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!!
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