Switzerland.

Meesh`s drawing of Switzerland. Broken up into the languages spoken, and the lines indicate the Alps.

Michele is from Switzerland. Shes half Thai though, her mother being from Thailand. Though she hands down will say that Switzerland is the most beautiful country in the world, and that the air is the purest and most fresh air in the universe - she swears never to return to her homeland. We are currently in Lombok because yes, it is beautiful, uncrowded surf, pure prisitine beaches and few tourists - but mostly because Meesh is working. In a week she starts her job as a Surf Guide for a Swiss Surf School. Apparently, as Meesh has informed me, the wealthy Swiss only want to hang around other Swiss. Ha. Anyways, there are some common misconceptions about this beautiful country that my friend is from, so I figured Id let you all know a bit about Switzerland...

1. The people from Switzerland are "SWISS". People who are SWEDISH are from SWEDEN.

2. The two main languages spoken in Switzerland are French and Swiss German. So this means that two people from the same country may not even be able to hold a conversation together! But thats not all, theres actually 4 languages in Switzerland...

• more than half speak swiss german
• about 25percent speak french
• a small fraction speak italian
• and a very very small amount speak romans

Though all print is in German, and they write in German, they speak a different dialect...Swiss German. Therefore- they can converse a bit and fully understand people from Germany, but Germans cannot understand them. Aside from a few exceptions, about a quarter of the population speaks French. Sebastian, our friend, also from Switzerland, speaks only French and English. So though him and Meesh both are from the same place, they can only speak to one another in English!! In the south(east), straight Italian is spoken. And then a bit to the west of the Italian speaking Swiss there is a language spoken called ROMANS. We have actually met someone from that area of the mountains and Meesh explained to me how rare it was to meet someone that still spoke this ancient language. She says that it will be completely dead within the next few years. Its no matter to my dear friend Mish though...she speaks nearly every damn language there is. Swiss German, German, French, Spanish, English, Bahasa Indonesian, Thai...as well as a touch of Italian. Christ almighty.

The Swiss are definitely proud of their breathtakingly beautiful country. I hope that I can make it there some day....for rock climbing, hiking, camping, and shit - maybe even some SKIING!!