on being suisse...

continuing on the theme of culture, it brings me to the next subject as I am living in Switzerland... for now.

when in Denmark, I did not realise how much of the culture consumed me until I moved here. I feel more Danish than anything else. I admit that part of it could be that it is something that I am clinging to, as Denmark was my last home. There are many things about me that have remained intactfully American, yet there are many more that are truly Danish. I became one of them while there, and it took my moving to CH, along with being with other Americans in the US, to realise that indeed I am more Danish than I thought. And if you told me this while I was in DK I would have screamed! Yet I enjoy it now, am soooo thankful for having been there (even though it was the most difficult 3 years of my life) and am happy to be, to a degree, a Dane.

even to the point that I put the Danish flag on my birthday cake and I have Danish flags all over my desk.

So this past weekend I spent it with the local expats (as that is the best way to get to know people, can you believe that the Suisse are more closed than the Danes!!!), I was doing Suisse-ish things on Friday and Saturday. I went to the Cathedral (first time, thank you Marco... yes... I know) and to the Desalpes-- when the cows come home from the mountaintops for the winter.

The cows are decorated with flowers and hats. It is a sight to see for sure! And I did all things Suisse... raclette for the first time, fondue for the millionth. And while I was there, I wondered what it took to be a Suissie.... then it hit me what it was

...on being suisse: getting shat on by a cow!

Yes!

I have been baptised!!!

I am officially Suisse!

I even went shopping at Coop afterwards with my new badge of honor.

As I was in St. Cerge, which is above Nyon about 1100 meters, I was taking many pics of the cows coming down the mountain. In drag. With their owners (who were in their own type of drag... the local traditonal dress).

And I love cows. They are adorable and so beautifully simplistic.

I had my new camera with me (thanks Xavi, I have been putting it to many use!) and decided to align myself closely with the oncoming corral to get a good shot. As I did this, close to being stampeded, a cow decided to give me a good warning...

It shat all over me!!!

And tonight, as I engaged in all things Suisse as tonight is my only laundry slot for the week, I washed my clothes to no avail. They are stained permanently.

They may have saved my from my French-ness. My plan for Saturday, originally, was to go to Hermes afterwards to rescue a bracelet. As I like to match my scarves with a bracelet, I do have one scarf that remains partnerless. As I passed the Hermes window Friday night, I spotted the most AMAZING pink (I am a girl!!!) and silver bracelet in the window. So my plan was to get it after the Desalpes on Saturday.

Then I learned why the Suisse are so good at banking. Getting shat on by a cow keeps you from spending money!!!

To top it off, I got extra Suisse tonight as I came home to someone else doing laundry during my slot, I did as another Suisse would do-- I wrote a note in French reminding them to not take my slot.

Now if I can get the fondue odor out...

question-- how do you root your uprooted-ness?