lausanne, switzerland

day eight

so this is what i woke up to this morning.

jealous?

you totally should be.

(you can click on the pictures to make them bigger too)

i think this might just be one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

the house is owned by mercyships and is one of their main headquarters i think,

and they have about 12 people living here.

the weather is cool since the mountains trap the cold air in and it also causes some really great thunderstorms which i'm really excited about.

i'm glad i've got plenty to look out the window and see too, since my feet are in pretty bad shape from all the walking i did in london.

(i actually took off a bandage today to find that my blisters have been worn off and it's creating some pretty deep wounds-no worries, they're taking care of me)

so i'm glad to just sit and reflect...and look at the pretty alps of course.

the couple i'm staying with are amazing.

they do some really interesting music: electro-pop, and they go into clubs and bars and 'bring the presence of God so people can taste it'.

they don't want to be categorized as Christian, but really do just want to stimulate conversation and...i dunno...perhaps i need to process it more, but something inside me tells me that what they're doing is amazing, even if i can't get my head wrapped around it.

the couple is made of up bryce who is from california and sam from from the south of france.

bryce has a shaved head and a looooong goatee plus an earring up in his cartilage. (he totally reminds me of my friend rodney from cali as well...maybe they're related)

sam is one of the most beautiful parisian women i've ever seen. 

she is thin and fit (with amazingly great arms-deanna, you would be so jealous) and short, fun dark black hair.

they are an interesting and complimentary duo and they are lovely.

in addition to all this, i've been reading this book 'eat, pray, love' by elizabeth gilbert that my friend deanna recommended, and it is changing my life.

the author begins by going through her divorce from her husband.

she actually comes to that revelation on the floor of her bathroom 

(a place i know well).

then she decides to do some traveling-coincidentally, all to places that begin with 'i':

italy, india, and indonesia.

as i traveled to and through london i read through italy:

she gained like 20+ pounds just eating, drinking, and enjoying learning italian.

she had a beautiful experience there...

and her story through her divorce/break up with her new boyfriend really resemble what i've been going through as well.

(there are way too many quotes to tell you, everyone should go read it)

after italy she goes to india to learn how to meditate, pray, find God.

i also find this similar now that i am out here in the quiet and in the mountains.

i met some really great people in the city and saw some beautiful things...

i realized a lot about myself and shared a great deal,

but i think it's harder to 'hear' God in the city...

and hearing God is something i desperately want to do right now.

i want to hear a 'still, small voice' and i'm hoping that doing some meditation of my own my make that a bit easier.

we'll see.

regardless, i've found that on this trip my soul is sighing.

the weight of a lot of the stuff i was carrying around before my trip has begun to be released and i am...relaxing into myself.

maybe it is hard to explain...i just know that something is different,

and i like it.