IS THIS HEAVEN? NO, IT'S SWITZERLAND!

We have finally turned the corner! Seen the light!  Emerged from the very long, very windy, very dark "transition tunnel"...and are loving Switzerland.  The energy to get acclimated to a new life and to wake up every morning with a huge list of to-do's to get done in order to coordinate this move cannot be explained (nor should it be attempted to be described if I want to hang onto any hope of having anyone read this blog)!  BUT, I can honestly say that I now feel as strongly positive about being here as I felt that I "just want my life back" a couple of weeks ago.  And although daily life is just tougher here...more steps both literally and figuratively, it is all worth it for the new perspective on how people live in other parts of the world.  I won't take for granted how friendly and helpful Americans are.  AND, I will always strive to be more helpful to people I run into that don't speak English.  I won't take for granted the wide selection of affordable food we have in our grocery stores, AND I will be more attentive to not wasting anything just because it is affordable.  I am hoping to hang onto healthy habits that we have established here, like cooking every night with all natural and all organic ingredients.
Growth always comes from being pushed out of our comfort zones, and that is a another positive reward each of us is already gaining from this experience.  New perspectives, deeper appreciations for our blessings, and a reminder of how good a simple, natural life can be.  

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE...

…With the smell of cow poop…the farmers are applying "fertilizer" to their fields this week.  It smells just like Iowa!  (when the wind blows from the direction of the pig farms).  On our first sunny, warm day, we opened up the apartment to get some fresh air.  It is wonderful-we can open the whole back with a huge sliding door, and we have a french door opening to a terrace on the front of the apartment, so we can get a great cross breeze!  It felt so refre-….wait, what IS that smell???  Our "letting in the fresh" air idea backfired in a major way.  We were happy to hear that the wind doesn't blow from that direction too often…phew!  or rather, pee-ew

TOO BEAUTIFUL FOR WORDS

The drive to Isaac's school is through the countryside and it's stunning.  There are 3 horse farms that blanket the foothills of the alps, and  patchwork fields of bright and brighter greens where sheep graze and huge cows roam with bells ringing on their necks.  No wonder the milk is so good here…these are some happy cows.  The first few days I drove Isaac to school, it was cloudy and/or hazy.  On the first clear day, I drove up over the hill and the Alps were looming-huge, snowy, craggily mountains.  The sight literally took my breath away, and I gasped.  Gorgeous.  What is even better is that every day they look different.  The clouds patterns,  the light, the shadows.  We have a panoramic view of these spectacular mountains and as I drive him to school I have to pinch myself…I still can't believe I live here.  

PROS AND CONS

On the whole, this place is amazing.  What an opportunity this is!  There are many things I love about Switzerland.  This is a safe country, and I love that the boys get to experience a couple of years that are much like life was when I was a kid...days are mostly focused on playing outside and hanging with their brothers and friends in the neighborhood.  It is a very safe city (all kids walk home from school), very family-centric and nature oriented.  Right up our alley!  I also love that we don't have a TV.  We haven't missed it a bit...except for Man vs. Wild...although I might have to buy a few episodes on iTunes to let the boys get some good ideas for our hikes through the Alps.  I feel like we have time to slow down here, and really enjoy our boys-exploring the outdoors, playing games with the kids (now that Luke is grasping strategy and competition-games are REALLY getting fun), reading chapter books out loud for entertainment, and avoiding the over-scheduling that seems to come naturally at home in the States.  


Things that are taking more of an adjustment: the language barrier.  It can be so frustrating to not be able to communicate with another person.  Not being able to read the pancake mix is not fun on a sleepy saturday morning with three-no, four-hungry boys.  The cost of living here is astronomical!  Swimming lessons alone are "crunching our bottom line", not to mention food, transportation, and parking (see previous posts).  And then, there's the grocery store.  I'm not a fan of the daily visits, and am still adjusting to the limited selection.  Hey, I absolutely think that America has some issues with consumerism, who needs 35 varieties of ANYTHING to choose from? But here, it's just the opposite...you get one, maybe two varieties of any given product to choose from.  And, produce is generally only seasonal, and oftentimes furry by the time you get it home...hence the daily trips to the store.  It has certainly changed my approach to cooking!  And finally, and most annoyingly, everything closes by 6:30 at night, and nothing is open on Sundays.  Or holidays.  Nothing.  It sure makes being organized and planning ahead a necessary habit to get into.  Looks like whatever procrastination my Mom couldn't convince me of avoiding, Switzerland will!