04
Mar
Snowboarding: ALL WINTER LONG!
stored in: Sport, Trips

I am back! Yeah I was snowboarding again. This time two weeks with a part of my family. We were at our apartment in the Swiss Alp. When you are interested, it is in South Switzerland in the Kanton Wallis. My brother and I got two weeks off for winter break!

My daily schedule is easily told: morning snowboarding, then having lunch at an “alp restaurant”, going back on the slopes till 5.00 PM, going home for dinner, and then watching the olympic games in Vancouver all night long!
That’s really almost all I did the past two weeks. It was a relaxing and also fun! Only the book presentation I had to prepare was a little bit a pain in the a**. I could choose when I wanted to do my presentation. The ones who were going to do it first will get some extra credit. So, I picked the first date to do it,  which was the first day after the break. How stupid I was. But now I am glad I’ve already done it and I am happy for the extra credit since my teacher didn’t like my presentation (he really doesn’t like my american style of presentation).
Anyway, the olympic games where fun. Switzerland got 6 gold medals which is quiet a lot for a little country like us. I hope you all know the guy Simon Ammann! He is the one who won two of them in ski jumping! I am not related to him tho…
Alright, the rest of the post I let my pictures speak!
morning sunriseAnother nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice viewa little pick of our ski areaAnother nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice viewa baby christmas tree?Another nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice viewAnother nice view
4 Comments
05
Feb
Study or Fail!
stored in: Sport, Trips

Hello everybody!

Yes, I am still alive and I haven’t given up my blog. The last 4 weeks were just really busy for me. So busy that I couldn’t even update my blog.

So, you are probably asking yourself what did Raphy do in January? Well second of week of Januray I went to a snowboard camp! I got suspended from school for a week, which was really awesome! In that camp I got trained to a snowboard instructor. We stayed in a really nice hotel! Twin rooms with televisions, bath and shower included! I expected some military barracks with really uncomfortable beds. The whole week the sun shone, the snow was perfect and I just had a blast in that snowboard trainee camp.

Third week back in school! I had to catch up with all the materials I missed. Or better I should have. Still I had to study for some exams and write two essays: one about the city “Basel” and second a portrait of a teacher. The teacher one was actually fun to write.

Week four of January I got the chance to show off all my new learned skills in snowboarding. I went to another snowboard camp, this time not as participant but as a leader. My brother came along as a participant. Sadly he does skiing and not snowboarding. (snowboarding is way better…) Otherwise I probably would have been his instructor. The camp was a snow sport camp of my school. Every grade until the 12th grade has such a camp once a year.

I had a great time. It was fun to teach some younger kids of my school some snowboarding tricks. Only bad part about the camp: There was some kind of virus going around. About 85% of all kids got sick and had to throw up for a day. panorama viewAfter having the virus 24h the kids were normally fine. Fortunately I didn’t catch the virus but my brother did. I am not telling you how many times he had to throw up that one night. It was just gross. But again, other than that, we had a great week!

Right now I have to catch up with a lot of materials and it seems like every teacher is just throwing around with test, exams, essays, books, and presentations assignments. So, right now I don’t see through the tunnel of school work, but I guess I will survive it. Since I have winter break in just one week!!!

Till then my motto is: Study or fail! :P

2 Comments
06
Jan
Heating up the candles on the tree!
stored in: everyday life

christmas piano

Alright: I hope you guys started good in 2010.Many of you asked me how we celebrate Christmas in Switzerland. Well in my family, we usually celebrate three times. One time with my Mum’s Mum, my grandmother, the second time with all our relatives of my dad’s side and last but not always least just my family. We try to work out those three parties around the 25th as best as we can. Usually we get off for Christmas break on the 23rd. So at least, we have one day for getting the last gifts and wrap them into  nice presents. (I am NOT talented in wrapping presents, I usually get some help xD).
Traditionally we start Jesus’ Birthday party with a delicious dinner. We really enjoy this time with family around the table and usually eat around 1,5 hours. You guys know how slow and especially how much I am able to eat! After the main course we start lightening up the candles on the christmas tree. Yeah, we actually do that! Some times you have to risk it the get the biscuit, right?! For those of you who wouldn’t believe me last year, I added a short video! We start singing christmas carols. We usually sing till the first candles are burned down. In between some one also reads the Christmas story. Then we finally start giving out the presents, which were waiting the whole night under the christmas tree to get unwrapped. After getting all (most the time nice) present we finally have desert and then go to bed.
That’s just a short summary of a Christmas celebration in my family. If you have any question, don’t hesitate to ask. I am glad to answer them.
New years eve is different. My family and I go to this really cool Swiss city (Davos) up in the mountains. Every year around new year they organize a traditional ice hockey tournament (Spengler Cup). On the 31st is the final and my brothers, my dad and I go to watch it! My mum takes a long walk through the wonderful region of Davos. Sadly this year my favorite team lost. But it was a good game. So, I can’t complain too much. After the game we normally take the train home and celebrate in a quiet evening new year. Just family time…
Alright here is the video that shows evidence of the real candles on the Christmas tree. Don’t worry we’ve never had a fire and I have never heard of a Christmas tree burning down a house. God bless you ;)
1 Comment
30
Dec
Happy New Year 2010!
stored in: everyday life

Happy new year everyone! The new year won’t change a lot, it is your effort that makes the difference! (yeah you can quote that if you want  :-P ) See (write) you next year!

2010

No Comments
24
Dec
Merry Christmas
stored in: everyday life

Merry Christmas! Have you wonderful Christmas time with much love, family and things that make you happy! Hope you get some rest and can enjoy all the celebration time!


merry christmas

PS. If you forgot why we are celebrating christmas, you can read it in the Bible just go the Luke 2: 1-10 ;-)

4 Comments
« Previous Entries