Geneva, Switzerland

David and I were invited to Geneva during Toussaints, a two-week holiday which all teachers have in France towards the end of October. We weren't sure what to expect, but fortunately were able to get cheap tickets on Easyjet over the Geneva, which is right on the border of France. We stayed with our friend Jon Hart, who was staying with an LDS Filipino family during his internship (the family had invited us).

The boys had an excellent time skateboarding with some of the locals, while I took pictures, and we saw some of the sights of Geneva, including the old town, cathedral, and U.N. as we went. Jon was able to borrow a car so we spent one day in Montreux, a lovely town around the other side of the absolutely picturesque lake that Geneva rests on. We managed to talk our way into seeing the Chateau de Chillon for free, which was a fascinating medieval castle with a long history.

Everyone in Switzerland was incredibly nice and welcoming. Even the store clerks were happier than the clerks in Franprix in Paris who often don't bother looking at you. When we hurriedly asked someone for directions, as we would have in Paris, the Swiss man interrupted us, chastising, "ici, on dit 'bonjour'" meaning that he wanted everyone to be introduced before asking for directions--something no one every has time for in a big city like Paris. It was quite charming. Having always had trouble with French numbers, it was refreshing to hear 'quatre-vingt dix' whittled down to just 'neufnante.'












by Lauren