Wednesday : Wednesday was the Israel vs. Switzerland soccer game…and not just any game, this was the qualifying game for the world cup…VERY EXCITING !! Norina, Aurelie, (the other 2 interns- Swiss and Swiss-French) and I went out for dinner downtown. We ate at a cute little Swiss restaurant and then headed to a local bar to watch the game on the big screen. It was really fun and exciting. Hanging out outside of the work place was great, and we really got to know each other better. The bar where we watched the game has these awesome drinks called Penasche-sprite mixed with beer- it was so good and only 3.50 Francs!! Israel and Switzerland tied, so now they both go on to the next round.
Me and Norina watching the Swiss V. Israel Soccer Match
My fundraising job if really in full swing, I am writing grant proposals and formatting and modifying requests and proposals. I have been corresponding with Ciruela Luisa Groher, a contact I was given by my boss. She is an expert in fundraising and has been helping me learn the tricks of the trade of fundraising. Fundraising is a really difficult, rewarding and frustrating task. You are not able to just copy and paste the same information into a form and send it off; each organization has different requirements ranging from a detailed budget, to a letter of inquiry. Many organizations do not take unsolicited requests and many just don’t even respond. While this can be immensely frustrating I just keep reminding my self why I am doing and I know that I am gaining skills that I will be able to take with me for the rest of my life.Lugano: Friday morning we had class and then Kelly, Alison, and I headed off to Lugano!! Lugano is a city in Switzerland located on the Italian border. After 6 hours and 3 trains we finally got there. IT was dark when we arrived but none the less absolutely spectacular. The city is built into the mountain and it was all lit up!! We were very hungry when we arrived so we walked to our hostel, checked in and headed into town. Not much was open so we grabbed a bottle of wine and walked around Lugano. We found a bar, Koala Bar, that was open and we went inside for drinks and food. The owner was so nice and made us fresh delicious paninis and pizzas! We ate, drank, hung out and headed back up the mountain to our hostel. Ironically enough, 2 girls on the EUSA trip from Boston University were staying in our hostel as well…what a small world!
The next morning we woke up early, and headed out with our maps. Lugano used to be part of the Roman Empire and has a large Italian religious influence. With those two things combined there is no question why Lugano is filled with TONS of churches. Each church is so uniquely beautiful.
Gorgeous Fresco
Gorgeous frescos, exquisite interiors, some lavish, some modest, each was different and incredible. We spent a good part of the day exploring the churches and open squares right on the water of Lake Lugano. We also explored some gorgeous flower gardens, on the water as well.
Lugano
Me and Kelly enjoying our Breakfast at Cartier
For lunch we ate at a cute pasta restaurant over looking Lake Lugano…the most incredible fresh pasta!!! Kelly introduced me to Prosecco—a white, bubbly delicious Italian wine…I think I am in love…with the wine, it’s going to be hard to go back to Natty light and 4.95 vodka after this!! ;) After lunch we walked to get some gelato and got in a cable car to go to the top of Mt. San Salvadore. At the top of the mountain there is a church, I walked into the church and all of a sudden a group of nuns broke out into hymns. It was a really cool experience, I felt like I was in a movie. I climbed to the top of the steeple and stepped out to enjoy, one of the most incredible views I had ever seen. I can’t even describe the feeling but to see such beauty, that you can’t see the end to it. It just keeps going, and going, and going…360 degrees around you. It can almost seem overwhelming. You know no words, explanation, or pictures will ever be able to do it justice. You just want to soak it all in.
Kelly, me, and Alison on the top of the Church on Mt. San Salvadore
We headed back down, grabbed some dinner on the go and headed home. We brought a bottle of Prosecco for the train ride, of course…
Sunday: We did not arrive home until 2:30 a.m. on Sunday morning so I woke up for breakfast at 8am (it is only served 7-9) and then went back to sleep until 1:30. I made lunch and then Jesse, Rachel, and I decided to walk around. I usually take the tram and buses so I wanted to have the opportunity to explore Geneva by foot. Geneva is easily walk-able so I was happy to do so. We walked around the old town, the park, the opera house, Plainpalle, and Paqui. We stopped for coffee in Plainpalle at Central Perk (**Amy Wheaton—the whole time I was thinking that I wished I had a cut out head of you to take a picture there). It was getting chilly (especially because my winter coat zipper broke…) so I got roasted chestnuts from a cart on the street and enjoyed them on the way home. I was looking forward to watching the Ravens Play on Sunday, but the sports bar was not playing it, so I was all set up to watch the live update on the computer and the internet went out…so thanks to Mom, Dad, Eric and some friends from home I was able to get the play by play via BBM. I was wearing my Flacco jersey all day! What a sad and disappointing game.
***I will put pictures up on Picassa as soon as I get my computer back
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