life: in progress

As usual, life is moving way too fast for me to experience, process, document, and record on this handy web log in a timely fashion.  So let me take a few minutes to catch up on some things that I haven't had a chance to write about yet (before I jump into my time in Morocco, which is really what is mostly on my mind).  I went to a yoga class.  Casual, right?  Except it was in a family friend's home studio, and ALL IN FRENCH.  Not so casual anymore.  I'm not exactly a yoga guru, but I love it, and I figured I could keep up by following the instructors so I was thrilled to go.  When I arrived, they greeted me with a smile, told me to take off my shoes, and handed me a mat.  The class began, and the very first thing the instructors (a husband and wife couple, by the way) said was close your eyes.  Well, there goes my last resort.  Either I learn French really quickly, or I look like a fool.  Not that that leaves me much of a choic...

The house.  It's pink with green shutters. Facing North-West The Jura mountains.  The Jurassic period in geology was named for the formation of these mountains, and I would argue that they are one of the Jurassic period's more impressive accomplishments.     Facing South  The French Alps on the other side of lake Geneva.  The highest (and brightest) peak in the background is Mont-Blanc.  The vineyards are a nice touch, yes? (unknown leafy greens) apple orchards Is the mud here prettier too, or is it just me?

Is that the name of a movie?  Oh no, it's just my life right now. Every time I step outside, and when I'm inside, for that matter, I just can't even believe where I am and what I'm doing right now.  I feel so incredibly privileged to be able to spend a semester abroad, let alone in Switzerland, let alone with the kindest, most welcoming, and most fun family in Europe, that I sometimes can't even believe it.  But that's how I feel about my host family. They have welcomed me in so kindly to their home and gone way beyond what I would have expected.  They are a couple with three grown sons and three little grandsons, two of whom I've met and the other I met on skype.  They are Sicilian/Italian/Swiss and married/dating Polish so when everyone is over it is a jumble of languages and noise and it always amazes me that somehow we manage to communicate.  Their sons speak English (as well as a few other languages, such is life here), but during the week I can onl...