In Annecy

Annecy is a small (but larger than Martin) town on the east side of France near Italy and about a 45 minute bus ride from Geneva. It has the purest lake in Europe. You can literally drink out of it, thanks to a far-seeing  mayor who demanded that a sewer pipe be built all the way around the lake. It was expensive, but I'm pretty sure the town has recouped the cost in tourism. It really is a beautiful area.

My host family, the Barons, are wonderful. They've housed foreign students for the past ten (yes, ten) years--over 130 from many different nations: Japan, Turkey, Italy, and US to name a few. They are well organized and practiced at speaking slowly; they even have a white board and markers by the dinner table. Their house sits in a small community about 20 minutes away from the school by bus, or about a 40 minutes walk (if you don't get lost). I'll get pictures hopefully today. I had two housemates, but one (a girl from Turkey) left Monday. My other housemate, a girl from Japan, leaves Friday, so it will be just the Barons and myself for two weeks.

Pictures here!

A couple of the canals in Annecy. There are tons.

An ice cream/sandwich store

Notre dame of Annecy

Paysage! (countryside)

A street in Annecy (new village)

My new haircut (better, Heidi?)