Oct '08

The MBA program that Ken manages here started in September. Professors from Michigan visit in 2 week blocks to teach the courses. While they are here, we try to invite them for a home-cooked meal at least once. This is fun for Wonda since she loves to cook, and fun and interesting for both of us to get to know these people outside of the work environment.

18 Oct – Milan with Lisa: Professor Lisa wanted to do something special during her weekend here. We all decided to go to Milan for the day. Ken and I had done this trip at the end of August but were keen to go again. We still weren’t able to visit DaVinci’s “Last Supper” (need to buy 3+ months in advance). But we did go to an art museum (Pinacoteca di Brera) that was very interesting. We spent most of the day walking and revisited some of the sites that we’d been to on a very hot day in August. We put off lunch until almost 2PM and then went for pizza – we got 2 very simple real Italian pizzas to share. They were huge and it took us at least 1.5 hours to eat… but we couldn’t bear to leave any behind. It was sooo good. Then we really needed to keep walking! We bought chocolate for the train ride home – but supper was out of the question.

20 Oct – I started my job teaching English to the students who will start their hospitality program in a couple of months. The curriculum for hospitality management school includes ‘food & beverage’ and that includes learning about wine. So… (lucky me) I am teaching “Communication Skills” and “Introduction to Wine.” I am really enjoying it. I have 25 students and I try to make the learning fun for them.

It takes me 45 minutes to get to the campus. It’s in a community called Leysin way up on the mountain (1420m above sea level). Last week we had a beautiful day with 15C and sunny. But… they were calling for snow the next day in Leysin. I took my camera and got photos of the vineyards – all golden down the mountainside, with the turning leaves on the trees in forests further up. I’m glad I took those photos because, the next morning, those same slopes were dusted white. It looked amazing! There was about 8 inches of snow on the trees and rooftops at 1400m. a winter wonderland. Two days later it was all gone. I enjoy my travel time to work on the train. I either listen to music and look at the scenery or I sometimes read in preparation for the day. I work with a good bunch of folks.  

More blogging soon, Wonda