So the first two weeks of May were really dedicated to getting everything done before the big vacation. I think the first week of May was the first full week that I was here and not traveling. It is amazing how much work you can get done when you are in the office! But the biggest thing on my mind was getting all my furniture built so that i could properly welcome my family to zurich. well it definitely was a dash until the 11th hour, but FINALLY everything is set up!! no more boxes, all my furniture built, and everything finally unpacked and put where it belongs. honestly it feels so good to be settled. yeah, yeah. just took me 7 months. but it was well worth the wait. as promised, here are some photos of the apartment and the neighborhood. life is definitely good.
again, thanks to all that helped with putting everything together (multiple times). i even put Shilen to work when he got here! haha! and of course, a BIG thanks to mama patel, who helped me reorganize everything and make it perfect - like all moms do! so finally feel settled here. I'm in it for the long haul, and theres no turning back! good thing i love it here!
I was so excited to welcome Shilen to Zurich for the first time. he got here a week before mom and dad came, and i was glad to have the time to show him around and introduce him to my friends here. he got a good glimpse of my life here in zurich, and i was happy to share that with him. i was also glad that shilen was here over the weekend, so i could show him how i play hard....!! thanks to all those that met us out the weekend he was here. he had a great time and enjoyed meeting all of you guys. Finally a few days later, mom and dad came into zurich. it was awesome to show them around. there is something so special to show my parents and my brother my life here, and show them around. i think they felt much better to see everything first hand, rather than hearing about through our weekly skype calls. and for me, it was a surreal feeling to have my family here. i have studied abroad multiple times, but mom and dad never had a chance to make it out to any of those places. but im living here in zurich, and was so excited to share this with them.
so after a couple of days here in zurich, we made our way to spain for our family vacation. we really went all over, and it was an amazing time. what is seriously crazy is that ive been to spain multiple times for work since starting this job, but havent had a chance to see the sights. even crazier is that the last time that i was sightseeing in spain was 7 years ago when i was studying abroad in madrid. i couldnt believe how much i remembered!! 7 years ago, and i think i was the best tour guide my parents could have asked for! hahaha. i remembered everything like it was yesterday. and so glad to share that with my parents as well. they didnt have a chance to come out when i studied there. they always said that they wanted to visit; they thought they would visit on their own since shilen and i have already been, but it was good to show them around! we started the trip in barcelona. we definitely saw some of my favorite places - casa batllo, las ramblas, la sagrada familia, parque guell, la pedrera, plaza catalunya....etc. loved every minute of it. we then rented a car and made our way down to andalucia. we stoped in valencia on the way. beautiful coastal town. we could have definitely spent more time down there. we then finally made it to our destination - marbella. i had been to marbella before with the senora i lived with while in spain. beautiful weather, nice beaches, beautiful little town. we made day trips to rhonda, sevilla, granada. spent time in marbella and puerto banus. one of the highlights was to be able to spend my 28th birthday with the family. funny enough i had a desperate craving for some good indian food. i know what you are thinking....good indian food in spain?!?!?! well youre right - its not the run of the mill restaurant request in spain. but we got so lucky. the restaurant we found was owned by a south indian, and he was so great to us. he made our meal specially for us - special recipes and everything. the chef came out as well - grew up in gujurat, so the patel connection once again had its benefits hahaha! honestly, it was the perfect way to spend my bday...i was SO lucky that i could spend the birthday with my family and my friends. more on the big 2-8 celebration a bit later. so the vacation ended in madrid. now that was seriously a trip to have my parents in the city that i lived for 7 months. we spent 2 great days seeing the sites of madrid. it was awesome! all in all a great vacation! i realized that i love spain to vacation in. not sure if i would live there again, but i love visiting. and made it even better to spend the vaca with the fam. i posted all our pics on FB - check them out!
so the hardest part of the vacation obviously was saying good-bye to mom, dad, and shilen. what made it even harder was the fact that i was on the road the whole week after my trip. so i didnt get back into zurich until this past friday night. the week after my trip, i spent a day in madrid, amsterdam, and then salamanca.....what an exhausting week! the highlight?? getting to see my friend janeth again! i havent seen here since september. i cant believe we have been friends for 7 years - from when i was living and working in madrid. some of the best things in life are re-connecting with people. had a chance to catch up with my good friend vera after 10 years!!!! she was passing through zurich, and i was able to meet up with her for a coffee....so awesome!! i love that...and this is one of the best things about facebook. you always know where people are, so you can reconnect like this, and the world becomes smaller and smaller every day!
ok so yesterday, i had the chance to celebrate my 28th bday with my friends here in zurich. thanks to all those that came out and celebrated!! i had a great time! made me miss all my friends back home, and i have been remembering the past birthday escapades like the quarter century at rev rock, the rooftop party at cactus club, dancing the night away at saint.....all good times! i wish i could transport all my friends back home to zurich, and i wish i could have everyone in one place at one time. but nevertheless, i enjoyed the party so much! i was finally able to invite everyone over since my furniture has been all set up - it was kinda like a house-warming/bday celebration. and all you would be so proud.....i actually made sangria and guacamole! big hits of the evening. we then headed out to rimini - an outdoor bar, and then plaza for some good ol' dancing! had an awesome time and glad that i found a good group of friends here to celebrate it with. it really makes me feel so at home here.
all in all, may was an amazing month. from being able to see my family and celebrate my 28th with my friends here. its the perfect combination.
anyway, the summer is starting off with a bang! i am going to thessaloniki next weekend, so I will be sure to update once i get back! wait, did you just read that...im going to thessaloniki next weekend!!!!!! so excited. this is what living in europe is all about!
ok until next time! cheers!
