Stuck In Transit...

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Pro traveller

As many of you know by now, my father works at an airline company so I also get the benefits of flying cheap with one condition: stand-by. This could be both heaven and hell. Like when they kick you off a flight because the plane is overbooked and you're stuck in the airport for hours not knowing when you'll be able to catch the next flight. Over the years and as an ex-investment bank worker I've learned that the best way to go is low-risk; meaning that I'd rather take the flight that's empty rather than risking for a full-flight. This means that sometimes it doesn't work out time wise. This time I had to wait at the airport for 8 hours but I was basically guaranteed for a seat rather than for an earlier flight that was nearly full. Luckily my credit card comes with a free Priority Pass card which grants you access to few of the business airline lounges. So I checked in and got some work done while munching on some snackies and a beer for free.. Yuengling beer that I could never get my hand on the West Coast. So 8 hour wait? No biggie

Things I (still) miss about DC

It's been almost 10 years since I was living in DC as a short-term intern but there are things that I still miss. Among them is Potbelly's and of course Dunkin Donut coffees which I savor when I have a chance of a layover in Dullus

Back Home

The main purpose for me to come home was to renew my passport so I had little time to do things in between but nevertheless, it's always good to be back :)

Puerto Rican food... yum!

Lunch date with the besties!

Lovely lunch date ! Can't wait to see the baby

Ferry Building farmers market

Japan town

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

New Passport 米パスポート更新

After 8hrs standing in line, I'm finally a legal American again!
Came back to the US all the way for this but it's well worth it.

アメリカのパスポートが5月に切れたのが6月に発覚し、更新したいとジュネーブのパスポート出張所に問い合わせたところなんと2ヶ月待ち！なわけでサンフランシスコにある西海岸パスポートセンターで列に並ぶこと8時間。一日でパスポート更新に成功です。2ヶ月→1日でできるって便利だけど立ってることが多かったから背中が痛い。。

Monday, June 15, 2015

It's Over!!　大学院1年目終了

It's finally over... what has been a nightmare of a semester with 8 classes and having projects, papers, and presentations due almost every week, we survived! And so concludes my first year of grad school. Couldn't have made it through without you guys!

長い長い学期が終わり、期末試験も全て終了いたしました！やれやれ、今回は8科目をとっていた上毎週のようにプレゼンやらレポートやら試験やらでかなりハードでした。今まで学生生活バカにしてたけど、学生は24時間学生なので週末やら夜遅くまでパソコンと向かいある意味では社会人よりハードかも・・・ともあれお蔭様で無事1年目を終了することができました。この1年スイスに渡り相変わらずの土壇場人生だけど大いに満喫することができました。ここから夏休みに入るわけですが、夏期講習や研修、そして6週間のフランス語学留学が待っているのであまり休めない感じだけどとりあえず、これから実家に一週間ほど帰りまーす！

Monday, June 1, 2015

Caves Ouvertes　ワイナリーお開き日

One of the secrets of Switzerland is that it produces a lot of wine, and it's good (although R doesn't approve of this....let's leave the battle up to the picky Frenchies). Every May all the wineries open up and offer free wine. It's a great event for wine lovers and all! Plus they sell wine bottles, Swiss food, and entertainment. It was the midst of finals studying season but that doesn't stop us from going out and having fun. If you happen to come to Switzerland around that time, I highly advise you check the events schedule as different cities and communes all have different dates for Caves Ouvertes. It's a great way to enjoy Swiss wine and culture at the same time. Plus, the vineyards are beautiful

Also Swiss wine is a great souvenir - only 1% of its wine production is exported and the rest is all consume by the Swiss. Yes we are big drinkers for sure. But also don't forget that white wine is used for making fondue so naturally we need all the wine we can!

言うとびっくりされるけどスイスは知らずと知れたワインの名産地（とはいえＲ曰く、お隣のワイン大国おフランスによるとスイスのワインはワインでないそうですが　汗）でもその１％しか輸出されないそうで、あとは全部国内で消費されてしまうのだとか。忘れがちですけどスイス料理代表のチーズフォンデュは白ワインとチーズがベースなのでみんな大量にワイン使うんですよ～　そして国外に住んでいるワインコレクターにしてみれば幻のワインなようで？とにかく珍しがられるスイスワインだけどすっきりしていながらもコクがあっておいしい☆

毎年5月になると風習でその村のワイナリーが一斉にワインを提供するCaves Ouvertes（ワインセラー開き）が行われます。5フランの入場料を払うとワイングラスがもらえてそのグラスでそれぞれのワイナリーで試飲ができます。もちろん飲み放題！想像は付くでしょうがスイス中の飲兵衛が集合！ジュネーブ郊外でもこのイベントが開かれクラスメートたちと行くことに。特別急行の電車まで出向し、村あげての大イベント　笑。

The drunk train aka the special trains that take you to the wineries in Geneva

Unsurprisingly most of them are expats who want to get free wine and get drunk　ジュネーブ郊外だけどあって参加者はほとんど物珍しさの学生や国際機関職員たち。こんなにたくさんの英語聞くの久しぶり　汗

Traditional Swiss music　スイスの伝統音楽でお出迎え！

Round 1

Raclette, yum!　もちろんワインのお供の食べ物やおつまみも売ってます。これらは有料。

You have to buy a glass yourself (5 CHF) and you can go around to all the wineries with it for the free wine. Very eco-friendly!　ワイングラスはこんな感じ。長年スイスにいる人達は毎年これをコレクター物としてとってあるんだとか？それにしてもワイングラスで飲めるとはプラスチックでの飲むより味も全然違うし、なんといってもエコ！