and you can be jailed. So the Chinese read their Bibles over and over, trying to commit it to their mental iPod, and have it available to them. And as he said, "You wouldn't want one song being played over and over. You need a good playlist that you can recall in everyday life." WOW. Another interesting analogy... that if you do have only a short playlist, you could develop "spiritual cavities" from spot reading the Bible; he explained how one must read the whole Bible to have a balanced and nourishing spiritual diet; we need to read the vengaence Psalms and the family trees to accentuate the life of Jesus and see even more love and depth to God's promises. Wow. Wow. Wow.

After church, I came home to make some S cookies for the Bible study dinner I had at my friend Lana's house on Monday. I cannot tell you how crazy it was to try to find baking ingredients in German. I had a very difficult time trying to explain vegetable shortening (Crisco) to the stockboy. I think I came home with some sort of animal fat or something. And there is absolutely no baking powder! So, I resorted to a box bread/cake mix (ironically, the same kind that Katie and I couldn't determine whether we liked or not). I am becoming a better cook here, but the directions were in German, too, and I was still trying to replace ingredients for things...so needless to say, it was an interesting, laugh-filled experience had by me and my roommates. I accidentally broke an egg all over the counter, too. It looked great in the oven, and great when I got it out of the pan.. but the next day, right before I needed to leave for my dinner, I saw the middle had not been cooked! How sad! All that effort, and I ended up going like the Little Drummer Boy ("I have no gift to bring, pa-rum-pa-pum-pum").

Bible study was fantastic. I met a new friend, named James from Malaysia, here for school. It was awesome to hear his stories of the struggles of Christianity in Malaysia. They cannot have a cross on their church; churches must be built to look like factories, to blend in and not call attention. He did not mind this... he was just happy to be able to worship anywhere. What a different life. We all had so much to learn from him. I cannot tell you what a wonderful thing this community is. I have never been in a co-ed small group, let alone with such a wide range of ages. It is invigorating, having the wisdom of age and the vitality of youth bundled into one discussion.

During lunch on Tuesday, I finally went inside the Münster. It is so nearby, that it is one of those things that you say, oh, well I'll just do that later. Later was Tuesday. It was beautiful, as cathedrals tend to be. My favorite part, though, is for sure the courtyard out behind. I have lunch there sometimes, overlooking the river. I went to the Jean Tinguely museum after work, which is in a breathtaking building, on the water, designed by Mario Botta.

Despite what you may think, "Jean Tinguely" is not pronounced "tingly," but "dongoley." I said Tingly for, I don't know, three weeks, and Mirjam then taught me the correct pronunciation. This guy is absolutely bonkers... and I love it! He is a kinetic sculptor, meaning most of his pieces have sound, motion, motors and are interactive. I am greatly reminded of the City Museum in St. Louis, just slightly more refined. There were all of these bright red buttons on the floor, 4-5 inches in diameter, just begging to be pushed. The viewer could control the sculpture!

The shadows that the sculptures cast were just as interesting as the movement. Think caribou heads, marionettes, wheels and pulleys, and lightbulbs all soldered together to make a statement all their own.

Afterwards, I walked around Kleinbasel and the river, watching the rowing teams, and I stumbled across a Vineyard Basel! I couldn't believe it! My church is going on summer break these next two weeks, and I was looking for a church for this time! Unfortunately, the service is only in Swiss-German, but the woman who emailed me encouraged me to come, especially for the English worship songs. So weird how things just happen into your life like that. Got some pizza (good good margharita pizza) and headed to my "special spot." It is this mistake of a place. You are walking by the river in Grossbasel, right next to the bridge by the Münster, and there is a small table and bench, overlooking the water and the bridge, just a fabulous view in a secluded place just for me. The pizza and the view were delicious. Also saw In Bruges, a British comedy, with Katie at the theater (discount Tuesdays!). You won't believe this... we were actually assigned seats! We were the only two people in the theater for awhile, and then one man came in, and had the seat right next to us. Within the whole theater, we were just this little cluster! Other people came in, and sat in other places, so it wasn't absurd for more than 5 minutes. But I must say, I prefer to choose, haha. The movie was fantastic, a real thriller and comedy blend. Go see it now.

As for Wednesday, I went to this amazing flea market in Barfüsserplatz, only a few minutes walk from my work. I cannot tell you how sweet it is to be at a flea market in an old country. Seriously, there was some OLD stuff. I was mainly looking for, I don't know, some super-rare, signed Basler design piece from the 50s, but came up emptyhanded. But there were brass elephant doorhandles, ancient lock and keys, jewelry (I looked, and succeeded in just looking! What a feat!), and vintage purses (I caved.) After work, I met up with my friend, Jenny, from the corporate party in the middle of nowhere. It was so great to see her again, and to hear all of her stories. She has done a LOT of traveling, including all over the U.S. and to Egypt. I still cannot tell you how awesome it is to make friends here in this city. This is exactly what I wanted from co-op this quarter, to build new relationships and friendships. We had some "piadinas," which are kind of like pita wraps, but folded differently, and then, we went to Starbucks. That was the first time I had had it since I went to Toledo with Mom in mid-June. I had a Pomegranate Peach blended drink—there were so many drinks that I didn't know, I had been away that long! I paid an arm and a leg, and I drank it in probably 15 minutes, but it was satisfying and oh-so-American. We spent some time down by the river, watching the sun set and exchanging stories, and learning some German. I can remember most of it (I quizzed myself at lunch today).

Today, I went to the market, and then came home. It is the first time in a long time that I have been home at 6:30pm. I cooked a wonderful meal for myself, went for a run, and had a relaxing evening with the roommates. We rearranged our (everything here is Daniel's)/his furniture, making it feel very homey. It was wonderful bonding time. :)

I hope things are going well in your life. I am beaming here. I could not stop smiling today as I was walking home. This is going to sound weird, but I caught a glimpse of my reflection today in a store window, happily cradling the alliums (the big purple ball flowers) I bought, with some old buildings in the background, and I couldn't help but laugh at how amazing it is that I get the opportunity to live and breathe Europe for three months. That I am in love with my job here, my roommates, my experiences, even me. 

Man, I am thankful.

Oh Where Does The Time Go? : The Sequel.

Ok, let's have another go :)

This week was extremely relaxing. Everyday, I wake up to the sun (and think I am late for work), but am able to curl up in my blankets and soak up the sunshine a bit before it is time to get ready for work. I can't explain how wonderful this feeling is, just flipping my pillow over to the cool side, feeling a little bit of breeze from my open balcony door, and bask in the sunshine for a good twenty minutes. Oh, the simple pleasures... I have been enjoying my time after work, exploring the old parts of town, and going down by the Rhein. I think it was Monday or Tuesday, after work I just went down to the Rhein where there are some long steps along the river, and just read, and eventually fall asleep in the sun (yep, me and the sun again). You can't HELP but fall asleep hearing the river right next to your head, after you have been looking at a computer screen all day. 

It has been relatively cold here. Showers come and go, and it is absolutely necessary to carry an umbrella at all times, because they are completely unpredictable. As well as a sweater. I am telling you, it is in the 50s and 60s here. I love the chilly change. :)

Went to this small courtyard for a cappuccino with my roommate Katie as well. I love this place. It is a little secret. A mini pants pocket of the city. You know what I am talking about? That little pocket that they put in one of your jean pockets, to look like a mini pocket? Ah, it is just the perfect touch, that is what I am getting at. There were a ridiculous amount of birds. Katie ordered this bread cake, that throughout the entire eating of it, we couldn't decide whether we actually liked it. But no worries, it was still completely eaten, by Katie, me, and a brave, imposing bird.

Splurged on a Swiss design book called Criss Cross. It is beautiful, exceptionally designed and the content is very interesting, featuring all the monumental Swiss design pieces thus far in its history. Exactly what I was looking for here.

Thursday I met up with my bead store friend, Mirjam, to have dinner at her place. I had the address, and was on a mission to walk there, but, typical Lindsey, I didn't have a map and just figured I would stumble upon the street. I walked and got close, but that doesn't count. I asked a mom and daughter who were walking there dog, and they took me to Mirjam's flat. We had this delicious meal of pie crust with cream cheese on it, with grilled zucchini on top! So So Good! We got to talking about life, what God is doing in ours. I had a lot to contribute. We took a walk around the Biers river, which is a small river that runs into the Rhein. And I discovered a beautiful grassy area by the water, and a gorgeous path through the forest that is lamp-lit. We walked a bit down the Rhein, towards the heart of Basel,and I discovered a slew more places I can't wait to have an espresso at (meals at these places are like 30.00CHF minimum, so espresso and a good view is good for me). And I saw the most unique thing... a "community garden." People from the surrounding flats do not have any places to grow their own vegetables, so they have a plot of land a ways away that is theirs to cultivate. I don't know why this is so amazing to me, but each of them are fenced off, and of course, Swiss-immaculate. Love it.

Friday was a relaxing evening of homecooked dinner (bruschetta and pasta) with friends on their balcony in Kleinbasel. Amazing evening, with cards and art discussion, on a brisk chilly evening. These kind of nights are what make me want to stay here forever.

Saturday Katie and I went to Montreux, to catch the tail-end of the Montreux Jazz Festival. After a good 2.5 hour train ride, we arrived to a glimmering lake, sun-kissed, with palm trees and mountains. Katie and I walked the edge of the lake, and couldn't stop commenting how we felt completely and totally relaxed and at peace. The atmosphere was simply perfect, simply gorgeous.

And check this out... a sweet disc-like thing to hang out on over the water! And check out that view... 

There were tons of white tents along the water, peddling everything from jewelry to kitschy solar system spray paintings. And food! From Brazilian to Thai, to crepes and churros. And then there was the jazz. My heart just pounded with joy hearing that. I am telling you, I was grinning cheek-to-cheek; I don't think I have smiled like this since Groundhog's Day when Phil came parading down through the crowd. The huge concerts are impossible to get tickets to, without having connections and sacrificing an arm and a leg, but there was free music in the park. Oddly enough, the bands we listened to were from the States (I come all the way over here to listen to a group from Minnesota...), but they were good, and jolly, and swooned me for sure. I am convinced I have been born in the wrong time period, and that I belong with Ol' Blue Eyes and Humphrey in the 40s. There was a guy that was wearing a full-out wool suit and a cream scarf, that I would've sworn was Sammy Davis, Jr... so cool. We rode a boat back to Lausanne on Lake Geneva, where we caught our train. We sort of "lucked out" because we caught the last boat, and then caught the bus, and then caught the last train to Basel. "Luck."

And on Sunday, I went to Luzern, which is about an hour away from Basel by train. It, too, is on a lake, and is famous for its crooked bridges across the water. 

The city is absolutely stunning, again with the mountains in the background and living amongst pieces of history. I went to the Lion Monument, which is carved into the side of mountain rock, and is a tribute to the Swiss that were killed while defending Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI during the French Revolution. There was also a glacier garden. I was somewhat skeptical of it, thinking it was a tourist trap for sure, but decided to go anyways, for a change of scenery. It was really pretty awesome, seeing how the glacier cut through the area, and starting to better understand how glaciers work. The coolest thing was seeing how the melted water, since it has nowhere to go, just spirals down into the earth and cuts away at the rock, to form this magical, smooth pothole and a wicked-crazy curly rock in the center. There was also a tower in which you could climb up to see a great view of the city. I got up there, and it started pouring, rain coming at me from the sides. I had my umbrella packed, so I got that out quickly, but then it started hailing. I was literally the only one around, and I tried to wait it out, but I couldn't. I must be honest, I was getting scared, because it was going on for about 15 minutes, and I couldn't see anyone below, so I started to head down the stairs to the area below, and undoubtedly got very wet in the process. Finally, I got down and close to the somewhat enclosed café, and ordered an espresso and some sour gummis (I got the ODDEST look from the barista there, and then she just started laughing). 

When the rain stopped, I headed back to the city to start exploring some more. I admired the beautiful paintings on the building walls from hundreds of years back, took some artsy photos (that is a nice thing about travelling alone sometimes, not feeling bad for taking some artsy shots that take a little longer, you can run on your own schedule). And the one thing I really wanted to see while I was there, was the Picasso museum, which, after I found out was recently combined with the Braque, Klee, and Chagall collections, as well as other miscellaneous famous artists, was  amazing. It is pretty well-known I guess, mainly because it has his work, as well as photos of him creating those pieces. The photography was stunning; I love to see great artists at work, in there regular old studios, or in their basements at home. I like seeing works of art I know in the background, that I have seen on the walls of a museum, but not on the floor, being rubbed up against by the cat. The best part of the day was definitely the museum, because I got to do a lot of sketching... something I always want to do, but rarely follow through with. I focused mainly on the Picasso photography; I wanted to be able to capture that human quality. I am pretty proud of some of them. Art... for me.

These guys were all OVER the place, begging for some pretzel scraps.

Ok, I am officially dead tired. Will continue with Sunday's church, the cake incident, and tonight's Bible Study tomorrow. Love.

Oh Where Does The Time Go?

Can you believe it is July 21st already? I can't. I can't believe I have been here in the Land of the Swiss for almost a month. Time is flying, and I have been busy exploring; my apologies for not posting in awhile, and my apologies for tiring you with this ridiculously long post about the past two weekends, and all the days in between. Brace yourself...

Ok, to begin with last weekend (I have put the Mrs. Doubtfire soundtrack on repeat, so that I can concentrate on this post). Saturday morning I met up with the Hauser family to go to their business picnic, and then later on to Liechtenstein with their friends, with whom I have never met. I had met the Hausers at the paper mill the previous weekend, and they are a wonderful family with very big and caring hearts. 

The more I thought of it, preceding the venture, the more crazy it sounded, but I never really felt very wary, just at peace. The car ride was fun, and I learned alot about Swiss culture and history, and fun hole-in-the-wall places to go to in Basel. As we arrived at the picnic, I was still unsure what "the business" was, and what we'd be doing at the picnic, or where we even were, really. We stopped at a large log cabin-like structure, with surrounding fields and forest. During the week, the "cabin" is a lodge for the lumberjacks that work in the surrounding forests. We were one of the first groups there, but by the end of the day, there were probably about 50 or so people. We arrived to "Surfin' USA" being played on the stereo—how ironic in landlocked Switzerland. After about five minutes, I decided to get up the nerve to start up some conversation with two guys who looked about my age. It was comfortable for the first thirty seconds. And then they ran out of English that they knew. And it was a lot of awkward glances and silence. So I started to take a quick lap around the cabin, with thoughts of why did I do this?!? I am in the middle of nowhere Switzerland with people I met at a paper mill. No one here speaks English! I know no Swiss-German, and I don't even have a pen to do a little arm cheatsheet. What. Am. I. Doing. After about 20 minutes of doing a lot of smiling and "guten tag," I met Brigitte and Sepp Meier (CRAZY, right?), the couple that would be driving me the rest of the way to Liechtenstein, and would graciously let me stay at their house for the weekend. And then it was barbecue time. This is when I truly felt American. Everyone, literally everyone, pulled out a brat or a mett or a cervelat...and I had chicken. :) I have never gotten so many odd looks. Oh, and my chicken was frozen, because I picked it up from the COOP (grocery store, not chicken coop, sadly) on the way. Oh, and I had no utensils, no beverage, nothing. Just some frozen chicken, in which I had to defrost and clean with the hot water from the bathroom. After lunch, there was more socializing time. I met Günter, a 55 or so man from Liechtenstein. He spoke pretty good english, and was very jolly. And he would help translate for me what was being announced, like the different competitions. Listen to these: cherry pit spitting, rainboot tossing, hot water bottle horseshoes. All just random games, just for the heck of it (I made sure to ask if throwing rainboots as sport was a traditional Swiss game, and they assured me no, and to not let that rumor get around about Switzerland)! I actually got second place for the boot throwing competition, and got a homemade plaque, which was awesome. I found that tag is an international language, and I had a blast with the kids at the party. Running around, laughing, communicating with gestures. One girl came up to me and tried to explain the rules of a new game to me. I gave her my confused look, complete with extra eyebrow skin I'm sure, lol, and then another girl came running up to her. She explained to her that I couldn't understand. She then started signing to me, as if I was deaf. The kids thought I was deaf for awhile! I assured them that I was not, that I just didn't understand German. I think that was one of their first times seeing someone who did not understand the language. By the end of the party (it was about 6–7 hours), I had met and had conversations with seven or so people, and laughed with many more. I had energy drinks with Dominic, who had just been to Sandusky for a business conference (this mystery business of which I was still unsure), and had an Ohio Harley Davidson shirt on. We got a picture, and I wore a Swiss hat. I met Jenny, a world-traveler who had amazing English. She is moving to San Francisco in a few weeks, and happens to also live in Basel. I cannot tell you what an incentive this experience was to learn Swiss-German. In the beginning, I had literally never felt so alone and clueless... but I then felt so proud and confident that I did it, and learned so much about myself.

After the picnic, the Hausers went home, and I stayed with Sepp and Brigitte. Apparently, the Hausers just sort of sprung on my staying with them, and Sepp said he wanted to see me first, see if i met the guidelines (I don't know what that means), but apparently I did. They live about 45 minutes from the cabin, in Sargans, which is in the eastern part of Switzerland. I asked them to tell me a little about "the business" on the way. It seems as though it is a middle man internet business that connects product producers with the market. It is a lot of meeting people and making connections I think. Brigitte speaks perfect English, but Sepp speaks none. It was really cool, because Sepp would speak to me in German, and sometimes I was clueless, definitely, but sometimes I understood fully! I have no explanation. We arrived at their house, in the small town of a few thousand. Sargans is IN the Alps, literally. The day was rainy, so we didn't have a super clear view of them, but they were still magical to me :). When setting down my stuff inside, I saw "Gott" which I thought meant, "God" on a calendar, and then saw the Ten Commandments on something else. Christians! I then had no doubt that all of this "coincidence"was God, and that this weekend would continue to be filled with learning. Even in the rain, Brigitte wanted to take me out and show me the village. So we started on a walk of the city, beginning with the CASTLE! Parts of the castle were started being built in the B.C. times! And a lot of the paintings that survived were from medieval times! It was so awesome, because it was around sunset, with a little drizzle, and then I heard it... the Alphorns! 

We climbed up the stone steps, completely smooth from years and years of treading, and then saw two horn players playing in the courtyard, with the mountains in the background. Absolutely magical. I talked with them a bit, asked some dorky questions like, is it all one piece (it screws together like a pool cue) and what kind of wood is it made from (can't remember, already!). They played me some special tunes (it was REALLY raining at that point, so I was definitely the only one around, engrossed enough to listen to a few songs in the rain). The view was spectacular. Cameras cannot capture mountains. Or lit up castles in the distance. You could see Liectenstein and Austria from there! Amazing. We walked through the old part of town, and saw some cute mom-and-pop places, like a piano store and the like. She said that at Christmas, the roads in the old city are transformed, and there is a special crafts fair where all the villagers set up tables and sell what they have made all year round. 

During our walk, I was able to talk to Brigitte more about her faith and Christianity. She had grown up Catholic, but her and Sepp were introduced to the Living God through the business! I heard stories of tests of faith, legit and inexplicable miracles, and just saw a whole new side of God, again! I seem to be encountering so many new facets of God here in this country. And it still boggles my mind that God is so universal. That I can know these people for a matter of hours, but gain God through them, and see all he has done worldwide. I also found out that Andi and Antonella (the Hausers) are also believers. And even more crazy... apparently only 1% of Switzerland is Christian. How do I meet these people?

We came back to the house, and had dinner at a neighborhood party, meaning more struggles with conversation, but a lot of great stories, and good food. I had my first taste of Cervelat, which is a Swiss wurst, and the one I had, had cheese inside as well. I love it. I have never really cared for bratwurst in the states, but this wurst was FABULOUS. I even bought some on Monday to cook myself (which I did, and I am proud to say came out well and tasted delish). And there was Rivella, which is always a great addition to a Swiss meal. The host found out I liked it so much, that she gave me the rest of the bottle to take home with me, lol. By that point, my mind was mush, pounded with a meat tenderizer, and shutting down from just a lot of emotional highs, ups-and-downs, and mental language strain. I went to take a shower, and I came to my bed for the night, and the couch was all made, the Rivella and a glass sitting out for if I wanted some in the middle of the night, my muddy jeans in the washer to be ready for the next day, and a Swiss bracelet and a note on my pillow, saying "You are very welcome with our family. Sepp and Brigitte." I cannot tell you what a wonderful feeling that was, as I felt like I was imposing 95% of the day, no matter what anyone said to me, and, hello, what odd circumstances to begin with!

On Sunday, I went to church with Sepp and Brigitte in Buchs, a town about 20 minutes away on the Autobahn. The church is Baptist, and contemporary. As we arrived, I started recognizing faces, faces from the business picnic! These people were Christians too! They greeted me with Guten tags and smiles, and I couldn't help but be tickled with the fact that I recognized anyone. We sang songs in the beginning, all in German, and I recognized How Great Thou Art, which was awesome to alternate between English and German. I am sure I drove the people I sat next to crazy, but whatever. During the sermon, Brigitte and I went upstairs, and she introduced me to Franz, who translated the entire service, just for me. We put on our separate headsets, and he helped me to learn about rebellion, the sermon for the day, which is very applicable in my life right now, as I have recently been given a great deal of freedom. It is amazing how much I have had to rely on God and others while I am here, something not so easy for me to do. I am learning that I cannot do life by myself, that I need others, and THAT'S OK. Nothing to be embarrassed about. After church, I thanked Franz for translating for me, and I think we talked for a good 45 minutes. Everyone was gone from the church at that point. He was telling me that he designs rollercoasters for Cedar Point, from his company here in Switzerland! We pretty much exchanged life stories, and he helped me find the locations of some of the Sigg Family lineage on my map. How completely awesome. 

We had lunch at Sepp and Brigitte's, more delicious wurst, with salad and spaghetti. We got into talking about business, and games that encourage strategy. Taking a stab in the dark, I brought up Settlers of Catan. Brigitte's eyes lit up, and she pulled out this...

Die Siedler von Kanaan—The Settlers of Canaan! How crazy! She has not played it yet, just saw the game in a store and thought it would be fun. If/when I return to Sargans, we are playing! After lunch, we drove out to Heidiland, and to the mountains. I haven't seen Heidi since one Friday evening at Lori's house in the 2nd grade or so, so nothing was very fresh in my mind, but I did remember the general plot. We saw the Heidi fountain, 

and toured the house from Heidi, and saw goats and chickens and cows with cowbells grazing the fields. And lots and lots and LOTS of Japanese tourists. Big, giant tourbusses of Japanese tourists flooded the winding streets. There was one man who was filming and taking a photo at the same time, of the mountains, which was comical.

Then went to Bad Ragaz, which is a ritzy resort area, especially popular for golfers and athletes getting medical attention and rehab after surgery. There was a golf course in which you had to pay 120,000CHF to be a member, and then 20,000CHF in yearly membership fees. There was no on at this course. Down the road, there was another course, in which you paid 5,000CHF to be a member...lots of people there.

Liectenstein was pretty much a Switzerland extension. We saw the Prince's castle, and walked through the streets, but to be honest, it wasn't as amazing as I thought it would be. Everyone all weekend kept asking me, "Why do you want to go to Liectenstein?" and I was thinking it would be this city posing as a country which escaped all aspects of time, and would just BE the middle ages. It wasn't. There was the most modern sculpture in a city I have ever seen. So we went back to Buchs, to roam the old city streets.

After the Meiers had literally driven me all around eastern Switzerland, swapping stories and learning each other's languages, I boarded a train back to Basel. What an amazing experience of a weekend. They invited me back whenever, that their house was open to me. I couldn't believe it. I hope to return to see Heidi the musical performed ON the lake here, which is in late August I believe.

Hmm. It has been a good hour and a half, and I have gotten through two days. Will attempt to write more tomorrow. Love.

The Pilgrimage and Other Tales

Wednesday was the day graphic designer dreams about before coming to Switzerland, the day I would visit the former HkG, the current SfG, or to all of us DAAPers, the birthplace of design that all the profs hail as Mecca: the Basel School of Design Switzerland.

The school is over in Kleinbasel, a somewhat long walk from work, but adrenaline (and a gelato) is good fuel for travel. I wasn't sure if I was at the right address, as there was a lot of construction and no one around, but I looked down at my map, looked up, and saw the famous gym designed by Hermann Baur, and the concrete reliefs by none other than Armin Hoffman. 

Concrete is an intimidating building material. Think about it; brick is a suburbian home with flowers growing in front; wood an old farmhouse with chipped paint; stucco a magical Hansel and Gretl cottage; and concrete, the looming Crosley Tower, Alcatraz and the like. I didn't hear any ghosts of design past, pleaing for their bail from line studies and plaka, but it was a very odd feeling being there, thinking I was trodding the same ground as Heinz and Robert. I hope to visit it again when school is in session, and to see the thesis exhibition. Here is the link to the site: www.sfgbasel.ch

Went to a club on Thursday night. I know what your thinking, who is this girl? A club? Yes, friends, it is true. And it is also true that I had a wonderful time. My roommate Katie and I met up with Rorik, Courtney, Sam and Kat, all who work at Novartis as interns. It was a great time, with some crazy dim chandeliers and some great house music. I am starting to like house music! Have you heard of Duffy? It is sort of Amy Winehouse-ish. I love the friends I have made here already. I can't wait for more fun times!

I am off to Eastern Switzerland and Liechtenstein this weekend, with the family I met last weekend. It is so crazy how things are working out. We are barbecueing tomorrow, which should be fun. I am excited to meet some new people, and see some new parts of Switzerland... and the MOUNTAINS finally. :)

Hope all is well for you, wherever you are at the moment.

Love.

'Tapas'

I know, you didn't think I had it in me, right? Well, guess what. I am too EXCITED to sleep, and must tell you about another amazing night. 

After a minorly grueling day at work (I am always thinking of my work in context now, as one of my roommates is doing construction work, aka ridiculously laborious physical work, all day long. Typing and mouse-clicking by a window with a soft breeze doesn't seem so bad then...ever.), I was excited to walk home with some Toblerone, and see my roommates, and then head off to Liestal, a neighboring town where my new small group would be meeting. I needed to take the train from the main station, and got a chance to start my new book Irresitible Revolution, as I just finished The Learners by Chip Kidd yesterday. Mom, I think I might ask you to restock my English book supply when you come to visit :). When I reached Liestal, I took a bus just a few stops, and I was practically at the doorstep of Chris and Lisa's. Liestal is beautiful, as it is nestled in the mountains, very cutesy and cozy, tucked away from Basel yet just a short train ride away. Oddly enough, I wasn't at all intimidated by going to a random town, to meet people that I had just met less than 24 hours prior. I was greeted with open arms, smiling faces, and English!

The group: Darryl, who is from New Zealand; Dave, an English street musician; Lisa and Chris, who have Australian connections; Lana, who is from Canada; and Mike, who is Swiss and is studying English in school. 

I cannot tell you how awesome it was to hang out with these people. I have not laughed this hard in a long time; these people know sarcasm, and I love it! We had a lot of social bonding time in the beginning, where I had the opportunity to embarrass myself right away. I was trying to describe 'edemame,' to no avail, and was telling them I had it in a 'tapas' bar, but all of them heard, 'topless' bar. There was this uproar of laughter, people keeling over, and I was utterly confused, but then Darryl starting breathing enough to explain. I am sure I am never going to live this down. We drank syrup water, which was a first. It is a concentrate that is in a one or two liter bottle, and you add it to water, and it kind of tastes like kool-aid or lemonade. I think I will always prefer a good stiff espresso, but it was still good. We talked about the Vengeance Psalms, or pretty much all of the angry parts of Psalms that you generally skip over, and wonder, hmm, how is this in the Bible? We learned that they are ways that David and other psalmists were giving their frustrations with injustice to God, and to let Him deal with it, rather than try to decide justice themselves, that it isn't really hatred and anger, but more of an honorable thing, giving it to to God, and being truthful and real about your human emotion. One thing that caught me off-guard was something Darryl had said, which was, "Wow, so you have been a Christian your whole life? You must know so much about the Bible!" I didn't know what to say, because I feel very insufficient when it comes to knowledge of the Bible, even after years of Summer School and Sunday School, and time with the Navigators. The Bible has never really latched on in my mind. I looked at Dave, for instance, who is a born-again Christian at age 55, and has known Jesus for five years, and he can easily recall Scripture. I don't understand this; why can I not recall the Bible like I can recall typefaces, and Eames, Raymond Loewy and Marcel Breurer?

Mike gave us all a ride back in his car. They were all asking for my phone number, so that we could hang out sometime this week or weekend, but I do not have a phone here. I am starting to question whether I should invest the 40CHF to get one, so that I can meet up with these people more often. Email can only go so far, really...

Have a wonderful Monday.

ICF (I Couldn't Fathom) a better day

Another eventful day in Basel! Rain cannot stop me.

Was able to sleep in, and then watch the Crossroads sermon from last week online (I didn't really understand the amazingness of the internet until I began living here in Switzerland. That I can access the same video that you can in the States. That Skype is even possible!). I have to pace myself, and not let myself watch the videos too much in advance, because then I want to see a new one, and it isn't available yet!

I have become a bit of a klepto... I am constantly on alert for sweet graphic design stuff here—there is such a wealth of it! It may be wrong, but I tell myself that I am collecting for the betterment of us American designers, as I hope to donate it to our studio and make a GIANT inspiration wall when I get back. As for now, all the posters I am claiming are up in my room, bringing a little Swiss lifetouch to the otherwise largely white space.

New music! Roger introduced me to the song "Hungriges Herz" by Mia (not M.I.A.) I bought the Scala and Kolacny Brothers choir version on iTunes, but you can listen to it on YouTube in its original form. The video/photo accompaniment is kind of lame, so don't judge it on that. Here is the LINK.

Went to drop off the recycling today at the nearby bins behind the train station, with all my roommates, but arrived to see that they were gone, due to some construction. So we went to the Tellplatz, and found some signs saying that we could only recycle Monday–Friday, 9–5pm! We had already walked quite a ways, with multiple bags of cans and bottles, and were not going to turn around, so we just started dumping them anyways. And wouldn't you know, there were 2 or 3 people that came out to yell at us. For recycling! Can you imagine that? One woman even took our picture, threatening to turn us in! Heck, in America, we're just happy to see people making the effort at all!

Went to the Basel Papermill today. I am almost positive it is on the Helvetica documentary, but I cannot remember. I want to see that again so bad! I probably will cave and buy a Region 1 copy when I get back. It was awesome; I am for-sure going back before I leave. The building was built ontop of a small river that leads into the Rhein, and has a waterwheel to generate power for the mill. It was an active paper mill from the Middle Ages to the late 1920s, and is now a museum about papermaking, type casting and setting, printing, and bookbinding. Here's a photo of an ink roller; no other significance except for beauty :)

It is only open for three hours at a time, so I made sure to go early, and just as I thought, I found myself getting kicked out at closing time. You could stand right by the fiber shredders, and pulp pounders, and even screen and press your own paper, with the Basel emblem watermark. I was in line to do this, amongst 7 year olds and their parents. The children were showing me what to do, cheering me on as I flipped the wet paper pulp onto the blotting felt. I set some type in a composing stick, that was supposed to read, "graphic designer in basel" but somehow read "graqhicdesignerinbasel" because I couldn't find the spacers in the case, and had the "p" in wrong. And the man who was setting it in the galley did not speak English, so when he tried to fix it, and it read "gradhicdesignerin basel," I just said "Danke" and moved on. I have never seen so many typecases; just cabinets upon cabinets of type! There was an original Heidelberg press, a lithography press with an old limestone tablet, and a huge collection of typewriters. And of course, a whole section of the museum was devoted to Helvetica. 

I met a family, Andy, Antonella, Adina, and Alessandro, who live in Switzerland and actually just came back from Fremont, Ohio! We got to talking, and they invited me for a drink downstairs in the Paper Café. Their children are so full of life, at four and two and a half, and already know German and Italian fluently. We had spent only a few hours together, but after this time they gave me their phone number and email, and invited me to a barbeque this weekend in eastern Switzerland! I had told them about my desire to go to Liectenstein while I am here, and they suggested that they could drive me to the barbeque, meet people there, stay the night, and then they could drive me to Liectenstein the next day! I couldn't believe it. I don't know if any of this will work out, but I am excited to have this experience nonetheless.

Came home and had an unpleasant encounter near the train station. I do not want to go into it, but I am definitely learning that I need to be a bit more guarded than I have been lately. It is hard to do that, though, when you come across some such friendly and heartwarming people, as well.

Ate a little dinner and hung out with the roommates, and then off to church at the ICF–International Christian Foundation. I was so excited when I walked in and began descending the stairs into the theater—made me feel like I was going to Forefront in New York again. I found the headset table, so I could enjoy the sermon in English. I met Lisa, who is from Australia, and is now living here as a vet with her husband Chris. I sat down, and felt sort of "at home" with Christians, but still somewhat of an outsider since everyone was talking in Swiss German, and knew each other. I have been humbled by that here, that yes, sometimes I will feel a little left out or uncomfortable. But this insecurity has only made me stronger here, and force me to rely on God. The service began with 2 English worship songs and 2 German. I cannot tell you how cool it was to sing German praise songs. We seemed to sing "across the world" in almost every song, and it got me to thinking, how different Switzerland and America are, but how Jesus has bridged us together, that there are congregations in both places praising the same God. That God speaks German too! Wow! I always "knew" that, but didn't really "get" that until I was surrounded by a unified German-praising voice. The sermon was on Humor in the Bible. It seemed odd to me, in the beginning, that a Swiss pastor would preach on humor, as the Swiss are known for being pretty serious, but it was an amazing perspective that I have never heard before. He brought up the question, "If you were asked, who is the most joyous and funniest person you can think of, you would probably answer... Borat, or Mr. Bean, or the donkey from Shrek, but not God, right? But he is the most joyous of them all! Just look as all this irony and humor He puts in the Bible!" He referenced the "speck of dust in your neighbor's eye, and the plank in your own" story, and pulled a 2 x 4 out of nowhere, and a small piece of a toothpick, and was making jokes onstage, and telling us how God can't wait to laugh with us in heaven, hearty and warm laughter. I couldn't help but enjoy myself, and see new pieces of God's character. After the service, Lisa invited me for a drink with her and some people from ICF at the restaurant above the theater. I got to chatting for a good two hours, and met her husband Chris, a woman named Martina, Lana, and Mike, most of which will be at the English-speaking small group I am joining that begins tomorrow!!! I am so excited!!! All of my wildest prayers have come true.

I hope I haven't been tiring you all with this prolonged posts. But I am just so happy.

Enjoy the rest of your day; I am sleeping now.

walks and talks

The past few days have been amazing. Time seems to be drifting away here in Basel, as I have been here 2.5 weeks already, but I am still trying to make each day count. Work has been exciting. I cannot go into much detail, for confidentiality reasons, but I have been working on logo design and application, and been given a lot of creative freedom, and Martin and Benno are so supportive and encouraging, so that is a real treat. I have been reading, taking quick naps in the Petersplatz park on lunch breaks, or strolling through the botanical garden. It feels like Cincinnati sometimes, because I see a great deal of cats, like over by the Law Building. The bakery I sometimes go to get a sandwich has begun to recognize me. I love the Bündner? sandwich with egg. She knows that I cannot speak Swiss-German, and smiles when I come in and just point at that same sandwich every time. She says, Egg? and I nod. And I pay, and that is it. An exchange of money, sandwich, and smiles. Benno and I have gotten to talking more lately. He is fun to work with. I have a feeling like he is a gold mine of stories... hopefully I will access the vault :)

Met with the woman from the Christian bead store on Friday after work. We went to a small, "secret" courtyard in the by work for drinks. I got a cold, less-sweet chocolate milk-like drink that was ok. And found a new love of Rivella, a Swiss drink that is sort of like the Mexican Manzana drink. She is a nurse at the hospital here on the edge of town. We talked about Switzerland, and my experiences here so far. She has such a kind and warm heart. She even invited me over to her place for dinner next week! What a blessing. 

That evening, Laura, me, Katie, and some of her friends from Novartis hung out at the flat and then went out to a club in Kleinbasel. I was excited to have a chance to wear my hot pink tights! The club was super-exclusive; I am not going to lie, I was intimidated by that. Not even thinking, a couple of us forgot to bring our IDs. But oddly enough, they wanted to see Passports. I would have never thought to bring that to a club, for fear I would lose it. So we didn't get in. As we were discussing what to do next, Laura and I decided to go back to the flat. On our way to the tram, we realized that they stopped running and would need to take a taxi. Laura began asking a man, Ali, about the train schedule, and after some conversation, he ended up inviting us to his brother's bar. It was literally one of the coolest experiences. Ali, a Turkish man, who has been here in Basel for 23 years, works at a pizzeria, and has been taking care of his sick father. Laura was awesome, and was translating conversation for me, so I could be a part. He was telling us of his faith. He was in a car accident, where the car was totaled, in flames, and he came out without a scratch. The police thought that he was lying! And he told us of the poor, and how no matter how little he has, he always gives to the poor, because he knows how difficult life can be, and what potential they have. He recalls giving money to a nine year old boy, and crazily, he was reunited with him, years later, and the boy-now-man recognized him, and brought him to his lush hotel room and to dinner, thanking him for his support so long ago. What a wealth of experiences and stories in this man! And what a caring person, to take us for drinks, to meet his family at the bar, to help us, perfect strangers, and then, to give us a ride home in his car so we would not have to pay for a taxi. He gave us his number, so that if we want to eat some pizza sometime where he works, we can. Unreal. 

Went to Germany today to go to the Vitra Design Museum. 

It is not far at all; you can take a bus from Basel to Weil am Rhein in 20 minutes or so. The museum/factory is in the middle of nowhere; just fields and hills and vineyards. There were chair sculptures everywhere, and a large sign that read, "Stadt der Stühle" or "City of the Chair." The buildings were designed by Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, and even geodesic dome by my buddy Buckminster Fuller. I was somewhat disappointed to see that the current exhibition at the museum was about the Arab culture and not something directly out of Sources, although I did learn a lot about the architecture and customs of their culture. As the museum shop employee put it, "Yes I know, the exhibition isn't the best. The Corbusier one that just left was spectacular. But it isn't our fault the Arabs sit on carpets!" I got a kick out of that. There is a George Nelson exhibit that opens on September 13, so I am eager to see that before I leave. Check out Peter Eisenmann... There is an architect card set. I wanted it! But it was very very expensive. Photos will have to suffice.

Took a walk tonight on the St. Alban-Tal, and the Rhein that was glorious. My eyes were acute, and I was picking up on all the beauties of my surroundings. Water beads ontop cars; splotchy watercolored sky; classical music pouring out of classical windows; old couples walking hand-in-hand, head-on-shoulder; nooks perfect for feeling like Basel was created just for you in that moment; candlelit boats, and exaggerated reflections by wine glasses; comfortable shadows and light pockets. I sat with a family who was singing Paul Simon songs on the riverbanks. I sang "Mrs. Robinson" with them. I know, how random. I cannot tell you how relaxing and cleansing it is to be here. I have no worries, I have been blessed.

I have solved my iced coffee problem. The instant coffee here is perfect, and dissolves in cold water. Add milk and a little sugar, and you have practically free iced coffee. Who knows, I may never have McDonalds or Starbucks again! And I may save some serious cash.