Being a Monk

With my school I went to a monarchy the past three days . In the 12th grade my school organizes a special week for every class. For the ones who don't study economic: a week, where they about economic learn in a practical way , and the ones who study economic go to a monarchy for a change. It is a little bit ironical but it does make sense. Anyway. This tuesday my classmates and I headed off to the monarchy in "Engelberg" (middle part of Switzerland). We got separated from the girls after a stop at Luzern. Then we went on with our teacher right to the monarchy. After arriving and welcoming we went to our first prayer. In a catholic church, which was part of the monarchy, we stood on two sides faced to each other and read some psalms for about 20 minutes. It would be our first prayer out of nine with the monks. The rest of the afternoon we received our rooms and got some instruction from one of the monks. We ate dinner with the monks in silence. No word was spoken. Only one.... READ MORE!

Snowboarding: ALL WINTER LONG!

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!

Study or Fail!

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. READ MORE!

Heating up the candles on the tree!

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.... READ MORE

Happy New Year 2010!

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 )

Merry Christmas

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

Surprisingly Snow

Some times events come up really surprisingly. I already got used of the fact that my comeback in snowboarding will be somewhere in February, 2010. But then it came all differently. As some of you may know in Switzerland it is a tradition that every year the school organizes a ski camp for almost each grade. Well, my grade of course.... READ MORE

Daily Show makes fun of Switzerland!

So I actually was going to write about the Swiss Santa, but the Daily Show has given me another subject to write about! I thought about writing about it earlier, but then didn't because I thought I don't want to bore you with Swiss politics. Anyway :D Setting the Scene: Two Sundays ago the Swiss folks voted on a referendum on a prohibition of the building of any more minarets. Of course this was a huuuge question and it was much more then just about the islamic tower. There were some really aggressive poster showing minarets rising like bombs from the Swiss flag and so on. And sadly the referendum came through two Sundays ago. Most supporter of the referendum fear the "Islamization" of Switzerland and Europe. Of course this fear has some points because in the last 30 years the percent of Muslims in Switzerland has raised from 0.2% to almost 5% of Switzerland's population. Some people are fearing kind of a population explosion of Muslims or what ever. Which I don't think is legit, but I at least can understand their fear. I was against such a referendum because it doesn't do any good. And such a stop of building any mores minarets doesn't solve any problems that we have with the Islam and Muslims immigrants. Anyway, enough of that talking. In the last months I have heard enough of it and now, that it actually came through, I am also a little bit embarrassed of the result. But I still want to show you guys the Daily Show Clip about the minarets in Switzerland! It is hilarious!!! (At least for a Swiss :P ) WATCH THE CLIP (FB: click "View Original Post")

The most interesting questions!

During my exchange year you guys really asked me some, well lets say interesting questions. I tried to remember the best ones and give my answers to it: After I introduce myself as Raphy from Switzerland: 1. So Ralph in Sweden, you guys speak Chinese right? Well first: ... READ MORE!

I shot the swine flu

I know it has been a really long time since I wrote. And I apologize, but there are cool things coming up. So, don't worry I will keep up my blog. So lets get to the subject. I don't know how you guys in the States are dealing with the swine flu right now. In Switzerland the government has set up some safety precautions. Since I am back there are.... READ MORE