Week 3 at Les Roches

Week three has been a somewhat calm as updates go. Mondays are still incredibly long and tiresome, but I am getting used to it. I still love it here more than ever!

As school goes, the classes mainly consist of midterms and projects. I don't think the classes are going to be that hard (thanks to all I learned while working at the Hampton Inn and Suites, baby!). The only class I will find difficult is Financial Management Accounting. It won't be anything new, just repeatitive studying and taking time to try to understand. I have never taken a business course, but I guess there is a first time for everything! My Human Resources professor is a hoot! He is very, very, very enthusiastic. I really enjoy that class the best, but it is probably because it has a little psychology as the basis of the class. As for Food and Beverage Management....well, saying it is boring is an understatement. One class period (50 min blocks) we discussed the ENTIRE time what the word "standardization" meant, and no matter what anyone would say...we were always correct! Needless to say, the lady takes half the period trying to get what she is thinking out in a verbal form as she always goes, "Ughh, ughh...ughhhhh" before she gets it out. It is terrible to say, and her English is perfect...she just has so many thoughts in her head I guess! I can't help it, but it is so awkward I tend to always have a smile on my face...and she looks at me smiling all the time because I think she thinks I am really into the topic! Quite hilarious! French class...oh how I hate thee ole French class! I am kidding! But I can assure you, if I was not in the class we would be on unit 9 (we just started unit 2). And no, don't think it's because I cut up. It is simply due to the fact I am purely an American girl. I don't think he so much likes America, which is fine. I respect his opinion. I told him once he was too mean to me and I would throw him in the Grand Canyon if he didn't stop picking on me! (It's ok, it sounds bad, but it really let the tension out of the lecture) He sees how uptight I get and tells me to relax. I guess I shouldn't take him so personal, but I love my home!

Leading the cold kitchen was fun. We did a great job! It was a lot less hectic than I thought, but it is probably due to the fact we sat down in advance and organized the kitchen staff, etc. I had a blast doing it and the chefs were really impressed! In mid-prep of food to serve over 600 people I was asked by three different chefs if I was from Mexico. I guess I could be a lot of things...some people think I come from Brazil. It is kinda funny! The kitchen is so much fun. Next week we have our final. Where we, as a class of 20, run the entire kitchen while the chefs leave and go play golf (have the day off). I have been asked to be the sous chef for the cold kitchen, but I don't know if I would be the best for the job...we will see. We get graded and evaluated heavily. I am trying to be the best leader as possible, but under that kind of pressure may turn me into Britney Spears as I will pull out my entire head of hair!

Friday was fun. As I have discussed in earlier blogs, we have a total of 4 restaurants on campus. Two of which are kind of fast food based, Market Place, and A La Carte. We rotate every four weeks to different positions. Up next is serving water, turning over tables, etc to the Market Place. Well, a group of 8 of us girlies went to A La Carte....this, too, is operated by us students here at Les Roches. It is a fine dining, white table cloths, candle lit...4 course meal type place (which is included in our tuition, no worries!). It was amazing quality food! We ordered an appetizer of smoked salmon and the server brought the salmon out and cut it in front of us! We also go to choose what to add to our plate (capers, onions, etc). We only have to pay for drinks there, and we just ordered a bottle of wine and had a great bonding time for three or four hours! So much fun! We then went out to the pubs where there was a dance competition. They played Gwen Stefani and I almost called everyone, haha! Speaking of, has she had her baby yet? Haven't researched her in a while! Haha! We had a great time...so much fun, and so many people! And no, I didn't not take part in the ACTUAL dance off, persay, but I did indeed dance the night away!

Today, I took it easy. I had plans to go to Montreux but it was rainy and dreary outside and I really would rather do it when it is either snowing (beautiful) or sunny and clear (beautiful). Audrey and I hung out and watched American television on the internet and laughed. Good times! I am laying low tonight as well and busting the books in the face tomorrow! A lot of reading to do. Oh yay for Sundays! I guess this coming weekend is Labor Day weekend. I assume everyone has fun long weekend plans and can't wait for the weekend. I had mine last weekend, and it was great! I guess Switzerland works on Labor Day, hence the reason it is called LABOR day. Haha, wow. As of now, we are heading to Italy Labor day weekend and I cannot wait! Expect a lot of fun pictures! We sure are guilty of laughing until we cry across the pond...It's a disease, or maybe it is the altitude! Anyways, it is getting late and I have a really busy day tomorrow. I have soccer practice at 3pm that I might attend...I miss it and it wouldn't hurt to kick a few balls around and take a breather from studying!

As I have mentioned (and spoken to some: Neels, Boo, Natasha, Amanda, Ann Leighton, Robert Michael, Beth/Robert/Carson, Mom, Dad (thanks for mooning me little boy...haha busted), Ben) to some I have this program that I downloaded off of the interne$t called 'Skype'. It is so much fun and FREE of charge. Basically you go to Skype.com and download the program to your computer and make a screen name. Once you are up and running, add me (Becca.Cook) as a contact and call me! I am normally always on, but I may not actually be on the computer but I will receive the missed call. I would love to speak to anyone who is interested...and if you have a computer camera I can even see you! Regardless you can see me...and even meet my amazing room mate Helen and see all my gear for cooking and serving. So fun to do. I have a blast, plus I miss all of your voices and faces! Check it out if you wish!

I am going to close this blog so I can check out my eyelids and dream about Chick-Fil-A and sweet tea. Mentally, I am great. Now that I have been spoiled by Switzerland the past few weeks I am deciding to let go of the Swiss cheese, chocolate, and bread. It is in surplus here, and if I don't watch out, it will be surplus on my body, haha! I hope all is well over the pond. I think about you all each and every day. I miss each of you like crazy. Sometimes I take a deep breath and can sense the feeling I get when I see each of you and it makes me sad, but as my sister would point out to all of you...we are sleeping under the same big sky! I just tend to see the stars six hours before you...he he!

Swiss lovin',
Becca