So many things...

Hello, whoever still reads this blog (most people I've chatted with lately have admitted to me that they do not...but I suppose the purpose of keeping this blog in the first place is to allow people I don't get to talk to as much to know what's going on in my life).

I have discovered, after emerging from several weeks of mild gloom, that my mood is very largely dependent on the weather. We're back to gloomy weather, but just knowing that the weather is responsible when I feel less-happy-than-usual helps (which is good, since we're about to have about 3 more weeks of rain). In the meantime, I'm starting to hit that 3-month point where, much like when I was on study abroad, I start to find my pattern and settle in more deeply to my life here.

What does that look like? you ask. Well I'm so glad you asked, because that's why I write here.

First of all, it means that I am being more proactive about engaging in activities I enjoy. Because my flatmate is living in Zurich the majority of the time (he's been coming home for weekends, but I'm on my own during the week), I don't have to feel guilty about spending lots of time in the kitchen. This means I'm cooking more complex meals, baking things (!!!!!), and generally feeling inspired again about feeding myself happily and healthily.

I did an acro workshop last weekend with my friend Eric, and I helped demonstrate most of the moves he was teaching because his co-teacher wasn't able to come. The weather has generally not been great for acro, and we don't have a room reserved Sunday/Wednesday evenings anymore, so my acro time had been greatly diminished. Through the weekend (12 hours of acro in 2 days), I got a better idea of what I should work on to improve my handstand abilities, my acro abilities, and my overall health. I also based a guy who weighs more than 1.5 times as much as me in a thigh stand, which inspired other small girls to base him, which was really fun. Sunday morning of the workshop, we spent about 3.5 hours acro-ing outdoors in the sun by the lake:

In the second picture, you see the Jet d'Eau, which is a classic sight of Geneva. It's literally just water being shot super super high, and the wind and light catch it prettily.

Last night I went out with some of my favorite people to a fancy fondue restaurant (a trademark of Switzerland).

Here you see three flavors of fondue: going clockwise starting at the top, there is tomato, herbs, and mushroom-and-bacon

Les Armures has apparently fed at least one American president (though I don't remember which)

Us.

This weekend I am going exploring with these same lovely people; we're planning to go to Gruyères, a beautiful town that houses the famous Gruyères cheese factory. Amazing Swiss cheese. We're also planning to go to Chamonix, which is on the border of France, Switzerland, and Italy, and which is home to the stunning Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain of the Alps. We're hoping to do some hiking around there.

Corey will leave me soon to return to Michigan and work on his dissertation, so I am trying to spend as much time with him as possible before then (which is fairly easy since we share an office). I think we're going to go white water rafting the weekend after next, which is his last weekend in town, and we're cooking dinner at my place next week.

Geneva is SO BEAUTIFUL.

Things that are making me happy:

• Making delicious food
• Feeling more comfortable with all the people in my life
• Talking to family
• Drinking lots of tea
• My new pillow (bought it two weeks ago and my sleep has improved dramatically)