i would like to be a sales assistant please

ok, so i'm not entirely sure where to begin! maybe yesterday?

ok, so yesterday morning breakfast was at 730-800 and they are supposed to check our rooms at 745 but i'm not sure they did! (or today for that matter, maybe its just to keep us in check) then at 830 we had an introduction which was an introduction to the teachers, the headmistress and each other (officially) - i think in total (including teachers) we are about 24 or so. we went through the rules and general rubbish including fines for chewing gum, the fact that we shouldnt be offended if we are told our clothes are rubbish etc etc. (there are lots of silly things in the rules - the girl i went "hiking" with and i had a bit of a giggle reading them!) anyway, after that, those of us cooking picked up our aprons from one of the maids called françoise who is so lovely, really sweet, excitable etc. then because that didn't take that long we had some free time, followed by a campus tour (the campus isn't that big, just three buildings). then it was lunch which was gooood - the food is great, lemon chicken (i actually liked it, shock horror!). then we had a bit of time, so a bunch of us agreed to go to montreux which is where erika and i hiked to! on the train this time! but the train goes once an hour and the signing out of the building process is confusing for those who don't live in the school building (which i do, right at the top!) and so my room mate (shanelle, from the usa) and i went down, missed the train, decided to go to the shop which was closed for lunch and made our way back up (bearing in mind, this is the mountain that was hiked, and the legs were (still are) very sore!!) and bumped into the others on their way down so we all went and hung out in the park til the shop opened and we could get some "provisions". because there were about 9 or 10 of us it took us a long time, as 2 of us were helping the others with translations etc etc. despite the fact the shop is tiny! then we had to get back for our cooking class, which was our first "real" class. there are 4 of us in this class, me, shanelle, erika and her room mate neha and the teacher runs a catering business in mexico, so she knows her shit! although i'm a bit of a free spirit in the kitchen so i don't particularly like being shown how to do things i've been doing for the past 3 years e.g. chopping an onion. the food we cooked was great, each of us took a dish and then afterwards we ate it. the menu was veal/paneer pizzaiola, leeks, courgettes and for dessert pavlova. we all look really great in our silly hats etc etc, once i get my camera working i will get some photos! then after washing up etc etc, i went to erikas to watch gossip girl and eat more pavlova - a girl called emily (also from the us) who lives upstairs in that building came and joined us, and people were popping into the kitchenette from time to time, so that was really nice! then because my room mates get up at 5 for a jog/walk and im hardly a morning person i went to bed about 1030. and slept quite badly.

so today we had a class on table service, all the different kinds (french, english, american - confused a lot of people!!) and that was not so bad. all the stuff we do is basically preparing the kids who take the tests for taking the tests! and it wasnt so bad. afterwards we had a quick break then "serving coffee after dinner" in a small group of about 6. the girl from australia, sarah, who is our room mate at another school atm but coming on friday was there, she is lovely! i managed to get away without coffee and had some herbal tea, which was ok. then basically every day for lunch from today onwards, a group of girls are the service team, then there is a host and a hostess and a group of guests. as i was none of the above, i was eating in the downstairs room and i was waiting upstairs, i got summoned into the principals office (just to reassure you all, i was not the only one!) to be told that what i was wearing was not suitable for a business meeting and i looked like a sales assistant or someone who works in a gardening store?! despite the fact that it never said anywhere that we should wear what we should to a business meeting! i mean im not a moron, what i am wearing i wouldn't wear to a business meeting/job interview (as someone else was told), i would wear a suit! duh. so that pissed me off quite a bit, another girl was told she was out of fashion and looked like she worked in a golfing store (i dont know which is worse). lunch was good, then we had an introduction in the theory of flower arranging and decorating a table *puke*. which we have another class of in about 10 mins.

a couple more random titbits: they gave us a riviera card for discounts on travel etc but apparently they'd done it wrong and so i couldn't have one. but i bought a monthly pass for the train - i figure there is only 3 places in glion to eat so eventually we will have to venture down to montreux for dinner! and i'm going to lausanne tomorrow afternoon maybe to the cinema. fun times, can't wait. apart from the shop assistant/gardening shop lady comment, i'm doing well, everyone is really nice!

my hand hurts and i have to get to class! byeee