New Room, New Views

So as it turns out, I’m not as committed to blogging as I would like to be. Setting lofty, nearly unattainable goals seems to be my specialty. On the other hand, this is my first trip to Europe, so I’m not going to feel too guilty about taking a couple steps back away from the computer and towards, oh I don’t know, maybe the idyllic scenery that is my home for the next few months. Check it out:

Where am I? I think I just saw the Brothers Grimm...

I swear, nothing is more peaceful than taking walks in this sun-kissed town. Aimlessly wandering about Sierre has become a bit of a habit of mine. My days are not nearly as busy as college life at U of M, so when I see a new road, I just can’t resist exploring and taking a few pictures. Last week I meandered amidst the many surrounding vineyards, completely enthralled by the endless rows of exquisitely twisted trees. They are whispering secrets to each other, I swear. They don’t move an inch, but sometimes I can see them dancing. Maybe they stop mid-dance just as I look. Maybe they are shy. I cannot wait for spring to fully wake them up from their wintry slumber. (I attempted to post more pictures of them, but blogger doesn't seem to like them at the moment, look out for them on facebook!)

Of course, since I moved into my new place of residence, life has been a little less predictable and a little more spontaneous. I never quite know when someone is going to walk in and drag me off to a gallery opening or Carnaval celebrations (Mardi Gras was a week long event in Switzerland), so the my Louis & Clark-like explorations of Sierre are less frequent nowadays. I lead a rough life, I know.

Anyways, Here are some photos of my new temporary home for the next few months (I'm starting to realize why Mom calls me her wandering gypsy):

The Auberge Ecole Inn

My Room!

Sink!

Yes, that is the view from my bedroom window.

Living/Dining Areas

Kitchen

Now that I've been here a month (can you believe it?!) and am situated in a semi-permanent place, I think I am finally beginning to feel settled. Of course, I wouldn't be me if I didn't find a way to shake things up. I have some escapades in the works that I am really excited about. For instance, next week a new friend invited me to her home in Basel, a beautiful city full of museums and incredible architecture in the northern, German region of Switzerland. I’m going to get an exclusive tour of the town; my camera is already clicking in anticipation! As for the other adventures, I think I'll save those for another post (although, words such as France, Italy, and Germany are more than welcome to float into your head right now!). In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the sunny weather right here in Sierre!

À Bientôt!

Trish

(I have no idea what this says, but I like to think it's something lovely.)

Crans Montana

After an amazing weekend in Crans Montana, a snowy, tourist-filled ski site in the mountains directly above Sierre, I had every intention of posting photos and writing a new blog entry ASAP – Sunday night, or Monday night at the latest. Unfortunately, my penchant for procrastination seems to have followed me to Europe. How annoying.

Anyways, let me catch you up.

I woke up Saturday morning to a nice surprise of chocolates and tulips sitting on the kitchen counter. What are these doing here? I wondered to myself. And so I read the note left from Matthieu, apologizing for the three loud, late-night dinner parties held in the apartment (which I didn’t really mind so much), and thanking An-Céline and I for attending the school’s art open house that Friday. It was just the sort of pleasant morning that makes for an equally pleasant day. The Swiss know how to treat you well.

Later that night, however, is when the true adventure began. Yet another example of Swiss generosity, An-Céline invited me to spend Saturday night with her and some friends in a chalet up in the mountains, and really, how could I say no to that? We left early Saturday evening, taking the funicular straight up the mountain. Throughout the entire vertical climb, I couldn’t help imagining what would happen if the brakes gave out on the poor thing. I had to keep reminding myself that broken brakes would be a disaster, and not the amusement park ride I wanted it to be. Basically, Cedar Point should invest in some Swiss-themed rides, that’s all I am saying.

View from the funicular

Once the train came to a stop, I had to do a bit of a double take. Obviously, I know mountains are cold and snowy, but the drastic shift in climate after only a 15-minute journey was incredible. Sierre had been sunny and mildly warm, without a single flake of snow on the ground, but Crans Montana was a pure winter wonderland. Even in the dark, I felt like I had walked into the land of perpetual Christmas (the daylight, which brought with it even more snow, increased the Christmas-like atmosphere by tenfold, if not more).

Night time view of Sierre from Crans Montana

We arrived at the chalet, which in all essence was a chalet-looking apartment in a huge chalet-looking building. I don’t have any pictures of the interior, but it was just the sort of ski-resort meets chic 21-century design that you would expect of a swanky Swiss tourist site. I could just feel the money trying to escape from my purse…how did I end up in this upscale alternate universe?! Quite a different experience from my time in Madagascar, it’s been a rollercoaster of a year.

Outside of the setting, however, there are so many instances here where, if it weren’t for all the French, I would think I am in the States. Spending the night with 8 of An-Céline’s high school friends was no different. There were the usual playful insults, the loud and crazy antics, the sing-alongs to the most horrendous pop music (which is mostly American music, to my surprise), and even the occasional scenes of drama, which, of course, no night out on the town would be complete without. It even turns out the Swiss play kings, and yes, I do mean kings, the drinking game. The night was filled with an amusing mix of French and English, drinks and laughter. It ended with a quick bout around some Swiss night clubs, which, outside of a much wider range in age due to the looser drinking laws here, are exactly the same any other night club you’ve ever been – loud, hot, and crowded.

Of course, there is a certain level of sophistication in Switzerland that a night out on an American college campus lacks. I have only been here for a short time, but every night I have spent with a group of people has involved a wonderfully cooked dinner, on actual plates, with actual silverware. Even the pizza was classy. Certainly, eating any food with a knife and a fork brings with it a certain level of refinement, but eating pizza with a knife and a fork, followed by a delicate field greens salad and accompanied by a drink, well, that’s just the epitome of sophistication. And even before we began truly relaxing and playing, every dish was either placed in the sink or loaded in the dishwasher. American college students do not have the capacity for that kind of forethought. Plus, what’s cleaning without a good hangover to help out?

In the morning, An-Céline was nice enough to take a walk around town before we headed back to Sierre. She knew I was dying to take some photos, and she didn’t ever lose patience with me, even though I made us stop every second and a half to take yet another picture of the mountains. They were too pretty; I couldn’t help myself! I’m such a tourist!

I'm a little bit of a stalker.

Ice skating!

This little girl is going to be the next Michelle Kwan, no lie.

An-Céline!

More adventures to come, I am sure. I've only been here two weeks!

With much love,

Trisha

The Wait is Over!

So this is Sierre!

After many months of planning, my much-anticipated European adventure has begun. I still don't think I have wrapped my head around that concept, but spending some time photographing this beautiful city last Sunday certainly helped. The architecture is stunning. Sorry, America, but you just can't compare.

So where exactly am I? Well, I didn’t even know that until I got here. As it turns out, Sierre, a small town about two hours from Geneva, isn’t the most well-known area of Switzerland. Look in any guidebooks and you may or may not see it listed. This is probably because Sierre doesn’t have much to offer in the way of tourist attractions – no huge monuments or fancy museums, no huge shopping centers or hopping nightlife (at least, from what I have seen so far!). However, what Sierre lacks in excitement it makes up for with its natural beauty, charm, and overall sense of tranquility. Mountains surround its entire perimeter, guardians of the people and the many vineyards this town harbors. All these factors compose an atmosphere unlike any other I have experienced. It is full of peace but full of possibility and inspiration, an ideal place to create art.

My new school, Ecole Cantonale d'Art du Valais

And that brings me to the real reason I am here in this small town: the Ecole Cantonale d’Art du Valais, known as ECAV for short. I started classes this week, and already I know ECAV is everything that Michigan is not. ECAV is small in both number and size. It is one building, unlike Michigan’s city of a campus, and my class consists of roughly 20 or so students. Classes are nowhere near as often or regimented as they are at U of M, either. Most are once a week, some are every other week, and some sporadically take place throughout the semester, and those are just lectures and art theory courses (all of which are in French by the way, eek!). As for my studio courses, there are no scheduled class times. If I correctly understand what I have been told, I create art, almost whatever I want, and then schedule times to show it to the professors of my choosing. I have to meet with each of them at least four times this semester, and that seems to be the only real rule. So bizarre! Because everyone is incredibly laid back, if I want to produce any work of substance, it is entirely up to me. It will definitely take some adjusting to, but in the end I think I will enjoy the freedom, especially as a nice preview of my senior project at Michigan.

However, since the semester has barely begun, I have not had much to do this week. It has left me with a lot of time to think, to write, or to explore, which I do not mind so much. Currently, I am perched right along the windows of my temporary living space, witnessing my very first Swiss snowfall right outside my window. I may be looking forward to spring in the Alps, but the snow is so picturesque, it’s difficult to see it as unfortunate, even if it keeps me in the apartment for the day.

The Living Room

Now, some of you may have noticed the very confusing word temporary when I referred to my housing situation. Well, my real room in the Auberge Ecole Inn, ECAV’s only student housing, is not available right now; the current resident does not leave until March 6, so in the meantime, I am spending my nights in a pretty little flat in downtown Sierre. It is located very close to my school, to the hospital, and the train station, all of which are huge perks. I am sharing this cozy space with three other people. An-Céline is a sweet Swiss girl my age studying in physical therapy at the nearby hospital for six weeks. She speaks English very well and has been a wonderful French translator when I need the help. The other two residents are Gilles, a professor at ECAV, and Matthieu, an assistant at the school, both of whom are very lively, talkative, and hospitable. The couple nights I have spent with them here have included some boisterous chatting (I keep up with the French as best as I can, but that doesn’t always turn out well haha) and the cheery consumption of good food (fondue and wine, yum!) with a small assortment of their friends. I may be a little sad to leave this place for my real residence when the time comes!

My current room (messy, as usual haha)

Beautiful molding!

The Kitchen

The lighting in the kitchen really amuses me.

I have only been here a week, and I can hardly wait for the many exciting things to come, but as a final note I must say there is something about being completely alone in a foreign country that clarifies a few things. It’s like Vick’s Vaporub for your brain. Suddenly I can see so much: how I never really knew the meaning of word “alone” before; how powerful the force of language is, and just how powerless I can feel without it; how much I actually do love technology, despite all my qualms against it; and lastly (but most importantly), what incredibly loving, supportive family and friends I have and just how much I am going to miss everyone these five months. Consider this blog a tribute to all of you. Without you, I would not be here, and I would not be the person I am today.

Sending all my love from Switzerland,

Trisha