days < 110 -- comparing

advice for future exchangers #16:

you only really recognize your own culture

when you've been dropped headfirst into a different one.

So with the recent holidays and so, I'm realizing just how American and Chinese American and culturally different I am. They aren't bad culture differences... it's just that I never really thought of myself as being distinctly AMERICAN. I don't know if that makes sense or not.

Oh well.

• Zermatt was amazing! I went with a bunch (read: basically all) of the other exchange students from Switzerland, both newbies (August inbounds) and oldies (January inbounds). And it was wonderful. And the other Swiss Rotary exchange students here are basically some of the awesomest people in the entire world.
• Aaaand we saw the Matterhorn. Which was lovely.
• And Advent began! My family has Advent calendars and gifts every Sunday for me and my little sister and decorations and stars and everything. So our house is beautiful now. :)))
• I went to Zurich with one of my friends and we explored the Christmas markets. Of which there are many. And they are all very pretty. Actually, Switzerland Christmases in general are just very pretty.
• Basel has a Christmas market too. I went there as well. Because I like Christmas markets.
• And I gave a presentation to my class about my life at home. My class teacher was especially interested in homeschooling and asked me a LOT of questions about how it worked, what it was like, if I had tests, what American high school was normally like, etc. So that was interesting... :P
• Bern Bundeshaus lights!!!! I posted a video link to them in my november/october lovely links, if you'd like to see them... they are gorgeous. My goodness.

there was more that happened, i'm sure, but I am too tired to write it down. 

guete nacht!

october and november's lovely links

yay. i'm so proud of my country. Look how informed we are.
but i guess that the British people are pretty bad at this too. ta da.

my friends and i went to go see this at the Bern Bundeshaus the other day... it was a giant projector on the BUILDING, and it's even cooler in person than it looks. If you ever go to Switzerland while the Bern Bundeshaus Lichter are on display, they are something you NEED to see. (The video is about 25 minutes long... but warning, it's all in Swiss German and the story is very strange. the light effects are lovely, though.)

I'm not sure if this is true, but it's interesting: Choose the Best Airplane Seat.

and this. this is rather scary. maybe when i get home i'll just ban myself from eating... because here are 10 foods eaten in the USA that are banned in other countries...

Okay, these maps are just cool. (note: there are two that are sort of strange and in my opinion unnecessary. so maybe check before you show this to your little sister or something.)

I. LIKE. THIS.

how to pronounce the cantons in one easy map. (except not exactly right if you ask me. but oh well.)

that's all for now! ciao!