Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Greetings from St Gallen

Internet... Finally!

Its been 6 days since I arrived here... The weather is superb, and the scenery is just an overload of green. German is a real difficult language to pick up, and I feel like a deaf-mute sometimes with my overly enthusiastic hand signals and sign language attempts. Just had an intensive German crash course, and it is difficult!

Guten Tag! Ich heisse Celest. Sehr efreut! Ich komme aus Singapur. And then smile like a stupid tourist. Of course Ive also learnt to swear and order beer too haha.. Ein bier bitte! Du Schizer!

Haha.. And while I'm not sneezing my nose off here, I am attepmting not to starve to death.. The food prices here are just crazy... Ugh one piece of plain Zopf bread for CHF2! Which is about SGD2.60! I've been eating plain bread for lunch, cos even the meat is too darned expensive to purchase. Yesterday night was a feast though! 5 of us had pizza, bratwurst, egg pancakes and strawberries for dinner. Ending off with the compulsory chocolate binge (which explains my neverending sore throat). I feel like a housewife, constantly putting my nose into looking for the best bargain, and because I cant read the German words very fluently, I end up buying mystery meat most of the time. Not that anyone minds anyway haha..

Ich nehme käsefondue, fleisch, flysch, huhn, schinken, chocolate. Nicht brot!

Chocolate here is amazing! There is everything you could feast your eyes and mouth on (if you can afford it). Rum and raisin chocolate, ovaltine chocolate bars, malt, liquer chocs, praline creams, nutzi, white chocolate, beer chocolates.. You name it, its on the shelves. Amazingly, Ive been snacking on chocs non-stop cos thats the only desert I can afford here (while I gaye longingly at the florentines, glazed cookies, cheesecake, and gelati that never melts) We're always looking forward to free student dinners and tea, so that we don't blaze holes in our already penniless pockets. Lethal damage.

Ich habe grosser hunger. Das ist zu teuer!

I share a sort-of penthouse apartment with 4 other people at Rosenbergweg. Its pretty near the railway station and near town and the shops, which is called Marketplatz. Streets like Multergasse and Spizergasse have nice cobbled lanes filled with shops of every sort. Pricey! But I found a store that sells female clothing at half-price! Which trust me, is very rare in St Gallen. Esprit merchandise here is exhorbitantly priced. Jackets go at CHF250, ridiculous! The bead shops (backèries or confisseries) are plentiful. Im always reminded of Rox when I see the shelves and shop windows lined with enid-blytonish snacks and sweets we both love to gush about. I miss Roxy... And Lulu too

Bis bald, Roxy! Grüezi Lulu!

Went to Appenzell on Sunday, to see their annual direct democracy voting. It is like nothing Ive ever seen before. Imagine doing all your office voting and passing legislations simply by gathering all the townsfolk in the town square and having them raise their hands to vote. Thats how it went. And there are no official counters too, if there isnt a visible majority, they will continue raising their hands til something that LOOKS like a majority is reached. Amazing! Its the purest and simplest form of democracy you can hope to find.

Better get going, there is a free tea session to welcome all of us (again). Haha I only had a pathetic hot cross bun and an apple for lunch. Grosser hunger, grosser grosser grosser!

I miss everyone! Natürlich! Auf Weidersehen!


Laid bare at 3:11 pm
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