School Choir

Not long after I found out that I would be studying at St. Michel, I received a letter containing information about my classes, school events, etc. There was also a small printed note with about as much information as the picture to the left, adverting the choir. I went to ask the school secretary about how to join just in time for the second meeting on the 9th of September. My classes end at 2:00 on Wednesdays, but the choir does not meet until 6:15, so I had a few hours to wait in a student study room. I was really sick that day, and someone was kind enough to offer me a tissue. We started talking about the postcard I was writing and my exchange in Switzerland. When both of us had to leave, the last thing they said (in French) was "If I don't see you anymore, have a good year!" Five minutes later in the choir room is not exactly a year... I also met a girl studying Chemistry at the University of Fribourg who was new to the choir as well. Since then I have met a lot of new people, and everyone in choir has been very kind and open to me. The choir teacher helps me with the music if I come early, and last week the voice coach sat with me before class and we talked about her trip to Geneva. They are both very nice, and I am learning a lot of new singing techniques! So far I know of two other exchange students in choir, both from Germany, and I had a lot of fun talking to them in French about their experiences here.
Right now in choir we are preparing for the St. Nicholas/Christmas concerts. We are singing Mozart, Gregorian chants, and a special version of the twelve days of Christmas. It is very funny to me to hear the people in choir singing in English, because they all have beautiful Swiss accents. Everyone including the choir teacher accidentally says "pur" instead of "pear", and the first time I heard it it I could only bite my lip to keep from laughing!
I had no idea how serious the choir at St. Michel was until I went on their website. It seems very much like any normal Mozart-singing choir, but it has an incredible amount of history and has a really formal reputation. People from high schools and colleges all around Fribourg come to sing here. I was incredibly surprised when touring around town with my YFU post-arrival orientation group to hear that my choir was going to be singing for practically everyone at the biggest church in the city for St. Nicholas day. You can even buy a CD!
The only downside for me is that I get home really late a night, sometimes even around 11:00. Choir gets out at a reasonable time, but then I have to take the train and wait for my host family to pick me up after their church meeting. With my old sleep schedule that would not be a problem, but since I arrived here I have been so tired that I go to bed at 8:30 or 9:00 every night. Still, I am learning to enjoy it because sometimes the whole family gets home late too, and there is always a french frie stand open at the station late Wednesday night. They eat french fries with tiny forks!
All in all, I am really having a good time with choir, and am looking forward to everything we do!