"This wine is from Napa Valley"

My host family said that as a joke as they poured me some lovely (Italian?) wine. . .I'm not sure what the reputation of CA wines is in Switzerland, but my guess, as they mentioned they did drink it often when they were young is - not good.  They invited me to eat dinner with them, which was fajitas. Susi uses the same Old El Paso kit that my mom used to make mexikanischer food in my childhood who am I kidding I make it too. That is delicious. 

The son of the household, Y., doesn't speak as much english and his mom translated a little. I heard him say somethingsomethingscheisse - and apparently he was unhappy that the tablet computer his new apprenticeship gave him was a Samsung. Between his dad and us, we started calling it the ScheissePad I'll need to use that one at some point.  

It was so nice to get to chat with the family a little more - about their friend in the circus (Speedy, the "Lilliput"...please tell me that isn't the pc term in Schweitz); about their Fiat Cinque-cento that needs to be pushed to start; about my family's weirdnesses like how I know JJ would appreciate me bringing an alphorn or alp-cow-bell home as a souvenir; about the different tourist groups' traits in the Schwanenplatz (buying thousands of CHF worth of watches and jewelry...really? who has money anymore?!?)

Later, had a productive and needed talk with some good friends about future plans with an excellent group. . .we'll be unstoppable. Then, I caught a late bus to the Bahnhof where all the shops are open late, and replenished my stock if by replenishing I mean getting the family-sized-not-fucking-around-bag of Haribo Goldbären at the COOP store. And a can of cheapass prosecco. "Blusecco" I believe. Not as good as last night's can of Ramseier cider, but that was nowhere to be found tonight. It wouldn't have fit well in my coat pocket anyway. . .

I'm getting really good at awkward pauses before remembering it's "Guten Tag" here...not buongiorno, not bonjour, not ANYTHING STARTING WITH THE LETTER B GOD DAMN LIZ. "Guten Tag."
"Guten Tag."

I am also getting really good at somewhat annoyedly saying "Entschuldigung, bitte..." to people in my way. Mostly though, I get gun-shy about screwing up my German, say nothing, and point to things. I am 3 years old here. But hey, I got my spumoni-trio of himbeer/pistache/chocolat macarons today. I haven't starved to death or gravely insulted anyone. And I have a few more weeks to practice. . .