Daniel Ferrante

The PGOAT (note, not “the_pgoat” from Fark, but literally, the PGOAT that I have ever met) needed to take the Literature GRE exam. As it was being held in Geneva, Switzerland (a.k.a CH), several of us decided to join her. The co-conspirators were myself, Sunshine and the Aussie (and what do you call a boomerang that never comes back? A stick.)

Three of us left for Switzerland on Thursday night, November 10th, the evening before Armistice Day. However, thanks to Sunshine’s inability to EVER arrive anywhere on time, we missed our train. So, instead of arriving in Switzerland around 21:00, we took a later train, had a two hour stop-over, and arrived in Geneva at 0:20.

When we got to our hostel, they had given away our room just 10 minutes earlier.

Not a problem, you’d think, it’s the off season! Yeah, except that there was a HUGE football match between the U.K. and Argentina (a rivalry which literally goes back to the Falkland Islands). Needless to say, the town was nearly fully booked.

Now, mind you, I have my reservation email in hand which states that they have my credit card info on file and will charge me if I don’t show up. There is NO mention of a check in-time. The concierge insisted that flights don’t arrive past midnight - hey, dumbass, the train still does.

Those of you who haven’t seen me angry may think that I simply caved and went elsewhere. Those of you who have seen me angry (not upset, but literally pissed off) will not be surprised to learn that I conviced the front desk a*hole to get us a room elsewhere at the price we had already booked as well as include a free breakfast for the length of our stay. And if I woke up the entire hotel during these “negogations“, I honestly don’t care. The guests can complain to the incompetent clerk or, if they want to get to the root of the problem, they can email Sunshine herself.

As we walked across the street to Hotel Capitol, Sunshine remarked, “Wow, that’s more aggressive than I would have got.”

Some people are lucky that I have enough restraint to keep from showing them the back of my hand.

Of course, if it had been her money, what would she have done? As it was my money but her fault, I should have said nothing and made her pay the difference, but you can’t get blood from a turnip.

Well, enough of the b*tching.

The next day the Aussie (who doesn’t have a kangaroo) and Sunshine went site seeing. I relaxed in the hotel until PGOAT texted me. I met her at the gare and took her to dinner. She went back to her own hostel to study and I went and read.

The next day was the GRE. It was also the day of the big match. The English pubs were filled with Brits and Argentines. The Swiss police patrolled in large packs of three two-seater motorcycles and one paddywagon.

Sunshine and the Aussie (who says that people who fail to return when promised would make a horrible boomerang) did more site seeing while I went to Lake Geneva and read.

PGOAT texted me midday after her test and we explored old town Geneva together. It’s quite a beautiful city, very clean and orderly. But it is also quite expensive.

That evening, we all met up for dinner. As we headed back to our hostels, we noticed that the pubs were all closed. One sign explained it all. It read, in English, “We’re closed, we are out of beer.” Apparently the U.K. won the match and the Brits drank Geneva dry. Is anyone shocked?

The final day, PGOAT and I went to the International Red Cross Museum. After visitiing it, I have begun to form an idea of what I want to do after I finish the Peace Corps.

But more on that another time.

Happy Thanksgiving all!!