Then There Was Snow

This past week has been another whirlwind week of classes, studying, and traveling. However, Monday night we had the chance to learn how to make tiramisu with our Italian professor. It was amazing, and even though I’m not a big coffee person I will definitely be making this again.

Tuesday night we had our CIMBA Thanksgiving meal where the cooks prepared a meal consisting of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, corn, pumpkin pie, and so much more. It was a good break from our typical Italian cuisine and it made it feel like it was actually thanksgiving time. We all had a lot of fun and it was great to sit around with everyone because we all realized how much we had to be thankful for. It is incredible when you actually think about the friendships we have developed and the opportunities we have had while abroad.

Then on Wednesday we had the chance to attend a wine seminar where Dr. Al presented on the history of wine, different types of wine, how wine is made, and what makes the best wine pairings. Since we have been in Italy we have had the chance to experience this large piece of Italian culture (Italians are number one in wine production and consumption) at our formal dinners and while eating out. This was really interesting and brought everything together. I shipped various wines home earlier in the semester so now I understand a little about each wine and will be able to share this piece of Italy with my friends and family.

On Thursday we just had morning classes before beginning our extended travel weekend. I can’t believe our last time to travel has come and gone. For the weekend myself and three other girls took off on a plane to Switzerland. We flew into Geneva and spent the afternoon and evening exploring the city. For dinner we decided to try a true Swiss meal so we had cheese fondue which was amazing. Since it was Thanksgiving I had the chance to Skype my entire family and it was really good to get to see everyone and be a part of the holiday back home.

The next day we went from Geneva to Bern, but on the way stopped in a small town by the name of Broc to visit the Callier Chocolate Factory. Callier was the first Swiss chocolate manufacturer and while at the factory we were able to go on a tour which wasn’t anything like I expected. It was an interactive tour that took us through the history of chocolate, the Callier brand, and how chocolate is made. At the end of the tour we were able to watch chocolates being produced and then had the chance to sample various kinds in the chocolate tasting room. We had our fair share of chocolate for the day to say the least.

Once in Bern we explored the city a bit and went into various shops before sitting down at a Mexican restaurant for dinner. It wasn’t very Swiss, but it was amazing!

In the morning we walked through the markets in Bern before heading to go up a mountain. While planning this trip we decided that we would try to go up Schilthorn which is a mountain located near Bern that has spectacular views of hundreds of mountain peaks. However, upon arriving we found that we couldn’t go all the way up due to the track being closed for maintenance. We were disappointed but were told we could go up to Murren which is a small ski town, so we decided why not. On our way up we took a cable car that took us into the clouds and then got on a train to go the rest of the way. Once at the top we couldn’t see anything but clouds, but there was three feet of snow on the ground which we were pretty excited about. We walked around the town for the bit and stopped for a chocolate break and by the time we left it had completely cleared off and we had incredible views of the mountains. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and was definitely a highlight of the trip.

That evening we stopped in Interlaken on our way back and wandered around the town looking in shops and exploring. After dinner we headed back to Bern where we stayed for the night before heading back to Geneva and flying back to Venice in the morning. Switzerland is by far my favorite place that I have visited this semester and I would love to go back some day!

It is crazy to think that we are now in our last week here at CIMBA and it is so bittersweet. Last night we had our last formal dinner and it was such an amazing time. There was a video of pictures from our time here in Italy and it is amazing to think of how much we have gone through and experienced with each other. The friends I have made here are going to be what I miss most when returning home, but last night we already started planning trips to go see each other and I am excited to see where we all go from here.

Now on to finals and packing!