Spring Break: Location 4

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I'm finally in Geneva! I can't believe that spring break 2011 is halfway done. I had no problem getting to the train and on my train this morning. It helped that I did a dry run to the station last night and already had my ticket. I had planned to leave the hostel at 7:30, but ended up leaving at 7:00. Mainly, one of the girls that I was rooming with snores like a lumberjack and at 6am I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. The joys of time differences...even if it's just an hour.

The train ride (8:28-12:18) up to Geneva was beautiful! It didn't even click that I was going through the Alps until I was looking at one of the snow capped mountains. I was just chillin' on a train, riding through the Alps...no big deal. I passed mountains, lakes, small towns, horses, goats, cows, waterfalls, and other gorgeous things! It was interesting when the border patrol came through...since I didn't speak French, or great Italian...I thought they were asking for my ticket, since it was after one of the stops and different people came through asking for tickets, but then they gave me a look and motioned to my passport...I kind of felt stupid...but oh well!

When I arrived at the station in Geneva, I was going to meet a friend of mine: Fred Clarke. He is a photographer for the International Community of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the guy that I interviewed for my Media Law and Ethics class over winter term. We have kept in contact since then, and he has kept giving me contacts and information for the research. He had mentioned any time I came through Geneva, I was welcome to come over for drinks, dinner, etc. He met me at the station, I dropped my things off at his flat and met another student like me who was staying for a little while (who actually just graduated from Belmont in Tennessee), and then we started the tour of Geneva! We went up to the UN, saw a Syrian protest, the ICRC, Media Watch Dog Group, World Trade Organization, and a few other NGO (nongovernmental organization) headquarters. It was amazing to my humanitarian side. I would love to move here and work for one of these agencies!

We then walked down through the World Trade Organization (they didn't even question us walking through the grounds...) towards the lake. It's the biggest lake in Europe and absolutely beautiful! We walked around the lake, towards the big geyser (one of the symbols of Geneva), took a water taxi across the lake, went up towards the old town, then back towards the flat for fondue. It was probably one of the best days of spring break so far. The walk was amazing, and it was definitely nice to have someone I know as the tour guide. Though something about Fred, he is a very interesting person and has a very interesting take on life. It's very much the 'you only live once, so you best make the most of it.' Which, after some of the things he has seen, is understandable. He goes into war and conflict zones and takes pictures for international humanitarian organizations.

Anyway, tonight was a lot of fun. He has a great view from his living room of the Alps and Mount Blanc (the highest peak in Europe). So, the three of us made fondue, talked, watched the sun set and the moon rise across Geneva, and just had a general good time.

Tomorrow I'm off to Lyon to visit my friends Laura and Emilie! Then Paris on Saturday, and back home to London on Sunday!

Cheers!

PS. Sorry for the short post, but there was just a lot of talking and walking that happened today. Pictures will be up once i get back to London...

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