Car Wash

It turns out that with car ownership comes some additional responsibilities and challenges.  The most pressing at the moment being the need to get the car washed, which of course means finding a car wash.  I KNOW that I’ve driven (or maybe walked?) past at least one.  It was attached to a gas station – much like the car washes I frequented in the States.  However, I drove all over the Vevey area and beyond on Wednesday night (and when I say all over, I mean I was in the car for an hour), and I couldn’t find a single car wash.

Nestle has a great concierge service (for lack of a better way to describe it) at Headquarters.  They call it “Time For You,” and it’s meant to help people like me who have no time for basic tasks (dry cleaning, grocery shopping, car repairs, etc).  One of the things they provide is a car washing service.  Perfect.  After my failed attempt at finding one myself, I contacted them on Thursday.  It turns out, I can sign up for a time slot online, but I needed to wait for them to give me username / password.  I received all of that this morning and filled out the online form…desired time slot, information about me and my car, and the service I wanted (exterior wash).  Guess how much it would cost WITH a 20% off promotion…

38 CHF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Just to wash the outside of my little, bitty car.  Needless to say, I did NOT finish signing up, and I am back to wondering where I’ve seen this illusive car wash.  My last guess is that it’s somewhere on my way to church in Lausanne.  We’ll find out on Sunday.  Until then, my sweet little car will have to remain dirty.  

Fingers crossed that the car wash I eventually find costs less than “Time For You”…

Impulse purchase

For some people, an impulse purchase is buying something unplanned off of a display at the grocery store (me)…or a candy bar in the checkout aisle (sometimes me, too)…or an expensive Celine Dion concert ticket in Paris because you just moved to Europe (also me).  Hmmm…are we sensing a theme?  I can be a little impulsive when it comes to purchases big and small.

However, I think even I took things to a new level last week with my impulsive behavior…

While I was living in the temporary apartment, I was a 7-10 minute walk to the office and a 3-5 minute walk to the train station and grocery store.  Then, during the move to the permanent apartment, I had a rental car for a couple of weeks.  This was great for hauling purchases home from IKEA, exploring a few places off the beaten path with my mom, running errands to purchase more things than we could carry on the walk back to the apartment, etc.  After that, I left for the States for two weeks.

Last week, it was back to my new reality…living a solid 12-15 minute walk from the train station and roughly 25 minutes from the office.  There is a bus stop outside of my apartment, but it’s not a direct route to the office, and it comes every 15 minutes (a little too infrequently for my liking).  I know this isn’t much for my friends living in mega cities, but in tiny, little Vevey, it’s just a wee bit too far.  (And just to add one more piece of justification, the walk home is basically up the mountain.)

I’ve been debating what I should do about a car since before I moved to Europe.  I kept waffling…do I REALLY need one?  Think about how much money I would save by not having one…  I’m getting so much extra exercise by walking everywhere…  Why didn’t I just ship my Volvo over from the States?  (You get the point.)

Let’s just say the waffling ended on day 2 of my new reality.  When I had to sprint to catch the train for church Sunday and then walk to/from work more than I planned the first couple of days of the week, because I kept missing the bus outside my place, I decided I needed to buy a car immediately to give myself a little bit of freedom.  The very next day, I checked the advertisement space on our internal intranet and saw that a friend posted her nearly brand new car on the site.  Done.

I went to see it a night or two later, filled out the paperwork required by HR and the Swiss government, requested insurance, and as of this morning, transferred the license plates into my name!

So yes, I officially own a car in Switzerland….a 2012 Peugeot 207 with 20,000 km.

My only real stipulation was four doors, since I will likely have passengers more often than not and definitely plan to take some roadtrips.  And I figured a Euro car kind of added to the experience.  It needs a bath, but that means I have to find a car wash in Vevey.  (Don’t worry; I know they exist, because I’ve seen them, but tonight I couldn’t place exactly where.)  Sorry to debut it while its dirty (especially to my mama who is obsessed with having a clean car), but I had to let you know about my biggest impulse purchase to date.

And for the record, I think it is so fun that I have European license plates!!

 

 

A first time for everything

I’ve never skied before.  This is something I can’t say any more.  This weekend, I FINALLY took my first ever ski lesson.  How I made it this long without skiing is beyond me.  We’ll just chalk it up to growing up in the midwest with a family who took vacations to beaches and cities vs. the mountains in the winter.

When I found out I was moving to Switzerland, I knew I had to learn to ski.  I didn’t even consider it an option.  But, I knew I needed help.  I mean, I know NOTHING about the sport, and I typically hibernate when it’s snowy and cold outside vs. spending an entire day out in the elements.  So, when two of my very good friends from college came to visit me in St. Louis prior to my move, I put them to work.  We went to a couple of different stores around town in an attempt to outfit me for skiing.  The only problem was that we were about a month too early.  Most places hadn’t received shipments of ski gear yet.  This news was cause for meltdown on my part.  Didn’t the store understand that I was moving to Europe in a month and these were the friends who knew exactly what I needed to buy?  AND didn’t they understand that EVERYTHING would be remarkably cheaper stateside?

Thankfully, this meltdown (and probably the fact that I almost shed tears) caused one store to come up with a creative solution.  While none of their ski gear was displayed on the sales floor, they had the remainder of last season’s gear in the back room – along with a few miscellaneous shipments already received for this year.  With the help of a sales woman, the four of us scoured the back room for all of the items I needed in my size.  This solution also allowed me to find a few items at amazing sale prices.

[Posing with all of our findings at the end of our shopping spree!  Thanks to these friends, I am completely ready to learn to ski!]

Fast forward a couple of months, and it’s ski season in Switzerland.  Due to a visit from my mom and the trip to the US, I had to wait until late January to plan my first ski outing.  One of the first things I did upon my arrival was to join the Ski Club at work.  From what I heard, this club makes it very easy and inexpensive to learn.  They take a bus to a different ski resort in the area every Saturday.  If you are interested in taking a ski lesson, you can sign up through the club, and an instructor is there to meet you when you get off the bus.  Perfect for someone like me who has no idea what is going on!

This weekend, I coordinated to go with several other friends.  One took a class with me while others skiied or snowshoed on their own.  We went to Let Gets – a ski resort in France.  The ride was about 1 hour, 40 minutes from Vevey.

I’ll show you a couple of photos from the day, but my thoughts about skiing after one day are the following:

• I can’t believe how much work it is for what it is.  What I mean is that it is hard work to carry around your skis and poles and equally, if not more difficult, to walk in them in between slopes.
• I never thought I could sweat so much when playing in the snow.  My friends outfitted me well, and I actually probably had one layer too many yesterday.
• It is SO hard to walk in ski boots.  I actually think it’s being generous to say that I walked.  It’s probably more accurate to say that I waddled.
• Eating lunch outside in the snow surrounded by mountains is pretty incredible.
• Ski instructors must be among the most patient people on the planet.
• It’s humbling to watch little kids ski so much better than me.
• Ski lifts are terrifying.

I’m happy to report that I didn’t fall at all until the very end of day when attempting to use a new kind of ski lift.  (For you skiers out there, the one with the round disc that goes between your legs.)  I wiped out and decided that it was too late in the day to attempt to brave it again.  I think it’s one that I need to tackle early in the day when I have more energy.

[On the gondola ready for our ski class]

[Two thumbs up for learning to ski – even if it’s right alongside this four year old!]

[One of the highlights of the day…lunch outside!]

[I wish I counted how many times I went up this mini ski lift during the day…]

[Incredible scenery – all. day. long.]

[Can’t leave home without my Barnacle!  She spent the day snow shoeing with some of our new friends.]

After a full day of skiing, I spent the night in the nearby town of Morzine, France with some friends.  One of the guys in my department is moving on to another assignment in a different country and wanted to spend a ski weekend away prior to leaving Switzerland.  Five of us rented a small apartment in town.  We went out to dinner and then came back to the apartment to play games and eat cookies for the rest of the night.  I baked a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies (roughly 5.5 dozen), and as of the car ride home this morning, all of them were gone.  🙂  It was a super chill evening after a very active day.  And as always, it felt really good to laugh so hard.  Catch Phrase basically guarantees insane laughter.

Girls Night In

It’s Friday!  I wanted to do something fun tonight, but I was also feeling too lazy to leave my house.  Plus, I really feel like I just moved in.  I’ve barely spent any time here enjoying it yet.  Solution?  Girls Night In!

And, as an added bonus, one of my friends from Russia was in town for meetings.  Perfect opportunity to catch up with her!  I sent an invite out to a group of ladies earlier in the week to see who wanted to come over for dinner.  It worked out for seven of us to enjoy a wonderful evening in!

One of the things I love about this photo is that Puerto Rico, Greece, Canada, Russia, and the US are represented.  It was so good to spend an evening sharing stories, laughter, and good food together.  They all got a pretty good dose of “really loud Megan.”  (It’s hard to contain when I start telling stories and get too excited.)

I’m so grateful for a space to entertain.  I love hosting friends!  Here’s to many, MANY more evenings of laughter and good food…

I would say the first dinner party was a success!

 

Kindred Spirit

I love snail mail.

I send cards for everything…birthdays, thank yous, new home, sympathy, new baby, congrats, engagement, wedding…you name it, I’ve likely sent a card.  (And obviously Christmas, but that’s another story entirely.  This year, I sent 300 cards.)  When I lived in the States, I also sent cards to my friends living abroad in recognition of random American holidays – Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.  Who doesn’t love a Halloween card?

I must confess that when I found out I was moving to Europe, the logistics surrounding my ability to maintain my snail mail habits was a huge concern.  Several people told me that it was the last thing I should worry about, but it’s genuinely important to me, and I knew I needed to find a solution.

Thankfully, I have a kindred spirit in this world.  I’m not sure if we share the same kind of bond as Anne Shirley and Diana Barry, but it’s possible.  The funny thing is…I’ve never met this person.  However, given the fact that they created the perfect solution to meet my snail mail needs, I have to believe we would be instant friends.

Enter treat.com.

A co-worker told me about this website two months before I left, and it is amazing.  I can create personalized cards for every occasion – with or without pictures.  Treat.com will address the card and mail it from the States to be delivered on whatever date I specify.  Which means, I can sit down and create all of my cards for a month or two at one time.  AND when you buy in bulk, it’s only $1.99 per card INCLUDING POSTAGE!

I know I shouldn’t give away my secrets for how I’m staying on top of celebrations all the way from Europe, but in this case, the news is too good to keep quiet.  (And no, treat.com is not paying me to write this message.)

Now we just need to have them start delivering cards internationally, so I can get my other international friends in on the fun!

Rain Boots

You may recall that item #2 on my “30 Before 30” goal list was the Kentucky Derby.  I picked out my derby hat over a year in advance and could. not. wait. for race day.  Then, two days before, I was faced with a very upsetting reality – it was going to rain on derby day.  100% chance.  The night before I left for Louisville, I started contemplating what shoes I would wear.  Suddenly, I panicked.  I had no shoes that could withstand the mud, rain, and puddles – particularly given the fact that I would be in a dress and very large hat with feathers.  I realized there was no other option – i had to go buy rain boots over my lunch break on the day before driving out of town.  And not just any rain boots…fancy rainboots.  I mean, it is the derby after all.

Laugh all you want, but this turned out to be one of my best ideas ever.  My feet were dry and warm throughout the miserably soggy day, which made for a much happier me.  And my enormous hat doubled as an umbrella…perfect combination!

I know you’re confused about what the derby has to do with Switzerland.  (And don’t worry – I left my derby hat in storage in the States to avoid shocking the Swiss.)  Well, when I bought these boots, I justified it by saying that I would have them forever and would be able to wear them any time it rains.  Unfortunately, now that I live somewhere where I’m walking in the elements daily, I keep forgetting to wear them!

Actually, I shouldn’t say that I forget to wear them.  The bigger issue is that I NEVER check the weather.  Seriously, without Al Roker in my life, I am lost.  You’re probably thinking, “don’t you have The Weather Channel app on your phone?”  Why, yes.  Yes, I do.  The question you should be asking is: “do you ever think about using it?”  In which case, my answer would have to be, “no.  No, I don’t.”  The only time I remember is when I’m packing to go on a trip.  And since I wasn’t going on a trip today, I wore ballet flats and proceeded to jump over puddles the whole way home – much less fun than splashing through them!

I started carrying an umbrella in my purse at all times…just in case.  Perhaps the only solution to the rain boots debacle is to wear them every day…just in case.

No time for jet lag

After two weeks in the States (mostly in New York City), I was ready to come home.  (For the record, I think it’s amazing that Switzerland feels like home so soon, but it really truly does.  And I’m so grateful for that.)  Most people would probably ease into a relaxing weekend after two weeks of travel and work, but not me.  Instead, I made plans to meet a new Swiss friend at the airport when I arrived at 9:30am.  (Thankfully, I slept a little bit during the eight hour flight to avoid being a total zombie.)

It was such a fun morning!  I haven’t spent any time in Geneva, so after meeting at the airport (and explaining the six degrees of separation that connected us in the first place), we headed into the city.  We stored my enormous suitcase at the train station.  (My suitcase literally doubled in size (and probably weight) after my trip to Target.)  Then, we headed into Old Town.  One of the things I love most about Europe are the cobblestone streets and quaint buildings and neighborhoods.  Old Town Geneva is exactly that.  We walked to St. Peter’s Cathedral and climbed all the way to the top for a view of the city.  Our timing was perfect, because we were at the top when the bells chimed at noon.

Next stop was lunch.  We found a Swiss restaurant serving la croûte du fromage – a Swiss dish I haven’t tried yet.  It was basically an open face ham and cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top.  And it was delicious.  Unfortunately, in my exhaustion, I didn’t do a very good job of taking many pictures.

Back to the train station after lunch and on to Vevey to rent boots & skis for the season.  (Next weekend is my very first ski lesson!)  So glad it worked out to spend time in Geneva with a new friend.  And so glad there were friends waiting in Vevey to rent ski gear with me!

[Check out our boots!]

And after all of that, I couldn’t miss seeing my Barnacle!  I had to go see her new apartment.  How fun that we live in the same city again!

Before I went to sleep, I realized that this day of fun is one of the reasons why Switzerland already feels like home.  So many amazing people, so many new experiences, and of course, it’s always good to sleep in your own bed.  🙂

Girls Weekend

Last weekend, two of my girlfriends joined me in New York City.  I was in the States for business, and instead of flying somewhere over the weekend, I opted to host a girls weekend in the city.  Each of these friends was from a different stage of life (Miami University, St. Louis, and Grand Rapids)…worlds colliding!  The Grand Rapids friend now lives in the Big Apple, and she was so sweet to recommend amazing restaurants.  We had such a wonderful weekend together – catching up on life, eating amazing food, seeing a show, shopping, and getting a sneak peak into some of the unbelievable rooms at The Greenwich Hotel (courtesy of a friend).  I had a cold all weekend, but somehow managed to keep up!

[My first time to Serendipity.  This sundae was over. the. top.  Gobs and gobs of hot fudge.]

[Taking an afternoon break at The Plaza after a morning of shopping]

[We walked by the New York location of Laduree – the same delicious macaron shop I visited in Paris.  Of course, we had to stop in to try one.]

[WICKED!!  I love musicals, and this is definitely one of my favorites!  It was the first time for both of my friends to see it, which was very exciting!  The Broadway cast was fabulous!]

13 years later

My daddy and I spent a weekend in New York City together when I was a junior in high school.  Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, The Lion King…the works!  It was December, which I always think is the most magical time in the city.  

Fast forward 13 years, and Daddy and I were having another father/daughter rendez-vous in the city.  Quality time is my love language, so I enjoyed our 1.5 days together – even if my luggage was missing and the weather was crummy.  We took in the view from the Top of the Rock, saw Hunger Games: Catching Fire (I missed the English version while it was in Vevey.), ate Shake Shack, and we even got to see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree – a really fun surprise on January 5!

I’m so thankful for a family who makes the effort to meet me in random places whenever possible and who supports my life abroad.  

Happy 1st Birthday!

[Aside: Sorry for a two week hiatus.  You’ll see what I was up to from the next several blog posts.]

A business trip to the US allowed for me to fly back with my mom after her time in Switzerland.  The timing was also perfect to make it to Atlanta to celebrate my nephew’s first birthday!  I was thrilled at how all of the plans worked out prior to my departure.  

Unfortunately, winter decided to wreak havoc in the northeast at the same time we were trying to fly to the States.  And since United Airlines is completely incompetent when it comes to managing bad weather, we had a nightmare of a travel story.  I’m choosing to spare you the details, but let’s just say it ranks among my top three worst travel stories.

It took 48 hours including 9 hours of flying, 11 hours of waiting in airports, 14 hours of driving, 3 hours of napping, roughly 6 hours on hold over the phone with United, 1 changed flight, and 1 cancelled flight to get from Switzerland to Atlanta, but at 9:00pm on January 4, we arrived in time to say HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!  Grateful for a couple of hours of celebration with family.  

I absolutely love this little nugget.  He is SO happy.  He has a lot of smiley people in his life, but I like to think at least a little bit of his happy nature comes from his aunt.  😉  While it would be fun to be close enough to see him all the time, I am keeping in touch from a distance by sending postcards from all of the places I visit.  (We all know how much I love snail mail.)  I want him to always know he’s on my mind and in my heart – even when I’m far away.  I want him to know he’s loved, and I want to be one of the people who can teach him about adventures and how fun it can be to explore new places.  I want to teach him about the joy of setting goals and working to achieve them.

FaceTime will have to suffice until we’re together again, but I’m so excited to watch him grow in the coming year!  I love being an aunt.