Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun...

Let’s be honest, I fail at updating this blog. It’s not that I don’t have things to say. Really, I’m to busy making memories to write about them! Since my last post I’ve been in 6 different countries, experienced St. Paddy’s Day in Dublin, and attended Trinity Ball (that’s right, we had a ball) just to name a few. I’m going to try to go back and post about some of these things, but I don’t want to let being behind prevent me from posting anything. Long story short: Dublin is amazing, you should probably be at least a little jealous of my life, it’s been an incredible last few months and it’s only getting better!

            I’m in Switzerland this week. No, it isn’t spring break, and it’s not as if I never go to class, it’s just that Trinity…never has class. Students don’t have December exams, so all modules from fall and spring terms are assessed in May. To make sure students can do well (or at least that’s the explanation I’ve come up with, though it could also be a chance for profs to catch up on grading, as I have yet to receive feedback in most classes), these exams are preceded by a 3 week “study period”. According to one Irish student, it’s cheating if you keep up with reading or open books before this time. Since this isn’t quite my pattern, I feel okay taking a week away from studying to travel. So far, it’s probably one of the best decisions of my life.

            It’s been 2 days and I’m already in love with Switzerland. It’s not much of a secret that I love the sun. Dublin is incredible and the weather isn’t as bad as I expected, but I haven’t worn short sleeves outside my room since I arrived in January. My friend Erin and I flew into Geneva Sunday morning with no plans other than a general timeline of locations and a reservation for a hostel in Interlaken Wednesday and Thursday nights. We found a hostel, stashed our things in a locker, and went exploring.

            At this moment my love affair with Switzerland began, though the views of the alps as we flew into Geneva certainly contributed. The sun was absolutely glorious. For the first time since January, I walked around in a short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans, and I was actually warm. Not “warm right where the sun is but still cold because of the wind”, not “it’s a good temperature and not rainy, just cloudy”, not “don’t worry it’s only Irish rain”: no, I was actually, finally, gloriously warm. I felt like a flower after winter, as if something had been missing or part of me had been hibernating and my body was finally recharging after months of never being quite 100%. I was done with classes, traveling, carefree, and in a blissful state of happiness that only the sun can bring about.

            We wandered down towards the park with the goal of hitting the botanical gardens. As if the sun weren’t enough, I finally am traveling during spring, so the gardens were blooming and beautiful. Everywhere people were enjoying the day: sitting with picnics, playing soccer and frisbee, walking along the paths and napping in the sun. I know Ireland is supposed to be green, and the Connemara region was full of beautiful and idyllic Irish scenery, but I think maybe Switzerland has it beat. The colors of green in the garden were amazing. Everywhere I turned, every step we took, brought another gorgeous site. And then before us, past the trees, I saw the sight that made me ready to move to Switzerland: before the garden was the water, sparkling in the sun, and beyond the water, the craggy, majestic, awesome craggy peaks of the alps. Snow capped the tops of many of the more distant peaks. Nothing could have prepared me for this sight. Standing in this park, looking across at ships sailing on the water, and gazing up at the snowy alps, I couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.

            Before I left on this trip, my sister told me that she left her heart in Interlaken. We head there tomorrow or Wednesday and I couldn’t be more excited, but I’m a little worried that mine might already be stuck in Geneva.

PS  I realized that this wasn’t quite finished, as it needs a little tie in to the theme, so here goes:

            White people love snowboarding, and NOT to think about snowboarding when looking at the Alps.

            White people love 1^st world travel. We’re playing the part by carrying backpacks, staying in youth hostels, and (of course) riding in trains. White win for us!