But for starters, I'll give you a taste of the sounds. Like a childhood story set in the country, every morning the rooster crows its song--a loud and mighty COCK-a-doodle-DOOO!--and then again in the afternoon. Crickets and birds whistle their mating calls, and in the distance echoes a farmer directing his dog to herd in the cattle, moos and cow bells following in time. Not a single car engine interrupts this natural symphony, only the low humming of an old tractor grazing over the sun-yellow oil crops. And then there's the most beautiful part. The silence that rests in between the perfect chords, as still as a child passed out on the couch after a long day playing in the sweltering beaming sunlight.
This atmosphere is true music to my soul. A sound so organically refreshing that at first I had to focus intently on winding myself down to this volume of peace and nature before I could actually hear its calling. And my eyes--well they're quite overwhelmed, too. I talked to my mom on the phone the other day and when I told her of the beauty here, her words didn't even skip a beat. "In Switzerland I felt so close to God," she said. "And I don't normally say things like that."
The backyard of Janine's house is lush with perfectly blooming flowers--violets, tulips, and lilacs that smell so sweet I'd considered licking them... A small fish pond rests before a canopy of trees and bushes, and beyond that, a hill leading to potato crop fields, in parallel lines and not yet harvested. In front of the neighbor's wooden brown farm houses and between the crops lie a tan gravel path. And--I kid you not--a horse and carriage carrying a family of four, riding along and leaving a trail of dust.
This country is pure magic. And I haven't even mentioned the mountains yet! But really, can words do justice to the towering snow-capped rocks that overwhelm everyone in their presence with an unavoidable feeling of calm? Really and truly, the mountains are Divine.
To the Swiss people, the organic natural life is every-day life. But to the American girl who just spent 4 months over-eating, over-drinking, and walking miles through Firenze without a patch of green grass in sight... organic natural life is a much needed rehabilitation. A floating of sorts where moments feel weightless and free.
the neighborhood
In terms of practical updates, Carolina and I are staying with her friend Janine who went to high school with her for a year in the US as an exchange student. Her family of six consists of Mom, Dad, Janine (20), Michele (18), Julia (12), and Ila (the most adorable and lovable dog I've ever met). All but Julia speak English--in fact, they speak French, German, and some Italian, too. (Impressive Swiss people!) But that's necessary in a country that has 4 native languages. This family has welcomed us in the way a grandmother does the youngsters...always feeding us traditional and delicious meals, filling us in on all the local history and insiders secrets, and even showing us old slides of travels from their younger days. How lucky we are to be here with them.
We've spent our days visiting local castles and lakes, and two day trips. One to Bern, the capital, and another to Lucerne, a mountainous lake-side town. Both beautiful and exciting in their own special ways. One more day to go here before we head back down to the squelching land of Sicilia.
Wish us luck on this wild adventure. All my love,
Rachael
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