By Kaelin Lamberson ‘28
It was a rough night for me because in addition to recovering from jet lag and the five-hour time difference, I lost an hour of sleep due to daylight savings. I got four hours of sleep, waking up early to have breakfast at the Novotel Genève Centre. I couldn’t even tell you my favorite part of the meal because everything was so scrumptious! I’m not a cheese fan, but when in Switzerland, one MUST try cheese! I actually quite enjoyed three or four different types of cheese (the names of which evade me). Now, I can genuinely smile when saying “Cheese!” for a photo because I’m brought back to the happiness and fulfillment I felt when dining on these delicacies.
I slept on a forty-minute train ride for half an hour and on a two-hour train ride for an hour, dozing on my friend Rita’s shoulder. I practiced some of our concert repertoire and snapped some scenic shots of Switzerland. The hills were indeed alive with the sound of music!
While waiting outside Hotel Zuri By Fassbind, we saw a young child and their father smiling and waving at us from about four stories or higher above us. I beamed, searching for the pair, smiling even before I spotted them because their unexpected kindness was sweeter than the breakfast I had this morning.
The acoustics in Kirche St. Anton were incredible and our concert was a great success. Before two alumni joined us at the end to sing the “Evening Song” and “Alma Mater,” we sang “Happy Birthday” to Jill Parker, one of our fantastic tour managers.
To celebrate Jill’s birthday, a good chunk of Choristers (mostly After Eight (A8) members - Jill is in A8, as am I) ate at Piccolo Giardino. Before going to this restaurant, A8 sang our version of “Girlfriend” (our welcome-to-the-a-cappella-group song) to Frannie (the current A8 member who has been in the group the longest) to surprise her and because of this, we had to run to the tram. Four of us made it (including me, hehe).
A large group inside the restaurant was silently and intently watching something on a TV, so we dined outdoors, though it was a little chilly. The waitress was kind, offering us candlelight and blankets. The kitchen was closing but we were able to eat pasta, soup, and mushrooms. I didn’t know what the soup of the day was but ordered it nonetheless, hoping to warm up nicely. It was pea soup and I was not a fan. Frannie swapped dishes with me, so I had her pasta with tomato-chile pepper sauce, which I enjoyed (bless her, she’s so generous).
While today was mostly dedicated to train and tram travel, rehearsal, and the concert, I had a great time! I had never been to Europe before this trip and am so grateful to the Chorus for providing me this life-changing experience.
Con mucho amor (“with much love”) from one who “passed through the valley” (a lyric from “and the swallow,” a song arranged by Caroline Shaw in our repertoire),
Kaelin, ‘28