While I was in Morocco, I decided to try a service called couch surfing. The idea behind couch surfing is that people can offer to host travelers for free. There is a website, couchsurfing.org, and people have profiles and write comments about their stay with different people from all over the world. I decided this would give me a different perspective than just staying in a hostel the whole time...so I spent two days and one night with a man named Aziz. He drove me around Marrakech on the back of his moped and took me to a couple different cafés for mint tea. We came home and he taught me how to dance to traditional Gnawa music and modern Rai music. The above picture is me eating home made cous cous at his mother's house. It tasted great even with all the flies that kept landing on it.
Breakfast with Aziz on his coffee table. Bread, some cheese I had brought from Switzerland, and his attempt to make American coffee.

Aziz with his niece and nephew at his mother's house

The walls that enclosed the tombs of Marrakech that are home to 'el Debhi,' a famous Moroccan. Many other ancient sultans are buried there as well

One of the guys who worked at our hostel. He was always joking around with us, teaching us how to make Moroccan mint tea, and teaching us how to make henna.
Le Place Jemma El Fna at night from a rooftop

The Place Jemma El Fna is at the heart of Marrakech and its vibrant colors, sounds, and smells make it an overwhelming place to be. Snake charmers trying to get money out of tourists, men

with monkeys, and carts selling fresh orange juice.

Mom and I in Chamonix, France. Awesome weekend trip. We drove down from Switzerland towards Milan and across northern Italy towards Torino and up into the French Alps.

Apartment wall back home full of pictures, maps, flags, etc.
Mom going to town on a crepe in town. Got some much needed sugar after a long day of walking.
Mom and Kate in the kitchen doing who knows what
Chamonix Mont-Blanc ridgeline.

Seeing the pope drive by from our balcony at the hostel in Barcelona.

The park in Barcelona where we took a break to cool off and have a beer after biking around town.
Went out to London Bar Saturday night where Picasso and Hemingway were said to have drank. A little locals hole in the wall place. We were definitely the only visitors there.
Gaudi's Segrada Familia that the pope was coming to consecrate this weekend
First time I'd been swimming in a long time. Nice warm day in Barcelona.

Had a great time on Halloween. The guys on my balcony and I dressed up like the characters from that 70s show. I was supposed to be eric...didn't really work with facial hair...

Dance party on main campus
Kate and I before potluck dinner for Halloween night...Nick and I made some wild rice with a mushroom saute and people brought sloppy joes, stuffed bell peppers, home made ravioli, greek salad...best dinner in a while.

Hiking in the alps with laamas!...great hike in St. Luc, Switzerland. Town population: 50 ppl

At the top of our hike. 7,550 ft above sea level with our group from lugano
At the Lindt chocolate factory making chocolate torte.
Too much fun making truffles