What have I done in 2 months in Switzerland? A lot. Part 2

After the first few weeks of getting settled in, I started my PhD (is it work, or student life, I don't know it's in the middle) at EPFL in the IMAC group (applied computing and mechanics). I got to finally see the tensegrity bridge that I'll be doing experiments on for my work (tensegrity is a structure make up of sticks and cables that can support itself). For my individual project, I'm taking over for a PhD and there's also currently a post doc on the project, but in terms of the lab group, we're about 10 ish people, a nice size. I got to meet many of them the night before I started at a dinner party at Gaudenz's place, which certainly helped to break the ice (though the timing was completely happenstance).

At this point I had been searching for an apartment and emailing people basically since I arrived, and I had a meet up with another Quebequoise to meet and see if we'd work well together. Things went great and I got to see the flat (and its resident kitty), and from then on it was a done deal. From from Montréal but living in Lausanne for the past 10 years, she was knowledgeable about local things, but still had lots of things from back home (accent included :D). A few days before I officially moved in, there was a whisky tasting event in Lausanne and I decided I had to be there. Having a fun time tasting and talking to people, I run into Julie, my to-be flatmate. So we thought ya, this is definitely going to work out :).

Bern had their monthly DJed balboa night, Balberna, to which Cedric and Nadja joined as well. We made it a dance weekend by also checking out Zürich's dancing on the Saturday night. During the day on Saturday, Nadja took us around to show up Bern (including the bears, the icon of Bern) and they were nice and fuzzy.

The next weekend was the next monthly lindy event in Bern, but reason told me to skip it because I had the Lausanne 1/2 Marathon the next morning. Surprisingly it started at 2pm, so a really laidback schedule. I had been training with Gaudenz, Romain, Stephanie, and Yves at lunches (though the 15 km after work were always poorly timed for trying to do errands after work :P). It was a gorgeous day for running (if I was going to be picky I would say it was a tad warm) but I really enjoyed it, the view, and the energy. Finished in 1:50:44.

I believe it was the weekend after where soupaggedon started (what Gilad, Glen, and I called it) when cooler temperatures prompt for preserves of soup, chilli, jambalaya, and other such things. Potato leek, ginger carrot, onion soup, and jambalaya mmmm (oh yes and a few rounds of hummus).

Writing this weekend because for the past 2 weekends I haven't even been in Lausanne. 2 weekends ago I was in Grenoble with Mathieu and Florence for the Grenoble Swing Dance Festival, a huge lindy hop event that I had no idea about (and they registered back in July). I tried finding a space in the lessons, but failing that, I explored Grenoble (went up to the Bastille via les bulles gondola) during the day, and went to the parties at night. I have to admit it's been a while since my last huge lindy hop event, it reminded me that I've been mainly doing balboa and that there are some things I'd like to go back and revisit. But I had excellent dances with wonderful people from all over France, Switzerland, Spain, and Poland.

The next weekend was Rocky Balberna with Javier and Heather from the states. Nadja was (again) the best hostess we could ever hope for and fed us until we were (too?) full. The classes were fun with focus on both partners (thinking about this especially after Bobby's article about the proactive follower on Swungover). I was super impressed with the mean level of balboa at the events, and that's only from Switzerland! The band on Saturday night was super cute and played a great variety of all danceable songs. I have to say, the Sunday afternoon was one of favourite parts because the coffee shop in downtown Bern was open just for us to eat/drink/dance. It was really nice and cozy, very fika.

Photo credit: Balboa in Bern

As for what's up next? Well this week was continuing to write/finishing my draft literature review for my comp that'll be sometime in June? This week is a trad jazz night where I'm teaching a balboa crash course to allow people a way to dance to that flying fast music (the Lausanne swing scene is most comfortable in the 120 bpm to 150 bpm range). So far the musicians have really enjoyed having the dancers there (this'll be the 3rd event where the dancers show up). I'm off to Zürich next weekend for balboa and actually visiting the city in the daytime. 

December 2nd is the Lausanne Swing Kids (university swing group)'s first party. Intended to get 1) people out dancing and 2) support for the university to allow us to be an official club, we're hosting it at Tech a Break, an independent establishment on EPFL campus who has been super welcoming and accommodating for us. Teaching and DJing, it'll be great! Ah yes, and all of our events can be for the city-wide scene, unlike the troubles we had with the University of Waterloo Campus Rec rules. Speaking of the club, I just got done the logo this week (hand drawn and digitized). Needs work still, but it's a work in progress.

There's a trad jazz festival Dec 10 - 13 in Flon (downtown Lausanne), which I should start making more noise about. After that, it's the IMAC Christmas dinner and then home to Canada. I'll be around from the 19th to the 26th and then I'm off to the Snowball in Stockholm for a week :D

As for future dance plans? There's definitely bal in the future, dancers coming to visit (yay!), and seeing where the Lausanne Swing Kids takes us next term.


tl;dr I haven't been deported yet and have assimilated myself into their culture enough to have been provided shelter and work.