My first few days here have definitely felt like vacation. When I say vacation, I mean that it has felt like I am walking through a mix of Epcot, Busch Gardens, and the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. When I say vacation, I also mean a vacation with meals made up of peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, and vending machine cappuccinos. Here are some of my recent realizations:
– Eating airline food is basically like consuming a (not so) lean cuisine
– I will look American regardless of the clothes I wear, the shoes I wear, or how I do my hair
– 17F (1F=$1.10) for a meal at McDonald’s is normal
– Carbs are present at every meal
– Heavy Cream/ Dairy is incorporated into every dessert
– The Swiss have heard of Piper Perabo’s breakout movie, Coyote Ugly
– The Swiss know more about the NHL Lockout and Sidney Crosby than I do
– Fitness Centers are either hard to come by or non-existent
– Coffee is small and to the point, no pumpkin spice lattes here. Non-fat milk is also not an option.
– Trying to communicate through hand gestures is not ideal
Luckily, we are served dinner four times per week at the Montarina (our hotel), and I recently made a grocery trip to Migros for some breakfast and lunch staples (in addition to pb&j). Around fifteen of us are headed to Milan this weekend to experience the eurail and a hostel for the very first time.
