from la suisse: at last.

dearest friends and relations,

greetings from huemoz! i've been trying to blog for three weeks, but the computer situation here isn't entirely compatible with sitting down and taking my time to write something thoughtful. at the moment i'm sitting with a few friends as la gourmandine, a classy creperie just above huemoz in the ski village of villars. they have free internet here, and a kiwi friend has graciously allowed me to hijack her computer for a few moments so that i can pen a few thoughts.

i had originally intended to stay here for just 10 days, which turned into two weeks, which turned into three weeks, which turned into three months. i can't imagine now what it would have been like to stay here for just ten days. getting situated in the community here, getting on and following a particular study path, developing a relationship with my tutor (may God be merciful to you, Richard!). there's a consistency and relationship that develops with time here, and it feels so freeing to be able to ask questions freely without (most of the time) people jumping down my throat in judgment. people are shuffling through here for a few days at a time pretty often, and i don't understand how they ever get anything done. for some reason it was difficult for me to decide to stay here the whole term (not for some reason: my pragmatic nature with regard to finances), but once i decided to stay i knew it was the best thing for me. L'Abri is french for 'the shelter', and i have found it a safe place to rest, refuel, and ask questions that bug me. it's wild for me to think about people in my family that have lived here for different stretches of time: my godmother gini who was here almost 50 years ago, my mother and uncle in the late 60's - early 70's, cousins and friends more recently. it's fun to think about where they all lived, ate, places they loved to take walks and think.

we have a great group of helpers and students here this term, and most of us get along really, really well. i got an email from gini last night after she remembered that an old friend of hers (and of L'Abri's) works at a home for learning challenged children near bern. apparently they make furniture and cultivate a garden there. gini seems to think that the garden might be therapeutic in nature, which would be really interesting to investigate. an aussie horticulturist friend and i are thinking about taking a day trip up (maybe hitching a ride with gian sandri) to get a feel for the happenings there.

so this term will ends july 21, and i couldn't get a flight out until august 12, so i'll have a few weeks to kick around after everyone leaves. i've been asked to house sit for family friends in huemoz, but i'd also like to spend time at the Taizé community in france. and maybe, if my time with max (in bern) goes well, it may well be enticing to spend time with him working with the children as well. we shall see...

the flower above is one of switzerland's countless wildflowers, fields of which are aplenty on and around the mountain where we live. sadly, they are mown down from time to time. to my shame, and against my will, i weed-wacked a hillside of them last week. i'm hoping they grow back soon. i don't know the name of the flower above, but i'll find out and post it next time.

À la prochaine.