is bathing zurich. we have had a record 3 days straight of warmth, sun & fall colors here. and i have had the joy of 2 perfectly clear picturesque views of the alps over the lake (don’t expect to see this rare sight when you all come, these were the best views i have seen in the six weeks we have been here). it’s shocking to me how fall is making me feel like i am seeing zurich for the time again. i have started to really love this city these past three days. it can’t hurt that i am consistently making it through transactions & conversations with substantially fewer blank stares & sometimes i can do everything (bought postage today) without using a word of english. it’s a small accomplishment, but since they are rare, it feels really comforting.
i met a neighbor today, he is cubano & therefore we spoke in spanish as my german ist kaputt & his english is nonexsistent. (i am pretty sure he will be like darren was at 4312A DeTonty!, plus a language barrier) he is actually the only other person we have seen that lives in the building, so maybe all the others are hermits….
i went to my first ever book club last night (we didn’t talk about the book at all). i was ticked because i was really ready to delve into the themes (i even took notes, it’s fine, i am complete nerd), but i was just really excited. i have always wanted to be in a book club. however, this experience would be more succinctly classified as an accountant & accountant’s wives wine drinking & chitchatting club, but it was very fun & i met a bunch of people so that was great. and tonight we have plans with a russian girl from my german class & her italian husband. then tomorrow night we are having fondue with our aussies & some of their friends & saturday we are going to a party with mostly e&y people. we suddenly have some semblance of a social existence here, now it’s just negotiating carving out our own niche within all these circles.
we are missing all our comfortable niches, while simultaneously feeling challenged & relishing the opportunity to create some new ones.
6 comments:
wow i totally forgot about darren! i just hope there are no abusive bf's getting pushed through a glass door in your apt building. And I also hope the building is more sound proof. fun trip down memory lane. glad to hear the sun is shining and things are starting to click in the switzerland.
What important moments in your new city/country! I am so happy to hear about little (language) victories and the gradual settling into something that could start to feel like a home away from home. Yay hooray.
I'm sorry to hear about the book club let down, though it sounds like it was a fine social event. What reading went unexamined?
May you soak up enough Vitamin D to comfortably make it through the the cold and grey and wet. (I think we're struggling through similar weather over here too.)
I love reading about all your fun adventures! You make me feel super-boring.
Glad you're having a blast! I hope that sun keeps on shining for you. :)
What book did you read? I would like to do a book club too - so we'll save that for your return in 800+/- days. By then, I might have a few minutes to devote to reading books that are not on the topic of law. Oh, and not a nerd for taking notes - or maybe that makes me a nerd, too?
I feel like I never met Darren. What was his bf's name that rolled in the Range Rover? Did they ever move to Rockford?
Big paper due on Monday - wish you both were around, because I'd probably take you up on editing it. Maybe I'll send it via email, and you can pick it apart electronically.
Oh, and lastly - any suggestions for the Super Fall Mix '08? I told Gina I'd make it, I just need a few more songs to fill 'er up.
Congratulations on your successes in communication. How exciting! I could imagine it's easier to feel "at home" in a city when you are starting to speak the language more naturally. I am so excited for you guys, and super jealous of your fun, foreign social life. I, too, feel terribly boring when I read about your adventures! Enjoy every second!
Regarding the book club, if you are a nerd, then so am I (which I think we have all known for some time now - sorry to put you in the same boat). I love my book club and also take notes, flag pages in the book, etc. Our book club is about 30% book discussion and 70% girl talk/chit-chat. We figure that we are at least on the right track, having read the book to start with. Hope yours ends up that way as well! What book did you read? Anything that you recommend?
Have a great rest of the week! Talk to you soon!
no real thoughts for super fall mix, i haven't heard any new music since we moved here though, so anything will be amazing!, karla requests a copy as well, she also hearts the super season mixes!
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