First off, I apologize for being so MIA in the last few weeks. I cannot believe that its been almost a month since I last wrote. Where the time has gone I have no idea. Also, I can't believe we are a few days from Christmas!! That means I have been here for a full 6 weeks!! Sometimes it feels like I just got here, and other times I feel like I have been here forever. Strange how that happens.
I guess theres been quite a bit that has happened in my absence. Picking up from my last post, I not only got accepted to the apartment I wanted in Seefeld, but moved out of my temporary residence and finally into my own apartment. That, as with everything else, has come with its own case of hilarious situations that would only happen in Switzerland.
Let me just say that I haven't felt the type of relief that I did in a long time when the movers were unpacking my very own furniture. I know it sounds so simple and mundane, but I finally felt like I was home. There is something so personal about your very own furniture. I think that was the moment that I started to feel like I was home and that I am here for the long haul. Up until that point, I felt like I was on extended holiday and this whole Switzerland thing wasn't reality. But now, I feel like I am here for good, and that's some pretty heavy stuff. Ok so first off, if any of you ever decide to join me here in Switzerland, if there is one point of advise I can give when moving into an apartment - don't expect any of the fixtures to be there. What do I mean? Well I didn't realize that when the previous tenants move out, they take EVERYTHING with them, I mean everything, including the ceiling and hallway lamps. Lets just say I have been living in the dark for the last few weeks. Apparently, I am really lucky that the tenants left the stove, oven, and refrigerator for me. Everyone keeps telling me that I just got so lucky......also luckily, the landlord left me a construction style flood light that I have basically been plugging into room to room to see my way around the apartment. But funny enough, I have a routine down, and can almost unlock and lock my door in complete darkness. That's a skill for sure...
What's also pretty comical is that all my mail comes in German. So, in all fairness, I haven't started my German classes yet, but I basically take all my mail to work and have someone else translate for me. Good thing I am on the good side of the law. Could you imagine having your co-workers translate something incriminating?!? Just another joy of living here in Switzerland. Good thing for all the translator apps out there......
I also got my company car in the last two weeks. The first drive home from the office was pretty interesting. But after the anxiety of the thought of driving here, it isn't all that bad. They are extremely strict with their traffic rules (surprise, surprise) with speed cameras and meters everywhere. And they tag you even if you are 2km over the speed limit, and fine you ridiculous amounts. Better hope you are not over 5km over the speed limit, or else your pockets will start to feel lighter and lighter. And don't even think about crossing the intersection when you see yellow. For all intense purposes, yellow means stop. No ifs, ands, or buts. But once you get used to ALL of that, its actually not bad. And all of the drivers, for the most part, are pretty courteous. They usually let you pass or change lanes without any problems.
Ok so what other adventures have I encountered?? Oh yes, my passport and visa issues. Last week, I made the trip to Bern to submit my passport for my visa to India. I had been diligent and researched everything I needed to online, through the official Indian Embassy website. So according to everything on the website, I was eligible to apply for a same-day visa. That was great news because my travel schedule wouldn't allow my passport to be gone for 3-5 days. So I take the first train out to Bern, ready to get this process over with, I get there with all my paperwork....and OF COURSE, the guy at the Visa Application center told me that I do not qualify for a same day visa, even though I had a confirmation page from the website saying I do...and this guys was SO unhelpful....he basically looked at my confirmation page and says "oh yes, it says here, but this is wrong"....great, so I was going to be without a passport for a week...He did recommend that I go to the US Embassy, which is down the street. OK, good idea. I can just get a duplicate passport and travel to Germany as planned. Well if you think the US Embassy was any more helpful, just forget about it. They might have been worse than the Indian Embassy, which is quite a feat. Needless to say, I was on the train back to Zurich, without my passport....
I tried to make the trip to Bern to yesterday to pick up my passport as I was supposed to fly on Monday. I don't think it was in my destiny to fly on Monday because of course, on my way to Bern I hit a MAJOR snow storm and basically was stuck on the highway for 3 hours. So I have to go back on Monday, and had to change my ticket to India to fly on Wednesday instead of Monday....what a complicated process!! Only now am I finding out how hard it is sometimes to have a US Passport...
Other than that, I have really just being enjoying Xmas time here in the city. It is absolutely beautiful, and one thing that Switzerland does really well is all of the Xmas markets and decorations. You do feel like you are in a Winter Wonderland. I am pretty sure this is where they got the inspiration for what the North Pole looks like. Even when it snows, it is just absolutely breathtaking, where the snow sits perfectly on the branches of the trees and the roofs of houses. As part of the Christmas tradition, I tried Gluhwein for the first time. Gluhwein is hot red wine with spices like cinnamon and things. I know it may sound gross, but it is actually SO good, and perfect when it is cold outside. It warms you right up and just makes you want to break out into a Christmas carol. I have loved being here around Xmas time - another thing to do if you come to Switzerland. Yes its cold, but its also stunning!
So there you have it. My life over the past few weeks in a nutshell. Before signing off, I would like to thank my local Starbucks for providing free wi-fi so I could update everyone on what's been going on. I hope to get internet at my place when the new year starts.
This will probably be my last post in 2010, as I am off to India for 1.5 weeks next week and don't return until beginning of Jan. Happy holidays everyone and happy new year!!! See you in 2011!! =)
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
All is good in the hood...
Ok, first off. I should probably try to change this up a bit instead of posting every Sunday. But in my defense, Sundays are the best days to catch up on this because everything (except a few restaurants here in Zurich) is closed. It is supposed to be a day of family and reflection, so I guess posting on my blog falls into the whole reflection category.
So I guess I jumped the gun in my last posts regarding the apartment search. As frustrated as I felt Sunday evening when writing, Monday morning came with a great surprise that basically makes the previous post null and void.
Just before I was going to board the plane to Barcelona, I received the wonderful news that my application for the apartment in Seefeld was accepted!! As mentioned, now it seems silly to have been stressing out over the apartment search, because when I get the one I want, it doesn't seem to matter that I had lost 2 the week before. This actually worked out perfectly as Seefeld is really the area I wanted to living in. Huge expat population, lots of bars and restaurants, and right by the lake. So I am happy to report that as of 1 Dec, I will be a Seefeld resident. And by the way, this apartment is gorgeous (minus a couple of flaws like the kitchen and bathroom colors). As soon as this place is mine, I will post pictures of the apartment itself and the neighborhood. And one of the only nice things about apartments in Zurich, that it may take a miracle to get one, but once you do, it is yours until you basically want to move. I don't have a limit on my rental agreement. Which is nice, because I can finally have the peace of mind about this whole housing situation. So the week definitely started off with a bang!
So I spent the whole last week in Barcelona. I know what you are thinking, tough life, right?! Well it kinda was because we had long days (and long nights). I was there for 2 different meetings but it seemed like deja vu because we ate at the same restaurant with the same menu and went out to the same club for each meeting!! Someone on the planning committee for both of those events definitely didn't talk! But overall, the trip to Barcelona was good. We had a lot going on. We started the week with a Product Managers Meeting with all of the PMs from all of the countries to discuss new product launches for 2011. I then had a cadaver lab I had to attend....i know, i know. Cadaver lab sounds awful. It kinda is but it is part of the world of medical devices. Nothing I can change about that! While the course was going on, I actually had the pleasure to work with a film crew - we are creating videos for upcoming National Sales meetings, and I was in charge of working with the producer and director to get the interviews and shots I wanted. Felt like B-list Hollywood!! But it was good fun.
Well both meetings went well (thank god!) and got back late Friday night. But an entire week in Barcelona with very little sleep made for one very exhausted Sheena Marina. But yesterday, I was back to my usual antics and went out Saturday night. Had a great night (and one too many glasses of white wine...hahaha!). But overall was a good weekend.
So I know this post was probably not as interesting as the others since there were no stories of how the Swiss do things, but that is probably because I was gone the entire week, so I didn't have any opportunities to experience the Swiss idiosyncracies first hand. This week I will be in the office, but its going to be another crazy week, with more filming and a big Business review meeting. It is probably good that I will so busy. I think I am experiencing the first pangs of homesickness. I just realized that this week is Thanksgiving. I'm quite sad that I am missing it actually. It will be first time that I am missing Thanksgiving completely and the first time in 5 years to be missing out on our Patel family Thanksgiving tradition (which includes even more Patels....obviously!!) Hey Patel families (you know which ones I am referring to...) - I will miss you guys this year. Have a great time and have an extra G&T for me!!!
Happy thanksgiving everyone! Until next time, which in all honesty will most likely be next Sunday. Cheers!
So I guess I jumped the gun in my last posts regarding the apartment search. As frustrated as I felt Sunday evening when writing, Monday morning came with a great surprise that basically makes the previous post null and void.
Just before I was going to board the plane to Barcelona, I received the wonderful news that my application for the apartment in Seefeld was accepted!! As mentioned, now it seems silly to have been stressing out over the apartment search, because when I get the one I want, it doesn't seem to matter that I had lost 2 the week before. This actually worked out perfectly as Seefeld is really the area I wanted to living in. Huge expat population, lots of bars and restaurants, and right by the lake. So I am happy to report that as of 1 Dec, I will be a Seefeld resident. And by the way, this apartment is gorgeous (minus a couple of flaws like the kitchen and bathroom colors). As soon as this place is mine, I will post pictures of the apartment itself and the neighborhood. And one of the only nice things about apartments in Zurich, that it may take a miracle to get one, but once you do, it is yours until you basically want to move. I don't have a limit on my rental agreement. Which is nice, because I can finally have the peace of mind about this whole housing situation. So the week definitely started off with a bang!
So I spent the whole last week in Barcelona. I know what you are thinking, tough life, right?! Well it kinda was because we had long days (and long nights). I was there for 2 different meetings but it seemed like deja vu because we ate at the same restaurant with the same menu and went out to the same club for each meeting!! Someone on the planning committee for both of those events definitely didn't talk! But overall, the trip to Barcelona was good. We had a lot going on. We started the week with a Product Managers Meeting with all of the PMs from all of the countries to discuss new product launches for 2011. I then had a cadaver lab I had to attend....i know, i know. Cadaver lab sounds awful. It kinda is but it is part of the world of medical devices. Nothing I can change about that! While the course was going on, I actually had the pleasure to work with a film crew - we are creating videos for upcoming National Sales meetings, and I was in charge of working with the producer and director to get the interviews and shots I wanted. Felt like B-list Hollywood!! But it was good fun.
Well both meetings went well (thank god!) and got back late Friday night. But an entire week in Barcelona with very little sleep made for one very exhausted Sheena Marina. But yesterday, I was back to my usual antics and went out Saturday night. Had a great night (and one too many glasses of white wine...hahaha!). But overall was a good weekend.
So I know this post was probably not as interesting as the others since there were no stories of how the Swiss do things, but that is probably because I was gone the entire week, so I didn't have any opportunities to experience the Swiss idiosyncracies first hand. This week I will be in the office, but its going to be another crazy week, with more filming and a big Business review meeting. It is probably good that I will so busy. I think I am experiencing the first pangs of homesickness. I just realized that this week is Thanksgiving. I'm quite sad that I am missing it actually. It will be first time that I am missing Thanksgiving completely and the first time in 5 years to be missing out on our Patel family Thanksgiving tradition (which includes even more Patels....obviously!!) Hey Patel families (you know which ones I am referring to...) - I will miss you guys this year. Have a great time and have an extra G&T for me!!!
Happy thanksgiving everyone! Until next time, which in all honesty will most likely be next Sunday. Cheers!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
And so the apartment search continues...
Ok so my second week in CH is coming to a close and I am quickly learning how things work here, especially the whole apartment hunt in Zurich. In all honesty, it is definitely a complicated and frustrating process. This week was tough week.
I saw 2 apartments that I absolutely loved, and lost both of them! Apparently, apartments in Zurich go extremely fast and you have to apply for them, just like if you were applying for a job. I saw this beautiful apartment last Monday which was right near the main train station. It was being renovated, and had a beautiful breakfast nook, had a reading window in the living room, 2 balconies, and even a parking space. Sounds too good to be true, right?! Well, it basically was. I walked in and "knew" this was the place. I had my real estate agent apply, and even dreamt that night about living there. So here was my first experience with the housing market in Zurich. For what I thought was a done deal, I was given the rude awakening that by mid-morning of the next day, the landlord had already promised the apartment to someone who saw it before I even got there. Apparently it is not common practice to let people know when they come see the apartment that it is no longer available!!! I mean what was I thinking to expect the landlord to tell me that the apartment I was seeing (and falling in love with) was actually not available! What a bummer! Oh, and I should add that the week started off just splendidly...I actually took the wrong train Monday morning and ended up an hour from the office..in Pfaffikon (just plug in Pfaffikon and Zug - where I work - into google maps and you will immediately realize why this is hilarious)! That is the last time that I listen to someone about leaving Zurich from another train station!! So as you can see, the week was not going well.
I saw two more apartments by Wednesday, and loved both of them. One was located in Shauffhauserplatz and the other in Seefeld. Like a true to form to my business training, I created a spreadsheet of the pros and cons of both of these places. (A special thanks to those who helped me sort through my excel spreadsheet!) Well, again, it didn't really matter which one I wanted, because the Shauffhauserplatz was gone by Friday morning. I haven't heard yet on the Seefeld apartment, but who knows what happens now. I saw another apartment that I liked yesterday, and will be applying this week, so we will see what happens.
So let's recap. At this point, here is what the scoreboard looks like:
Zurich apartments 2
Sheena 0
Ughh!! I hate losing. Even to something as uncontrollable as the apartment hunt in Zurich...
Ok, now that I have taken the opportunity to effectively complain about the housing situation here, let me end on a good note and expand on the good that happened this week.
I had the chance to have traditional Swiss Fondue on Saturday. Let me just say, its SOO good, especially if you love cheese! Such a must if you come and visit! Also, I had the chance to meet some amazing girls today at Brunch. I found another calendar event online and found a "Girls Brunch". I met some of the most amazing people, all who come from over - Romania, Germany, Brazil, the US. Girls - it was such great meeting you! Thanks for an amazing time! They actually were the voice of reason to the insanity that is the Zurich apartment hunt, and by the end of the week I can honestly say that I feel much better about this situation. They told me that the apartment search in Zurich is difficult and I shouldn't worry. Geez, it's just been 2 weeks since I got here. And they reminded me that things are slow in Zurich and work this way in Switzerland.....aww, makes me feel so much better! Sooner or later the scoreboard will tip in my favor, and then it won't matter how many points CH got on the board...
So I end this week on a happier note than it began. I do have one more anecdote that I should share. It is not related to the apartment search, but just another idiosyncracy of Switzerland. I was grabbing lunch with my colleague at a local sandwich shop on Friday, and had ordered soup to go. We were going to eat back at the office. After I ordered (and paid!), we decided to change our minds and eat right there at the restaurant because we had a little time before we had to get back for a meeting. OH MY GOSH---you would have thought that I committed theft when I started to eat my soup from the takeaway container. WOW! THe lady behind the counter got really upset because she wanted me to eat out of a soup bowl. And, oh, I owed 1 more CHF because I was eating from a bowl.....I am right there with you, I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what happened....but I am slowly learning not to question ANYTHING. You just have to follow the rules, no matter how absurd!!!!!!
Thanks again for reading my blog. Hope you find it interesting. I am just hoping to capture what I go through on this side of the Atlantic!
I will be spending the next week in Barcelona. Yes, I know tough life! But if it is any consolation I will be stuck in a conference room and a lab all week. Not as glamourous as you might think.... Hasta pronto amigos!!
I saw 2 apartments that I absolutely loved, and lost both of them! Apparently, apartments in Zurich go extremely fast and you have to apply for them, just like if you were applying for a job. I saw this beautiful apartment last Monday which was right near the main train station. It was being renovated, and had a beautiful breakfast nook, had a reading window in the living room, 2 balconies, and even a parking space. Sounds too good to be true, right?! Well, it basically was. I walked in and "knew" this was the place. I had my real estate agent apply, and even dreamt that night about living there. So here was my first experience with the housing market in Zurich. For what I thought was a done deal, I was given the rude awakening that by mid-morning of the next day, the landlord had already promised the apartment to someone who saw it before I even got there. Apparently it is not common practice to let people know when they come see the apartment that it is no longer available!!! I mean what was I thinking to expect the landlord to tell me that the apartment I was seeing (and falling in love with) was actually not available! What a bummer! Oh, and I should add that the week started off just splendidly...I actually took the wrong train Monday morning and ended up an hour from the office..in Pfaffikon (just plug in Pfaffikon and Zug - where I work - into google maps and you will immediately realize why this is hilarious)! That is the last time that I listen to someone about leaving Zurich from another train station!! So as you can see, the week was not going well.
I saw two more apartments by Wednesday, and loved both of them. One was located in Shauffhauserplatz and the other in Seefeld. Like a true to form to my business training, I created a spreadsheet of the pros and cons of both of these places. (A special thanks to those who helped me sort through my excel spreadsheet!) Well, again, it didn't really matter which one I wanted, because the Shauffhauserplatz was gone by Friday morning. I haven't heard yet on the Seefeld apartment, but who knows what happens now. I saw another apartment that I liked yesterday, and will be applying this week, so we will see what happens.
So let's recap. At this point, here is what the scoreboard looks like:
Zurich apartments 2
Sheena 0
Ughh!! I hate losing. Even to something as uncontrollable as the apartment hunt in Zurich...
Ok, now that I have taken the opportunity to effectively complain about the housing situation here, let me end on a good note and expand on the good that happened this week.
I had the chance to have traditional Swiss Fondue on Saturday. Let me just say, its SOO good, especially if you love cheese! Such a must if you come and visit! Also, I had the chance to meet some amazing girls today at Brunch. I found another calendar event online and found a "Girls Brunch". I met some of the most amazing people, all who come from over - Romania, Germany, Brazil, the US. Girls - it was such great meeting you! Thanks for an amazing time! They actually were the voice of reason to the insanity that is the Zurich apartment hunt, and by the end of the week I can honestly say that I feel much better about this situation. They told me that the apartment search in Zurich is difficult and I shouldn't worry. Geez, it's just been 2 weeks since I got here. And they reminded me that things are slow in Zurich and work this way in Switzerland.....aww, makes me feel so much better! Sooner or later the scoreboard will tip in my favor, and then it won't matter how many points CH got on the board...
So I end this week on a happier note than it began. I do have one more anecdote that I should share. It is not related to the apartment search, but just another idiosyncracy of Switzerland. I was grabbing lunch with my colleague at a local sandwich shop on Friday, and had ordered soup to go. We were going to eat back at the office. After I ordered (and paid!), we decided to change our minds and eat right there at the restaurant because we had a little time before we had to get back for a meeting. OH MY GOSH---you would have thought that I committed theft when I started to eat my soup from the takeaway container. WOW! THe lady behind the counter got really upset because she wanted me to eat out of a soup bowl. And, oh, I owed 1 more CHF because I was eating from a bowl.....I am right there with you, I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what happened....but I am slowly learning not to question ANYTHING. You just have to follow the rules, no matter how absurd!!!!!!
Thanks again for reading my blog. Hope you find it interesting. I am just hoping to capture what I go through on this side of the Atlantic!
I will be spending the next week in Barcelona. Yes, I know tough life! But if it is any consolation I will be stuck in a conference room and a lab all week. Not as glamourous as you might think.... Hasta pronto amigos!!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
First weekend in Zurich
So its my first Sunday here, and with the cold and rainy weather outside, it is a perfect day to update this blog.
SInce my last post, I have actually garnered the courage to find some events happening around town and made it to 2 of them. Impressive, huh? Back home, I would never go out alone and meet up with people that I don't know. But here, first off, if I don't do that, I won't ever meet anyone. Secondly, the expat community here is so welcoming. At some point everyone was in the same boat.
So the first event that I found was this group that meets every Thursday. The idea of this group is pretty interesting. They meet earlier in the evening, like 7pm or so. They organize a run/walk in different parts of the city, and then meet up at a bar later on to have drinks and hang out. They pick places that are basically dance clubs. So of course, with my luck, this past week was a Bollywood party to celebrate Diwali!! Haha. OF COURSE! My first night out in Zurich is an Indian dance party. What are the chances of that happening?!? Regardless, I actually had a good time rocking out to Bollywood tunes and meeting some cool people. I met this cool girl from Lithuania; she seems to like to have a good time, so she could be someone that I hang out with again. It really is amazing how open other expats are with newbies to the city. I felt welcomed right away.
Friday night I ended up hanging out in Zug (where the office is). I basically visited the only bar in town for some drinks after work. By 730pm the place was dead!! Good thing I decided to live in Zurich rather than Zug. I probably would have gone crazy living in Zug. Don't get me wrong. Zug is absolutely breathtaking. It sits right off the lake and on a clear day you can see the Alps in the distance. But it is a slower paced town, focused more on families. Definitely made the right choice living in Zurich!
I spent Saturday with my the only people I know right now in Switzerland, the Dentis (shoutout to Aldo, Doris, Karen, and Vanessa. Thanks for a great time on Saturday! See you guys soon!) We spent the day in Luzern. This city is absolutely breathtaking. If you have the chance to come to Switzerland, Luzern is definitely a place you will want to visit. Here are just a couple of shots of Luzern. Enjoy!
I made it back to Zurich in time to head out for my next social event. There are a group of expats that meet every Saturday at this bar called Totos. From all of the expat blogs, calendar of events, postings, this is a staple night out for Expats in Zurich. They basically meet at the same time, same place every week. It is a great place for newbies to meet other expats in the city. The host, Ian from Scotland, basically hosts this event every Saturday. He is the first one there, and the last one to leave. He makes it his personal mission to make sure that everyone that walks through the door is introduced to people. I was no different yesterday. As soon as I arrived, Ian greeted me, and immediately took me to meet different groups of people. Throughout the night, if Ian saw that you were not talking to anyone, he immediately introduced you to another group of people. It was actually pretty amazing. I actually felt like I was at welcome weekend my freshmen year of college. Girls from BU - do you remember this moment?! We definitely went through the same thing. We were all standing outside of Rich Hall, when we were all being introduced to each other. We all exchanged phone numbers with each other, and do you remember walking away thinking, "I have no idea who is who, I just know that I have all their phone numbers now...?!" Yep. Last night was exactly like that!! I thought of all you, as I felt like I was back outside Rich Hall! But I definitely met some cool people, from all over - UK, Spain, the States, Germany, Austria, Australia...and many more. And what was even more amazing, no matter how long some of these people had been here (6 weeks, 2 months, 4 years), every single person I met last night said that they absolutely loved living here. Everyone definitely talked about the transition time of settling down, but not one person had a bad thing to say about living here. Exactly the reassurance I needed....
I am so proud of myself for taking the chance to attend these couple of events my first week here. I felt like I made some good connections with some people, and it will hopefully make this transition easier. I know this was one of the things I was most afraid of, but it seems like everything will be ok.
Well my first week here has just about come to a close, and I think I am going to love it here. Now I just need to find an apartment of my own, and I will feel so much better!
Until next time!! =)
SInce my last post, I have actually garnered the courage to find some events happening around town and made it to 2 of them. Impressive, huh? Back home, I would never go out alone and meet up with people that I don't know. But here, first off, if I don't do that, I won't ever meet anyone. Secondly, the expat community here is so welcoming. At some point everyone was in the same boat.
So the first event that I found was this group that meets every Thursday. The idea of this group is pretty interesting. They meet earlier in the evening, like 7pm or so. They organize a run/walk in different parts of the city, and then meet up at a bar later on to have drinks and hang out. They pick places that are basically dance clubs. So of course, with my luck, this past week was a Bollywood party to celebrate Diwali!! Haha. OF COURSE! My first night out in Zurich is an Indian dance party. What are the chances of that happening?!? Regardless, I actually had a good time rocking out to Bollywood tunes and meeting some cool people. I met this cool girl from Lithuania; she seems to like to have a good time, so she could be someone that I hang out with again. It really is amazing how open other expats are with newbies to the city. I felt welcomed right away.
Friday night I ended up hanging out in Zug (where the office is). I basically visited the only bar in town for some drinks after work. By 730pm the place was dead!! Good thing I decided to live in Zurich rather than Zug. I probably would have gone crazy living in Zug. Don't get me wrong. Zug is absolutely breathtaking. It sits right off the lake and on a clear day you can see the Alps in the distance. But it is a slower paced town, focused more on families. Definitely made the right choice living in Zurich!
I spent Saturday with my the only people I know right now in Switzerland, the Dentis (shoutout to Aldo, Doris, Karen, and Vanessa. Thanks for a great time on Saturday! See you guys soon!) We spent the day in Luzern. This city is absolutely breathtaking. If you have the chance to come to Switzerland, Luzern is definitely a place you will want to visit. Here are just a couple of shots of Luzern. Enjoy!
I made it back to Zurich in time to head out for my next social event. There are a group of expats that meet every Saturday at this bar called Totos. From all of the expat blogs, calendar of events, postings, this is a staple night out for Expats in Zurich. They basically meet at the same time, same place every week. It is a great place for newbies to meet other expats in the city. The host, Ian from Scotland, basically hosts this event every Saturday. He is the first one there, and the last one to leave. He makes it his personal mission to make sure that everyone that walks through the door is introduced to people. I was no different yesterday. As soon as I arrived, Ian greeted me, and immediately took me to meet different groups of people. Throughout the night, if Ian saw that you were not talking to anyone, he immediately introduced you to another group of people. It was actually pretty amazing. I actually felt like I was at welcome weekend my freshmen year of college. Girls from BU - do you remember this moment?! We definitely went through the same thing. We were all standing outside of Rich Hall, when we were all being introduced to each other. We all exchanged phone numbers with each other, and do you remember walking away thinking, "I have no idea who is who, I just know that I have all their phone numbers now...?!" Yep. Last night was exactly like that!! I thought of all you, as I felt like I was back outside Rich Hall! But I definitely met some cool people, from all over - UK, Spain, the States, Germany, Austria, Australia...and many more. And what was even more amazing, no matter how long some of these people had been here (6 weeks, 2 months, 4 years), every single person I met last night said that they absolutely loved living here. Everyone definitely talked about the transition time of settling down, but not one person had a bad thing to say about living here. Exactly the reassurance I needed....
I am so proud of myself for taking the chance to attend these couple of events my first week here. I felt like I made some good connections with some people, and it will hopefully make this transition easier. I know this was one of the things I was most afraid of, but it seems like everything will be ok.
Well my first week here has just about come to a close, and I think I am going to love it here. Now I just need to find an apartment of my own, and I will feel so much better!
Until next time!! =)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Day 3 in Switzerland, Day 1 on the job!
Finally my first post from Switzerland! I have been dying to post a few things since I got here Monday afternoon, but didn't have Internet access until tonight, until I snagged an ethernet cable from work. Who knew that internet still ran using wires...?!?!
So I know I said that I hoped this post would not be as long as the last, but I am not sure if I can stick to my promise. Even in the 3 days I have been here, I have plenty to say! Regardless of the length, I hope you enjoy the trials and tribulations of figuring out how to live in Zurich.
In all honesty, when I got here Monday afternoon, I was on the verge of an anxiety attack. Landing at Zurich Flughafen (airport), I had the biggest knots in my stomach. Was I really doing this?! Was I actually going to live in this city that I really didn't know anything about? Are you kidding me?! For the first time in this process, I thought I was seriously insane. Who does this??? These were the thoughts going through my head as I claimed my luggage and made my way to pick up my keys to my temporary apartment. I have to say that I have plenty of stories ALREADY about how the Swiss like to follow their rules. I am sensing that this might be a common theme throughout this blog. The first story revolves around the fact that I was only able to pick up my keys from 3pm-630pm, not earlier, not later. This would have been alright, but I landed in Zurich at 1pm. I did ask to see if I could come earlier, but was told a vehement no. So I waited around the airport for 2 hours before being able to "move in". That definitely did not help my nerves.
Ok so finally got to my apartment. I don't really think you can call this an apartment. It's more like a glorified shoebox. Let's just say that my bedroom is so small that my suitcases don't fit inside. I have to keep them out in the living room/dining room/kitchenette. Oh in case you were wondering, the three rooms I just mentioned are all one room, a room that is smaller than my bathroom back home. But who's complaining?! Haha. I know it sounds bad, but it isn't really, once you get used to it. I think it was more of the initial shock of getting here and realizing that this is tiny compared to US standards. So for the first night, I entertained myself with the only 2 channels (out of 100) that I understood - MTV and BBC. BBC for obvious reasons, but what was nice is that the shows on MTV had German subtitles, but English Language (I guess it is hard to translate "GTL"....). Here is a sample of the music that is entertaining me right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_zwdmz0hE&ob=av2e
I am dead serious...this is number 1 on the Euro Pop Charts.
Tuesday was a much better day. I had some appointments to see apartments, and I really think that made me feel better, like I was really working towards getting myself settled. I saw a couple of apartments; 1 I liked, 1 not so much. I guess a batting average of 50% isn't bad. I am hoping to take my time to find the right apartment. Luckily I can stay in temporary housing for 2 months if I want, so I am trying not to rush through this process. This may be the most important thing I do in order to feel like I am truly living in this city. So once I had my apartment viewings, I had to go register with the Swiss Authorities, and make my stay here official. Some more paperwork I needed to fill out in order to get my long stay visa. So I was at the desk, and the lady behind the counter asked for my passport photos. Like the good, responsible person I try to be, I had these taken in the States before I left. She takes a look at the photo, and was like "Maam, I am sorry but this photo is unacceptable. You are not allowed to smile in your passport photo. You will have to use the photo kiosk across the street, and make sure you don't smile." NO JOKE!!!! I could hardly contain my laughter as this lady was as serious as death!! Just imagine the situation! Needless to say, the photo that all of my official documents are associated with for my stay here in Switzerland basically look like my mug shot. HAHAHA!! After that experience, I came home and really just needed to walk around and figure out where everything around me is. I am happy to report that my apartment is a mere 15-20 min walk from city center. On the map, it looks like its way out, but I forget that Zurich is such a small city (smaller than Boston), so the distances on the map are very deceiving. Good thing! Makes this city seem much more manageable.
So today was my first day at work. Honestly, I felt like I was starting my first day of kindergarten. I had gotten my outfit together last night, and prepared everything. I was also a bit nervous because I had to navigate the S-bahn (Zurich Train/Tram system). I was so excited to be able to use public transportation to work. Now I know to many of you, this is not a big deal at all. You use public transportation to and from work, and it is a normal part of your daily routine. I haven't had that since I first got to BU. For the last 5.5 years, I have been commuting 45 min by car to work...this was definitely a big deal. I have to say I was so proud of myself because I was able to navigate without any problems. With my iPod on, I felt like I had been living in this city for years. It just felt so natural. It also made me feel that everything is going to be alright! =)
I got my new cell phone today, so no more 508 area code, but now I will be reppin' the +41!! For those of you who want my new Swiss cell number, just drop me a line (sheena.s.patel@gmail.com) or send me a message on Facebook, and I will make sure you have my contact details.
These first 3 days here have definitely been eventful, as you can see. I know this is just the beginning. Now that I am connected at home, I am hoping to update this more frequently. Thanks to all of those who have been reading and following my adventures. Thanks for your support! Hope to share something new with all of you soon!
So I know I said that I hoped this post would not be as long as the last, but I am not sure if I can stick to my promise. Even in the 3 days I have been here, I have plenty to say! Regardless of the length, I hope you enjoy the trials and tribulations of figuring out how to live in Zurich.
In all honesty, when I got here Monday afternoon, I was on the verge of an anxiety attack. Landing at Zurich Flughafen (airport), I had the biggest knots in my stomach. Was I really doing this?! Was I actually going to live in this city that I really didn't know anything about? Are you kidding me?! For the first time in this process, I thought I was seriously insane. Who does this??? These were the thoughts going through my head as I claimed my luggage and made my way to pick up my keys to my temporary apartment. I have to say that I have plenty of stories ALREADY about how the Swiss like to follow their rules. I am sensing that this might be a common theme throughout this blog. The first story revolves around the fact that I was only able to pick up my keys from 3pm-630pm, not earlier, not later. This would have been alright, but I landed in Zurich at 1pm. I did ask to see if I could come earlier, but was told a vehement no. So I waited around the airport for 2 hours before being able to "move in". That definitely did not help my nerves.
Ok so finally got to my apartment. I don't really think you can call this an apartment. It's more like a glorified shoebox. Let's just say that my bedroom is so small that my suitcases don't fit inside. I have to keep them out in the living room/dining room/kitchenette. Oh in case you were wondering, the three rooms I just mentioned are all one room, a room that is smaller than my bathroom back home. But who's complaining?! Haha. I know it sounds bad, but it isn't really, once you get used to it. I think it was more of the initial shock of getting here and realizing that this is tiny compared to US standards. So for the first night, I entertained myself with the only 2 channels (out of 100) that I understood - MTV and BBC. BBC for obvious reasons, but what was nice is that the shows on MTV had German subtitles, but English Language (I guess it is hard to translate "GTL"....). Here is a sample of the music that is entertaining me right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu_zwdmz0hE&ob=av2e
I am dead serious...this is number 1 on the Euro Pop Charts.
Tuesday was a much better day. I had some appointments to see apartments, and I really think that made me feel better, like I was really working towards getting myself settled. I saw a couple of apartments; 1 I liked, 1 not so much. I guess a batting average of 50% isn't bad. I am hoping to take my time to find the right apartment. Luckily I can stay in temporary housing for 2 months if I want, so I am trying not to rush through this process. This may be the most important thing I do in order to feel like I am truly living in this city. So once I had my apartment viewings, I had to go register with the Swiss Authorities, and make my stay here official. Some more paperwork I needed to fill out in order to get my long stay visa. So I was at the desk, and the lady behind the counter asked for my passport photos. Like the good, responsible person I try to be, I had these taken in the States before I left. She takes a look at the photo, and was like "Maam, I am sorry but this photo is unacceptable. You are not allowed to smile in your passport photo. You will have to use the photo kiosk across the street, and make sure you don't smile." NO JOKE!!!! I could hardly contain my laughter as this lady was as serious as death!! Just imagine the situation! Needless to say, the photo that all of my official documents are associated with for my stay here in Switzerland basically look like my mug shot. HAHAHA!! After that experience, I came home and really just needed to walk around and figure out where everything around me is. I am happy to report that my apartment is a mere 15-20 min walk from city center. On the map, it looks like its way out, but I forget that Zurich is such a small city (smaller than Boston), so the distances on the map are very deceiving. Good thing! Makes this city seem much more manageable.
So today was my first day at work. Honestly, I felt like I was starting my first day of kindergarten. I had gotten my outfit together last night, and prepared everything. I was also a bit nervous because I had to navigate the S-bahn (Zurich Train/Tram system). I was so excited to be able to use public transportation to work. Now I know to many of you, this is not a big deal at all. You use public transportation to and from work, and it is a normal part of your daily routine. I haven't had that since I first got to BU. For the last 5.5 years, I have been commuting 45 min by car to work...this was definitely a big deal. I have to say I was so proud of myself because I was able to navigate without any problems. With my iPod on, I felt like I had been living in this city for years. It just felt so natural. It also made me feel that everything is going to be alright! =)
I got my new cell phone today, so no more 508 area code, but now I will be reppin' the +41!! For those of you who want my new Swiss cell number, just drop me a line (sheena.s.patel@gmail.com) or send me a message on Facebook, and I will make sure you have my contact details.
These first 3 days here have definitely been eventful, as you can see. I know this is just the beginning. Now that I am connected at home, I am hoping to update this more frequently. Thanks to all of those who have been reading and following my adventures. Thanks for your support! Hope to share something new with all of you soon!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Getting ready for the big move
First off, welcome to my blog - The Swiss Experience! I am very new to the whole blogging thing, but thought this was as perfect of a time to start as any. So here begins a new adventure....
....but before we get there, why don't we take a look back and start at the beginning...
To be honest, this is something that I have always wanted to do. Work and live abroad. Ever since joining J&J 5 years ago. From the first day I started working (3 weeks after graduating from BU, mind you), this has been my ultimate professional and personal goal. To be honest, ask anyone that knows me, and they will tell you the same thing. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved traveling, but the idea of living somewhere for a longer period of time is what I always wanted. I was honestly willing to travel anywhere that work would take me. I didn't have any geographical limitations or hesitations.
So let's fast forward to February 2010. I was finally given the chance to do what I always wanted. I got the chance to apply for a product manager for our European team. Better yet, the position involved a relocation to Switzerland, Zurich specifically. I remember the day that I was presented with this opportunity. I had just landed in Las Vegas for a conference, and was feeling pretty good after that flight (let's just say that my flight into Vegas was a typical flight into Vegas, where no matter the time of day, people are enjoying adult beverages, and I just happened to be sitting next to a couple of guys who would not let me not join in our their fun!!) I remember checking into the hotel and hurrying over to the convention hall to meet my colleagues. As soon as I get there, my Director of Marketing needed to speak with me regarding some upcoming organizational changes. He proceeds to tell me that he has accepted a position managing our entire EMEA team for Spine. As I am processing the idea that I would lose someone in the building who I considered a mentor, he is telling me that he has the opportunity to create a new marketing team and he wanted to know if I would consider joining that team. Talk about mental overload!! I think I just nodded my head, but really couldn't come to terms with what he was talking about. The rest of the convention was really a blur to be honest. Luckily, I had the chance to go home to Cali after that trip and finally had a chance to process what was about to happen. I remember sitting with Mom and Dad and thinking that this is just too good of an opportunity to pass up and I have to jump on this right away. Here was the chance that I have been waiting for....
So now let's fast forward to the summer. By August, I had flown to our Leeds office to interview. I was offered the job, accepted the job, and was ready to start my new job. I should probably mention that I accepted the job without ever having been to Zurich or Zug....you could call me crazy?!! But as I mentioned, this is something that I always wanted, and I know I will love whatever this experience will bring. I won' take time to talk about how long the whole employment contract and those logistics took. Let's just say that my official start date isn't until 15 Nov....What I was given was the chance to spend the month of September in Europe doing the job earlier than my official start date. So 29 Aug I left for a 4-week whirlwind of doing the job that I would eventually be doing. I said good-bye to my counterparts in Raynham and began on my European journey.
Here are some images of the sites I saw while traveling around Europe.
11 hotels later, I came back at the end of the month to wrap up whatever I needed to here. But I honestly came back with the feeling that this is absolutely going to be the best thing that happened to me. I absolutely loved every minute of the month, no matter how grueling the travel schedule.
I have spent the last three weeks getting ready for the big move. This entailed getting cross-cultural training, making a trip to NYC to visit the Swiss Consulate to apply for my visa, selling my car, having my furniture being picked up, and finally making the last flight out of Beantown. The last three weeks have really been emotional and stressful for me. I could go on and on about the process of selling my car via cars.com or craigslist (if you ever want tips on going through that process, let me know!), or the emotions that came over me when I was sitting in an empty condo. I could go into details about how 2 weeks before the big move I lost my wallet and was running around to get that all squared away before traveling. I could go into detail about how bitter sweet it is for me to leave my friends behind, or the multiple good-bye parties I had (haha. I think the count was up to 3!!) I could go into all those details, but I think I may save those for another time.
I am sitting in Cali with my brother truly enjoying the time to be home before the big move. I am so glad that I got the chance to come to Cali before heading out to Zurich. There are so many unknowns that lay before me that have the potential of making me so nervous, but I am hoping to make the most of this new adventure.
I hope you have enjoyed my first post. Sorry for the length of this first one. I hope the ones to follow aren't as long! I hope to check back in next week when I have moved into temporary housing and finally am starting the journey in Switzerland....until then, sprechen Sie Bald (according to Google Translate, that means talk to you soon. Who know what it really means?! If you speak German, feel free to correct me!)
....but before we get there, why don't we take a look back and start at the beginning...
To be honest, this is something that I have always wanted to do. Work and live abroad. Ever since joining J&J 5 years ago. From the first day I started working (3 weeks after graduating from BU, mind you), this has been my ultimate professional and personal goal. To be honest, ask anyone that knows me, and they will tell you the same thing. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved traveling, but the idea of living somewhere for a longer period of time is what I always wanted. I was honestly willing to travel anywhere that work would take me. I didn't have any geographical limitations or hesitations.
So let's fast forward to February 2010. I was finally given the chance to do what I always wanted. I got the chance to apply for a product manager for our European team. Better yet, the position involved a relocation to Switzerland, Zurich specifically. I remember the day that I was presented with this opportunity. I had just landed in Las Vegas for a conference, and was feeling pretty good after that flight (let's just say that my flight into Vegas was a typical flight into Vegas, where no matter the time of day, people are enjoying adult beverages, and I just happened to be sitting next to a couple of guys who would not let me not join in our their fun!!) I remember checking into the hotel and hurrying over to the convention hall to meet my colleagues. As soon as I get there, my Director of Marketing needed to speak with me regarding some upcoming organizational changes. He proceeds to tell me that he has accepted a position managing our entire EMEA team for Spine. As I am processing the idea that I would lose someone in the building who I considered a mentor, he is telling me that he has the opportunity to create a new marketing team and he wanted to know if I would consider joining that team. Talk about mental overload!! I think I just nodded my head, but really couldn't come to terms with what he was talking about. The rest of the convention was really a blur to be honest. Luckily, I had the chance to go home to Cali after that trip and finally had a chance to process what was about to happen. I remember sitting with Mom and Dad and thinking that this is just too good of an opportunity to pass up and I have to jump on this right away. Here was the chance that I have been waiting for....
So now let's fast forward to the summer. By August, I had flown to our Leeds office to interview. I was offered the job, accepted the job, and was ready to start my new job. I should probably mention that I accepted the job without ever having been to Zurich or Zug....you could call me crazy?!! But as I mentioned, this is something that I always wanted, and I know I will love whatever this experience will bring. I won' take time to talk about how long the whole employment contract and those logistics took. Let's just say that my official start date isn't until 15 Nov....What I was given was the chance to spend the month of September in Europe doing the job earlier than my official start date. So 29 Aug I left for a 4-week whirlwind of doing the job that I would eventually be doing. I said good-bye to my counterparts in Raynham and began on my European journey.
Here are some images of the sites I saw while traveling around Europe.
11 hotels later, I came back at the end of the month to wrap up whatever I needed to here. But I honestly came back with the feeling that this is absolutely going to be the best thing that happened to me. I absolutely loved every minute of the month, no matter how grueling the travel schedule.
I have spent the last three weeks getting ready for the big move. This entailed getting cross-cultural training, making a trip to NYC to visit the Swiss Consulate to apply for my visa, selling my car, having my furniture being picked up, and finally making the last flight out of Beantown. The last three weeks have really been emotional and stressful for me. I could go on and on about the process of selling my car via cars.com or craigslist (if you ever want tips on going through that process, let me know!), or the emotions that came over me when I was sitting in an empty condo. I could go into details about how 2 weeks before the big move I lost my wallet and was running around to get that all squared away before traveling. I could go into detail about how bitter sweet it is for me to leave my friends behind, or the multiple good-bye parties I had (haha. I think the count was up to 3!!) I could go into all those details, but I think I may save those for another time.
I am sitting in Cali with my brother truly enjoying the time to be home before the big move. I am so glad that I got the chance to come to Cali before heading out to Zurich. There are so many unknowns that lay before me that have the potential of making me so nervous, but I am hoping to make the most of this new adventure.
I hope you have enjoyed my first post. Sorry for the length of this first one. I hope the ones to follow aren't as long! I hope to check back in next week when I have moved into temporary housing and finally am starting the journey in Switzerland....until then, sprechen Sie Bald (according to Google Translate, that means talk to you soon. Who know what it really means?! If you speak German, feel free to correct me!)
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