Never to Old

So I might be double the age of most people at the prom, but I think I am still managing to hold my own!  The students did a great job with a tricky venue.



Love them and will miss them next year. But as nice it has been I am quite ready to move onto a party with people more my age.

Ettingen Hike

Okay this is a couple days late, mainly as I hate to keep going on about the weather, when friends and family have been suffering rain, rain, rain in some places and sub freezing temperatures in others. But have been reminded that I am not responsible for the weather and therefore being a bit silly. So the weekend was fairly glorious and on Saturday Steve joined me, Lola and Suzanna on a big hike across fields to the village of Ettingen. A stunning day as was Sunday and Monday and yesterday the sunshine continued as I visited the Rhine, really cannot wait till Rhine siting in the sun season to begin!

Happy New Weir

Happy New Weir! Today we celebrated little Jessica Weir's arrival to the world with food and drinkies with all her new Aunties and Uncles. It was an absolute stunning day, in fact weekend, sunny and beautiful, a pleasure to have all over and see Miss. Jessica again.

Another great winter weekend, if winter was always like this I would possibly never have decided to move on... Great to have Steve here and catch up on Somerset news. Another perfect Sunday :)

L'Ange, Leymen

I love having guests, mainly of course because it is great to have friends visit but also I love entertaining, planning what to do and to have an excuse to visit my favourite restaurant in France. Only a tram ride away, in a little village called Leymen, down a very steep hill is the delicious L'Ange. It has featured on here many times (mainly when I have visitors) and it has never disappointed me.
Fabulous meal (at an excellent price I may add), great to see Steve and all round grand kick off to the weekend.

Men's Basel Beer Club

Well they did it, I was sure they would not, positive that Guy Thomas was going to have to buy me a lovely bottle of champagne when the club only lasted a month or two. But tonight I was invited to the fourth Men's beer club, basically to admit I was wrong and present them with their prizes.

I was very honoured to be invited and secretly a bit proud that our bet turned into such a successful club (think the ladies wine club can take a little credit, nothing like competition to inspire great things).

A Must

This is more like half a blog, nothing really important but some people may find helpful. As you know Switzerland is quite famous for a few things, which is quite amazing considering their small size. Known for their incredible mountains, fondue, Swiss Army knives and of course the one we are all most thankful for, chocolate. And their are loads of excellent chocolate to choose from, from toberlone and Lindt to the ones from chocolatiers that are worth their weight in gold.
But none compare to my new, I cannot get enough, dream of very day favourite chocolate. It is new here and I hope has been shipped around the world, and if it has and you see it you must have it.

I do not work for Lindt, and clearly not being paid for this mention (not sure my huge circulation warrants that just yet ;)), but all the same dark sea salt Lindt chocolate is possibly the best I have ever had and you must try it.

Romanian Brunch

Yummy! Yum! Yum! The Romanians certainly do things in style when they do them. Going to brunch at theirs is a very special treat and I will have to force myself upon them more often, as we are losing one in April :(
A lovely way to start off my lazy Sunday.

Lu's Baking Class

Lu is really a master chef and baker, and in an attempt to pass on some of her knowledge to her friends she held her first class yesterday evening.

It was good fun, not that I did much but licking the spoons, stealing toppings and polishing off the cakes.

Valentines is the Best

Happy Valentine's Day! What a fabulous day I have had. Spoilt rotten by great friends, and a girls night out. I think it is a great holiday and especially fabulous with ladies only!  We had gifts, cocktails, yummy food and the best company, I think it is the perfect way to spend a day celebrating love.

I hope everyone in the world is having as wonderful valentines night as I am.

Arrested (not really..)

Most of the time (97% as an estimate) I love my job, mostly the kids and helping them to enjoy the world of mathematics side of it. And for something that plays such an enormous role in my life I do not really talk about it too much here. Well this week I am taking a break from all the socialising and focusing on other things, like school and learning Spanish. Yesterday I spent three hours creating an activity for grade 11 (as traditionally there is so much content in the course we forget about making it enjoyable too). I have so much paper work on right now, that taking this time out to do this was a bit much. But, it was so worth it and made me realise (once again) how much making something a little interesting can totally change the class room. The kids had a great time and now are pretty sure I am completely mad.

It was all about me being arrested and them having to get me out by solving some Maths clues.

It was so great and they really got in to it (thought most of them would have wanted me to just rot in jail!). Their enthusiasm made my week :)

50.3% Curb Immigration

On Sunday Switzerland voted on a right wing proposal to curb immigration by imposing limits on the number of foreigners allowed in signalling the end to the country’s free movement accord with the European Union (passed by a large majority here in 2000).  The move by the Swiss People’s Party - known for its anti-foreigner and anti-EU agenda - will see the reintroduction of quotas, as well as a national preference when filling job vacancies and restrictions of immigrants rights to social benefits. 

The initiative passed with 50.3% and in Switzerland the people have the voice, so even if the Swiss government may not agree with the it they will now have to iron out all the details (like how this may affect the 50% of exports going to the EU and all the companies who rely on foreign workers).  But besides all the economic implications, and threat of colleagues and friends not having permits renewed (although down the line and hopefully unlikely), it does make it hard for me to have valid discussions about International 'Mindesness' with my students. 

It is one of our biggest missions here at school, with so many nationalities represented, to try and promote that 'we are all the same', 'one world', 'love thy neighbour', and then have to explain why 50.3% of the population here does not really want us (I know more complicated than this, but it is this simple when you are 14).  And it is not just in Switzerland, there are anti-immigration groups all over Europe that would like to do something similar, in and in my humble opinion these groups, although claiming they are just trying to maintain culture (something which Switzerland has maintained brilliantly in my opinion), end up stirring up racist sentiments and stereo typing of people and nationalities.  I sometimes have to wonder if people pay attention to any history at all...

 

It will be very interesting to see what happens in the next few years here.  And just as a side note, Basel was one of the cantons which did not get the majority yes vote.

Perfect Sunday

I was pretty confident it was going to be a perfect day when I woke up to this...



The sky was such a beautiful colour, and again I feel so lucky




that for some reason winter forgot to visit Basel this year.



Sunday lunch started the perfect way, some bubbles and canapés.




I cooked all morning and the pigs, cows and chickens of the world would be happy with what I served.



Great to catch up with William after far too long.


And always nice to have Pia and Suzanna. We, well I anyways, ate far too much.




But we managed to combat a few of the pounds we must of gained by a 9km sunny walk.

South American Wine

Last night was our first wine event of 2014 and also the last one I will host in Basel. In attempt to get my pallet use to South American wines, South America was my theme. I must say I learnt a lot about the region, in preparation for the night, and sadly I reinforced what I already knew, I am going to have to develop a love for red wine (did love a Chilean Camenere red).
I know I always say this but it was a fabulous night, great people and some new interesting wine ( only one dud wine, horribly sweet rose, could not give the stuff away).

Tidbits, Basel

Before I went to Phuket at Christmas I found this blog, called Jamie's Phuket, written by an English expat living there. It was so useful on planning where to stay, different spots to see and places to eat. My blog is not like this, there are very few things about actual Basel on here, basically useless to most people. As I live here, I have never stayed in a hotel, so useless in this department. Also not very helpful with places to see.  Apparently, there are loads of museums and art galleries in Basel, none which I have been in so obviously cannot tell you anything about them. When it comes to food, on the whole I think most places to eat are over priced, so therefore there is limited mention on restaurants.

However, there is one place that I do love, frequent a lot and if you ever do come to Basel you must go to, Tidbits (think there are others in the world but am unable to comment on them). I love it, love it, love it and I am not the only one, all day, every day it is packed. It is vegetarian but all my meat eating friends also adore it. And tonight, like every other meal it has not disappointed. Absolutely delicious.

Lola and Fish

My plan of sitting on the sofa for the entire day was slightly altered as the Weir's called for a healthy walk. I hesitated momentarily, but Lola clearly must have known what Patrick had suggested on the phone and one look at her big sad pleading eyes and I knew we were going.
A lovely walk, I just love castles and good to get some fresh air and see Lola enjoying herself so much.

Year of the Horse

Happy Chinese New Year! What a great holiday, first you get a second chance to have a good New Years as so often New Years Eve is a real let down but also I really think the Chinese know what they are talking about when it comes to the stars. Since becoming a teacher I have really started to believe in the Chinese astrology. It is quite uncanny one year the grade 9's are polite, and hard working, and then the next year the new grade nine's will have a totally different demeanor. Teachers are always discussing year groups personality and how strange it is that each birth year is so distinct. Either way though, it is great to have an excuse to have a celebration.

Great night and like any good New Years Day, I think I may spend a lot of time in my bed or on my sofa.