Feeling broken
Barely holding on
But there’s just something so strong
Somewhere inside me
And I am down but I’ll get up again
Don’t count me out just yet.
I’ve been brought down to my knees
And I’ve been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I’ll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven’t seen the last of me
You haven’t seen the last of me
-Cher
This week I got back my exam in Biology, with a whopping 18%. Keep in mind you need 67% to pass here. I was considerably proud of myself, considering that I hadn’t been there for all the content of the unit being taught. On the front, were the words in red written, “Good, continue to persevere.” D’accord… Je vais faire…
I’m aware that sometimes I say the funniest things in my second language. I remember asking if it was legal for me to go into the jam jar with a dirty knife.
Yesterday night, 9:45 p.m. in my mushroom pajamas, saying goodnight to my parents.
Me: I’m going outside!
Papa: [Puzzled. The look which crosses his face is priceless. What now?] Why?
Me: [duh] I’m going outside now!
Papa: Is that something you can do tomorrow?
[typical handmotions ensue]
Papa: OH! You’re going to sleep!
Haha yeah that sounds about right…
This one is particularly lolworthy:
Eating supper with my frere and Papa.
Papa: …yes, sometimes we eat at MacDos.
Me: MacDos? That’s different…
Papa: How do they call it in Canada?
Me: McDicks…
puzzled look.
Papa: Why?
Me: I don’t know actually…
Papa: what’s ‘dicks’?
Me: um.
well.
um.
It’s just something that rhymes with Mcs… of course.
I love those moments when I understand everything that’s going on, but I get to stop and say “wait how do you say…” when I can revise my words…
They have really nice palm trees here. I love it!
I bought myself a pair of shoes today. I call them grandpa shoes because that’s what they bring to my mind, anyhow. I love them so much. I’m only hoping that Canadian fashion doesn’t dismiss them as antiquated, but I’m bracing myself for that reaction in any case. They were 20.- francs, down from 50.-
I got to school here and realised that nothing I wear is normal here. I’ve embraced that fact, with wide open arms, because some of the stuff they wear here is REALLY weird.
I had a Toblerone McFlurry today. This is Switzerland, folks. They also sell ovaltine McFlurries, which they call “ovomaltine”. I had tried that kind at the train station in Bern. The McDonalds here are more posh. They’re much classier here. They understand that they have the competition of the little konditoreien/pâtisseries/boulangeries/delicious-fresh-everything-shops.
There’s no peanut butter here, but the ubiquitousness of chocolate and cheese has caused me to not even notice that fact until now.
They don’t use ice cubes as often. It’s only in restaurants, and there’s plenty of restaurants where you don’t get ice cubes. I’m pretty sure I’ve only seen icecubes here a few times.
The other day I had Columbian food. It was cool. We had wooden disposable cultery. There was coleslaw with pineapple and raisins in it. I loved it, minus the raisins. Eating raisins goes against my conscience. It’s like chewing on old people. They come in the same colors. Sultana and golden. It’s worse than soggy fingers. Nevertheless, I piously removed the multitudinous raisins from my coleslaw.
Swiss Mousie 
The funny awkward jokes with your father remind me of my own with my dad. My favorite type of humor is the awkward.. not really sure how to respond of when to laugh type jokes. Thinking about all of the funny nicknames for McDonald’s makes me laugh especially when i hear my Grandfather say it. The awkward, monotone voice that he has just makes it that much funnier. Just to know that McDonald’s is a world wide restraint is crazy since they do have some different types of food selections that no one has really tried here in Canada. For example a Toblerone McFlurry.. just a crazy thought. And just a question that crossed my mind .. how do you know that raisins are like chewing on old people? Have you chewed on an old person before?
No one’s ever asked me if I’ve chewed on an old person before. And I’m not too sure how to react.
Well, no.
But I can account for the raisin-geriatric connection. They’re both wrinkly. And I don’t want either in my mouth.
Well this just got weird. Really fast. Most effective type of humour though right?
I’m not too convinced. All I know is that no muesli is free from these weird parallels that draw themselves in my mind. Just nod with big concerned eyes and look sympathetic. That’s all I ask.
“Eating raisins goes against my conscience. It’s like chewing on old people.” This will ALWAYS be one of my favourite moments from reading your blog!!! HA!! Jennifer B
True, I guess it is priceless in its own way… 🙂
You’ll be way ahead of fashion when you bring back your grandpa shoes. It takes about 2 years for things to migrate across the ocean…shoes, handbags, main fashion colours. You figure they’d never wear anything like that over here, and lo and behold a year later you start seeing it in the stores:> you’re way ahead of the pack now… good start on a solid eccentric wardrobe.
Thanks Feather! I figured I can pull off the eccentric musician look next year… 😀 Thanks for the reassurance!