Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Bonjour mes amis! Today was my first day off (aside from going to French school) in about 11-ish days. Emilie went to the United States with Jean-Pierre, or "Papi," her godfather for a week so it has just been me, Guillaume, and the kids. She returned today around noon so things will go back to "normal." Its been a good week but I am happy to have my normal schedule back! Not only has Emilie returned with Jean-Pierre (who will leave for his home near Bordeaux tomorrow) but Guillaume and I  planned a special surprise for the Kowalski household! Do you want to know what it was? Do you?! Of course you do.

DISCLAIMER: If you couldn't tell by the title (ha....), this post is Christmas related. Yes, I know it is not even Thanksgiving yet, but this is France and we do not have Thanksgiving. So, if you have anything negative to say you can move along. :-)

So, this is Victoria's first Christmas and Auggie's first to truly comprehend what is going on, so we decided to go ahead and decorate for Christmas. Jean-Pierre is a very special person in Emilie's life and the children love him, so Guillaume wanted him to be part of the festivities. I think Emilie suspected something was going on because she found the Christmas cookies in the kitchen when she arrived. I didn't really hide them, but she doesn't eat a lot of sweets so it didn't occur to me that I might want to put them away. I made my Aunt Nell's traditional sugar cookies that my cousins and I would decorate every single year. She would make tons of cookies in multiple shapes and we would gather around the table for hours and decorate until either the cookies were all finished or we were exhausted and covered in frosting! Haha. We would listen to Christmas tunes and drink hot cocoa or coffee and we always tried to decorate the funniest or most creative cookies we could imagine. I made heart-shaped cookies into butts before it was cool.

Anyway, decorating the cookies with my cousins is a very special Christmas memory of mine so I wanted to share it with my Host Family. I actually baked all of the cookies on Tuesday night and yesterday afternoon I decorated them with Auggie. Of course, since he is only 2-years-old I did most of the work. HAH! Not that I minded... I mean, I turned on my spotify and made a cup of hot chocolate and imagined myself being back in Tiperlsville.

Regarde:

The little blue teddy bear was Auggie's specialty, and of course I roped Guillaume into decorating at least one cookie! 

This morning after I left for school and Guillaume took the children to Nounou's house he drove to a town near Geneva to pick up our Christmas tree... a real one! My family always had a fake one, which I have never minded, but I am very excited to have a real one. When everyone was finally home and settled this evening, Guillaume hauled in the tree, brought up the decorations, we served the cookies, and I made my Mum's wassail! What is wassail? I am glad you asked, because it is another special Christmas memory of mine.

Wassail (pronounced "vas heil") is a hot beverage that my Mum makes every year. My family loves it and we always anticipate that first delicious pot of the season. She makes it with apple juice, cranberry juice, a bit of orange juice, and a spice pack of red hots candy, cinnamon sticks, an orange slice, and whole cloves that are infused into the juice as it cooks. After is it brewed, adults can drink it with Spiced Rum (Sailor Jerry is the best choice, if you ask me) but kids drink it without. From what I have researched, the traditional Wassail dates back to medieval times and translates to, "for your health/to good health." While I think what we make is rather close to the original drink, the original had eggs in it which is SO not gonna happen with me. I am all about sticking with tradition but some things change for a good reason. Anyway, it was customary to go door-to-door offering a cup or drink of Wassail and sing:

"Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green,

and here we come a wandering so fair to be seen!

Love and joy come to you,

and to you, your wassail too,

and God bless you and send you a happy new year,

and God send you a happy new year."

My family never went door-to-door and sang (hahahaha) but we listened to the song a lot so that counts, right? I do remember going caroling a time or two with our church when I was very young but we never offered anyone Wassail. Haha! The Rum would have been a big "no-no" in the Southern Baptist church anyway. Regardless, it was a dry county so it wouldn't have mattered whether it was to their approval or not. Not to get off topic, but I find it best to include details such as these because here in France there is no such thing as a "dry" area. You can drink anywhere except for in a vehicle, of course. French drivers already drive like they're drunk so I cannot imagine what they would be like if they were buzzed. Lord, help us all! You can even buy liquor in the grocery store here! When I moved to Florida I remember being surprised/excited that you could buy beer AND wine in grocery stores, but you still had to go to the Liquor store for the hard stuff. Not here. As I am sure you know, the Europeans have a very different view of alcohol than the Americans, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised to see the Vodka next the cereal, or 17-year-olds drinking beer while walking home from school. Anyway, enough about booze.

I made the Wassail and even though Guillaume does not like cinnamon I think he liked it best. Emilie liked it as well but she is not used to "hot alcohol," as she put it. Haha! For me, the instant the scent started wafting through the kitchen I had a brief surge of homesickness. Not in a bad way, but Christmas with my family is one of my most beloved memories so I think no matter how old I get or where I go I will always want to be in my parents kitchen waiting for the Wassail to be ready, listening to Nat King Cole, hanging stockings, and making "Haystacks" with Mum.

So, lets return to the evening! The tree, my first real tree was probably more exciting for me than anyone else. I was so excited when Guillaume lugged it up the stairs, dropping pine needles everywhere! They laughed at my "child-like" joy but I don't care. It's awesome!

I was just waiting for Guillaume to clip the strings and branches fly out and bust the windows like in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! Luckily, that didn't happen.

AIN'T IT PURTY?!! 

The minute we started hanging the decorations my mind raced back to 1995 when my little brother, Andy, was but a wee nugget and would throw the balls on the ground just to watch them shatter. We had to hang them out of his reach or else we wouldn't have had any left! Auggie was not violent with the decorations, but instead preferred to remove them and put them on the couch immediately after we hung them on the branches. Haha! 

Jean-Pierre ("Papi") helping Auggie: 

Mommy and son 

After it was all over and Auggie was in bed with Papi reading him a story, Guillaume, Emilie and I cleaned up the dishes and I could tell they weren't very happy. Guillaume was rather disappointed in the outcome of the night. I have told many stories about the memories I have with my family at Christmas and I think they want to have the same type of memories with their children, which is wonderful, but Jean-Pierre was rather disengaged in the festivities which hurt both of their feelings. Victoria is only 6 months old and Auggie is only two, so this is just the beginning and I think they are off to a great start, which I explained to them. I don't know anything about Guillaume's relationship with his parents, but Emilie never knew hers so I know it is important to her to create memories that they will always cherish. While the evening may not have gone the way they would have liked, I think they are starting some great traditions that they can build on for years to come. They are wonderful parents that do so much for Auggie and Victoria! It is really special for me to be here to experience this time with them, share stories and traditions, and ultimately be part of the children's growth. 

Bisous,

Alli

The Bucket List

A few days ago my Facebook account had a glitch and thought I was dead. While it was funny (I think) it made me think about what I would want people to say about it me if I were actually dead. A little morbid, I know, but we all have to go sometime so its worth a thought or two. I imagine that most of us "picture" our deaths at an old age, but truthfully we never know when it will happen. What do you want to leave behind? If you were to die today what do you think people would say about you? Would they say you were always smiling and happy or always giving and helping others? Would they say you were smart and accomplished? Would they say you were talented and hard-working? Think about it. I am not saying to think about your death but rather about what you can do, well, before it's too late. Haha. There are many things I would want people to say about me but unfortunately, I have not always done things that would prompt people to say them. I am not always the nicest person you will ever meet. I have a good heart but sometimes my words and actions do not display this. Lucky for me, my Facebook was mistaken and I am still alive! Therefore, I can still make the changes that I want to make and do the things I want to do, one day at a time before I "kick the bucket."

Speaking of buckets, a few years ago I started my first bucket list. It was very short and sweet because I really didn't know what I wanted. Some of the traditional things you might find on other peoples' bucket lists, like traveling the world, seemed a little far fetched but look at me now! Living in Europe! I never thought something like this would happen to me. So, this summer I updated my bucket list with a lot more conviction than when I started. Some of the things I have already done so I have put a little cross by them. Have a look and feel free to be inspired! Also, I would love to hear if you have any of the same things on your list or some suggestions for mine!

Places I want to go: (in no particular order)

-Greece
-Austria
-Italy X
-Ireland
-Scotland
-Germany
-England
-France X
-Switzerland X
-Egypt
-St. Petersburg, Russia
-Morocco
-Spain
-Brazil
-Thailand
-Japan
-Fiji
-New Zealand

Things I want to eat or drink:

-Gelato in Italy X
-Guinness in Dublin
-Fried grasshoppers X (believe it or not, I have always wanted to try these! I have wanted to since I was little and saw the I Love Lucy episode where Ricky and Fred eat them in Japan.)
-Fondue in Switzerland X
-Pizza in Italy X
-Hot Sake in Japan
-Crepes in France X



Things I want to do:

-Swim in the dead sea
-Ride a Camel
-Ride an Elephant
-Climb the Eiffel Tower
-Climb the Matterhorn (that one is probably a little too far fetched...hahaha)
-Learn French (working on it!)
-Learn German
-Learn to Ski

Of course, I will add more things to the list over time but I think I have a good flow so far!
I would love to know what you think. In the meantime, back to my coffee.

Bisous,
Alli

Un Jour Avec Moi

     Bonjour, mes amis! I just put Auggie down for a nap, I am curled up on the couch with some lait de chocolat, and it is snowing outside. After I finish my warm beverage and this blog post I will iron some of the baby clothes, make compote, and decide on what to prepare for dinner. It is a cozy day.

     The other night I purchased a book on my kindle about a girl who was an Au Pair in the Loire Valley in the late 1970s. It is a true story and its hard to put the book down! It made me realize that I need to keep better track of my daily life and not just the days when I visit a new place or do something out of the ordinary. Maybe someday I will write a book of my own (haha), so I need to remember as much as possible about this adventure. So, I thought I would write a post telling you all about my daily life.

     In general, on Mondays I work from 7am-4:30pm. I give the kids their bottles for breakfast, we watch a few cartoons, I get them dressed, then we pile into my Ford and take Vicki to Nounou for the day. When Auggie and I come back home we do a number of activities such as coloring, play dough, puzzles, etc. I prepare his lunch, which is usually a meat, a carb, and veggies, and he has a yogurt for dessert. After lunch we read a story and then he takes a nap. While he is napping I usually iron and tidy up from play time, and then I usually have time to read, study my french, or update my blog. Depending on how long he naps and if the weather is decent, we sometimes take a walk up to the chateau or to the stables to watch the jumping students train. Guillaume is usually home between 4-4:15 and I am free to do whatever I choose. I usually help prepare dinner around 6 because Emily is usually home by 7.

     On Tuesdays, I have French class in Annemasse until noon, and then I come home and have lunch with Guillaume and Auggie, and as Guillaume leaves for work I read Auggie a story and then he takes a nap. Like today, I usually have some down time and then do some light chores around the house. Last week I peeled a HUGE bag of apples from Nounou's tree and made apple sauce. Today, as I stated above, I will make compote, which is a variety of fruits (usually apples, pears, and banana) that are cooked and mashed in the Thermomixer and I freeze them for Auggie to have as a snack after nap time. I work until 6:30pm on Tuesdays so I usually start bath time for the kids around 5 and go ahead and get dinner started.

     Wednesday is my favorite day with the kids! The morning starts the same as Monday, but after we drop Vicki at Nounou, Auggie and I go to Bonneville for his baby music class. He loves music class. Afterwards we have lunch and then I take him up to the chateau for baby gym class, which he also loves. We are done with classes and home by 2pm and I put him down for a nap. I am usually free after that because he sleeps until Guillaume comes home. I always help with dinner on Wednesday because Emilie has yoga class after work and isn't home until around 8pm. Lately, Guillaume has had Volley games to attend so I put the kids to bed by myself.

     On Thursdays I have French class until noon and then I am free for the rest of the day. I usually run errands, clean my room, or take a nap. Haha. On Friday mornings I only work from 7-9am to get the kids fed and ready and I take Vicki to Nounou and Auggie to day care, however, this Friday I will work until 2pm because it is a bank holiday so Nounou is off and daycare is closed. I have the weekends off except some Saturday mornings when I take Auggie to the indoor pool in Annemasse. Its not my favorite activity because the chemicals really bother my skin and sinuses, but I guess we all have things we don't like about out job.

     Some days can feel very mundane and tiresome, but I do my best to create new, fun activities to brighten the environment. For example, I try to find recipes that would be fun and "easy" to let Auggie help me with, such as dog cookies or pretzels. I also try to come up with learning games for Auggie to teach him numbers, colors, and of course, letters! His English is getting much better but he can be rather stubborn about it sometimes so I try to make it fun. Yesterday I started teaching him to make his own bed and pick up his own mess/toys. We have been working on potty training for a couple of months now and he is finally progressing, but I think part of that is because he gets un bonbon for every poop on the potty. Haha!

     So, there you have it. My daily life as of late. Christmas is quickly approached and I cannot wait! I am already planning gifts and recipes and sneaking in some holiday tunes on my spotify when no one is around to judge. Haha. I plan to enjoy European Christmas to the fullest extent. Starting...now.

Until next time,
Alli

Autumn in the Alpes

It is finally fall: my favorite time of year! Well, it was my favorite time of year. Unfortunately, I feel that I must report the sad fact that autumn is much less festive here in Europe. It is still beautiful, but it doesn't have the same feeling as autumn in the States. Growing up in Mississippi meant long, hot, sticky summers so as soon as there was the slightest drop in temperature it was time to break out the scarves and cinnamon scented candles. Not only that, but autumn marks the beginning of a lengthy holiday season. It all starts with Back to School excitement, Labor Day weekend, then everyone gets in the Halloween spirit, then we have Thanksgiving, then on to Christmas. It's simply an exciting time of the year!

Not so much here in Europe, specifically France and Switzerland. The summers here are much shorter than in the southern states and therefore everyone is sad to see them go. Instead of getting pumped for hats and boots they mourn the loss of their booty shorts and bikinis. I do not share in this sentiment and never will. I have seen almost no fall decorations in stores or in people's homes. Maybe this is because they don't really celebrate Halloween and of course, they don't have a Thanksgiving holiday here. I suppose I can do without Thanksgiving because I prepared myself before I ever came, but no Halloween?! It's been a struggle.

To me, autumn is the most magical time of year, next to Christmas, of course! I have yet to find one single fall scented candle. WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?! I understand that not everyone is into #pumpkineverything but I didn't realize it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Oh wait, there is no hay, even though this is the land of cows. You'd think there might be one hayride or pumpkin patch... something? Nope. I even see people in horse drawn carriages in my village and are they in the fall spirit? Of course not.

Luckily, mother nature understands that it is fall. In Mississippi, it always seemed to take FOREVER for the weather to cool down but we do not have that problem here. I am already scraping ice off of my car windshield some mornings. I am fine with that. The leaves on the trees are golden, red, and orange, and the fog rising off of the mountains in the mornings is a gorgeous sight to behold. I can only imagine (and imagine, I must) what it would look like around here if people were in the Autumn-Loving-Spirit, as I strongly believe they should be!

Oh well. Just because the rest of France doesn't know how to enjoy this time of year doesn't mean I can't! I may be lacking in scents and decorations but I can still do some fall baking.

A few weeks ago I decided to make some Pumpkin Maple bread! It turned out great, but finding the ingredients was a bit of a challenge. Canned Pumpkin? Forget about it. You gotta buy a pumpkin and prepare it like they did in the olden days. Honestly, it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be but in the end it tasted no different than good ole canned pumpkin. Oh, and brown sugar? I don't think the French really understand what that is. Their idea of brown sugar is like rock crystals that are brown. Okay... I eventually found what I was looking for but it took a long time and it was called something weird that I can't even remember.

Luckily, the recipe did not disappoint! It was quite a hit!

I ended up having some leftover pumpkin and decided to make some Pumpkin Spice doggy biscuits for Elvis and Izzy, which were also a hit! 

I also made a Roasted Apple Pumpkin soup last week that turned out really well, but I didn't get a picture. Forgive me. 

Until next time, my faithful readers! Happy Autumn! 

-Alli

A Day in Annecy

Bonjour, mes fideles lecteurs! I randomly received this week off of work so I am staying in Zurich with Toby. We are on holiday from school and my host mum is on a business trip in Italy, so Guillaume took the kids to visit family in the north of France and I came here to Switzerland. Therefore, I have some time to give you guys a little update on life in Le Pays du Fromage! Aka, the land of cheese. Between living in France and frequently visiting Switzerland I am constantly surrounded by the world's best cheeses and I love every minute of it.

A couple of weekends ago Toby came to France to visit me and we spent the day in Annecy, which is one of the most beautiful places I have been so far! It is still in the Rhone-Aples and about 30 minutes from Contamine.

Looks like a dream come true, doesn't it? 

We spent the day wandering around the town trying on hats, drinking espresso, and of course, eating cheese! 

This, my friends, is a traditional dish known as "Tartiflette." Hot, creamy cheese and potatoes. Heavenly. If you're ever in France or Switzerland it is a must try! Write that down because you'll want to remember. 

Isn't he cute? Sippin' his espresso like he is not a big deal. <3 

It was a beautiful day and a bit crowded, but not as crowded as some places might be. Its a bit of a "hidden gem" for France. Your average tourist will go to places such as Paris, Bordeaux or Chamonix, not necessarily Annecy even though there is so much to see and do. I highly recommend putting it on your list of places to visit. You won't be disappointed. There are crepes around every corner, street musicians. shopping, cafes, a castle, and a beautiful river. Its the perfect place for a romantic weekend excursion. 

It was a very leisurely day and we didn't do anything "major," just enjoyed ourselves. However, I did give the entire street a little laugh at one point. We were walking and talking and I noticed that Toby was not beside me. I turned to my right and saw no Toby. I turned to my left and while there was no Toby there was a Mime literally an inch from my face! I screamed so loud that everyone stopped and started. The Mime was quite embarrassed and started bowing and backing away and the everyone busted out laughed, including Toby who was several feet away and had been waiting to see how long the Mime could follow me until I noticed. Apparently the look on my face was priceless, but I have to say I think the look on the Mime's face was probably better because he wasn't expecting such a "loud" reaction. Ha! He even said, "pardon" which is totally breaking the rules of mime. He was probably afraid that I was about to beat the crap out of him. 

It was a great day and as I stated above, put it on your list of places to visit!

French School

Tomorrow morning will mark the completion of my first two weeks of French school! I attend Greta-Lac l'ecole in Annemasse, which is about 20  minutes from where I live. So far, it is going well but it is much harder than the French courses I took at university! I have class every Tuesday and Thursday from 8am - noon with only a 15 break halfway through the morning.

What is it like? Well, the first day was so overwhelming! If you know anything about me then you know that I like to be early for everything so I left an hour before class would start. Finding parking is NEVER easy here so I wanted to make sure that I had ample time to park, find the right building, etc. It felt like the first day of college all over again, except nothing was in English and the parking is even worse than on a USA college campus. Imagine that. Finding parking here, and in Switzerland, is worse than finding parking in downtown Miami. I hate it. Luckily, I have gotten MUCH better at driving my new car so that relieves at least some stress. Anyway, I had no trouble finding a parking spot even though it was almost in a ditch, and I easily found the correct building. Allez moi!

When I entered the building there were tons of other students waiting and soon after we were all gathered in a large classroom together in front of 6 professors. They introduced the professors and then called our names to join the professor teaching our level. I was assigned to Marie-Agnes, a sweet middle-aged lady from Bretagne. After we were assigned to our professor we were bustled to our classrooms to begin class. My class had about 10 students on the first day and I was the only American, and I say "was" because since then more students have been added to our class who were in higher levels and found it too difficult so they moved down. Anyway, we immediately dove into the course which is 100% in French. We are not allowed to speak English at all in the class. Not even to one another on our break. We have to go outside if we wish to speak in a language other than French.

When I took French at university my teachers used English to help explain things to us, but they do not do that here. Part of the reason is because we will learn faster if we have to work harder, and we all come from different countries so we are not all native to the same language. If our professor used English to help explain things it would't help someone whose native is Spanish or Italian and vice versa. We have students from Brazil, Spain, Italy, Taiwan, Portugal, Canada, etc. It is a very diverse class but we all have two things in common: 1) None of us are native French speakers, and 2) we are all Au Pairs!! Yes, that's right, its a school full of Au Pairs! There are a few exceptions but about 98% of the students are au pairs from around the world who have come to France or even Geneva, Switzerland. Most of us, however, are in the Rhone-Alps, France. Greta-Lac is the only language school for many, many miles and since it is a requirement to attend French School for our visas, some of the students drive an hour or so so get to school. If they don't drive they have to take a bus or train and in the rural areas this means it will take them even longer to get to school. I feel sorry for those students, and especially the ones who were promised that they would be taught how to drive a manual car and their host families backed out on the deal. There is one girl in particular who I feel very sorry for because her family does not seem very nice and with them going back on teaching her how to drive has put her in a tough spot. I think I have learned enough that I could certainly help her.

The hardest thing about the class (aside from NO English) is that our professor does very little writing on the board for us. Writing helps me so much and when she talks for 15 minutes without writing anything sometimes I start to get a headache. Haha! Overall, I like the school and every day gets a little easier. We are a smallish class, most everyone is as nervous as I am, and our professor is very kind. I'll be fluent before you know it! HA!

The Entitled Millennials

The entitled millennials. As much as I hate to admit it, it is so true.  Should I even be writing about this? I mean, after all, I am a millennial. I think yes, because who better to tell the truth than someone who is right in the middle of the situation at hand?

Before I go any further let me just say that much of our sense of entitlement  is not entirely our fault. Our parents and grandparents worked hard to be able to give us everything that we have. They followed the American Dream so that we could have things they never could and so that we would have ample opportunities to pursue our careers. Unfortunately, the "American dream" has started to blow up in our face, but we are the Special Snowflakes so we shouldn't have to deal with this, right? Mommy and Daddy told you in high school and college that your "job" was just to get good grades, right? Your Mommy probably has all of your You're a Winner Because You Participated trophies above the mantel and you know she saved all of your A's for effort. Therefore, you don't really know how to deal with the unforeseen complications of what it really means to be an adult. While our parents worked hard to provide a good life for us, in many ways it was easier for them than it is for us. Things were much more simple. For one thing, when they were getting started in life they didn't have cell phone bills. HAHA! On top of that it actually meant something to have a college degree. If you went to University you were fairly well set up to find a good full-time job with benefits. This is no longer the case. We all know this.

So, here is my point: life is still hard, if not harder than it was for our parents, but because we grew up so entitled we do not understand the work it takes to continue to have what we have always had. We thought it would be as easy as doing our home work after school every evening. The homework we got praise for doing even though it was required and everyone else had to do it too. Good job! Go you!

How to spot the entitled millennial behavior:

1) You're tired of adulting.
2) You just want to be a mermaid.
3) You need 12 shots of espresso before you can speak to anyone.
4) You prefer to "netflix n chill" rather than be forced to socialize.
5) You understand that having to wake up before noon is a terrible injustice.
6) You're way more intelligent and competent than your boss.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? While the above examples may not describe you, personally, you know that is describes a large percentage of your Facebook friends. If they aren't posting their smart-ass humor on their wall you can certainly find it all over their Pinterest account. For millennials, it seems to be funny to be a lazy jerk who simply wants to escape any or all adult responsibilities. Millennials are the only ones who get to "check out" of the real world to go rest and find out who they really are. A millennial can totally walk away from from all responsibility and claim it is for their mental health and no one bats an eye. That it what I call entitled. Think about it. Our grandparents did not get to mentally check-out of WWII. Those who fought in Vietnam did not get to come home and stop "adulting." Many people who struggle from abuse or depression still have to keep their jobs and pay their bills even though it would be really nice to just STOP and go take a yoga class or backpack around the country for some peace and self-exploration. Millennials gripe and complain about everything without stopping to think, "hey, maybe if I dial back on the Starbucks spending or video games, I could use that time and money to create better opportunities for myself."

Unfortunately, I am guilty of having millennial entitlement just like everyone else, but I am learning that this attitude is not that of someone with goals such as mine, and I must change it. While I really hate the word, "adulting" I have to admit that sometimes I sit back and think, "wow, this really is harder than I thought it would be." I am not entirely sure what I expected, but I didn't expect it to be like this.

Taking a step back, lets talk about our college degrees. We are the first generation where getting a college degree is the next expected step for us. For our parents, and especially our grandparents, getting a college degree was a huge deal! Unlike many of my friends, both of my parents have degrees and got good jobs immediately after graduation. Somehow, I expected the same thing to happen to me. However, times have changed. Essentially everyone goes to college now. So, now we are faced with new problems that our parents did not face such as, "my degree is in Theatre and really doesn't count for much." Yeah, that one is all me. I chose my field of study because I loved it and I had this dumb idea where I thought if I did what I loved everything would eventually work itself out. I am not saying you shouldn't do what you love, but my millennial entitlement caused me to forget that sometimes you still have to do things you don't like in order to be successful... or you know, just pay the bills! I do not think my degree is completely useless and I certainly learned a lot of valuable information through my courses, but I am not exactly set up for the path I now wish to take. Not on paper, anyway. To be honest, I no longer have a great love for theatre. I will always love it to a certain extent, but not enough to pursue a career and unfortunately, I discovered these feelings a little too late. I am not the only one. Even those who don't feel regret towards their degree of choice find that their careers are not fulfilling, if they've even landed a job in their field to begin with. But because of our millennial entitlement we whine about it instead of continuing to work towards our goals.

Of course, if your goals are entirely centered around your career then that could possibly be part of the problem. There is a balance between our careers and the rest of our lives and I find that us millennials have a hard time maintaining that balance. It's all or nothing, and because of our entitlement a lot us opt for the free-spirited lifestyle of never settling down, never saving money, and forgetting that we are getting older. It takes a lot of money to survive and it takes even more to live as comfortably as you always thought you would, even if your idea of living comfortably simply meant owning a home, staying debt free, and having a young 'un or two. Times have changed, and we must change with the times.

We line up for the new iPhone every year and mark our calendars for PSL season. We spend hours on social media blabbing about everything from bad traffic and our tasty lunch to hollywood couple drama and Donald Trump's orange skin. We spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on gym memberships, new iPads and laptops, FitBits (because we are so lazy we need our watch to remind us how little we get off our butt and move), and every other new trinket that comes around the corner. This is why "adulting" is so hard and you "just want to be a mermaid." Okay, #shelltits (thanks for that one, Iliza Schlesinger). Maybe if you spent a fraction of the time that you spend whining on actually being an adult it might not feel so miserable.

I have to admit that I am guilty of being the girl that runs to Starbucks for a PSL the minute a dead leaf hits the ground, and I am, in fact, typing this on my beloved MacBook Air with my iPhone 6 sitting next to me. All while wearing my cute plum colored FitBit HR. I am guilty. I am not pointing fingers without realizing that I am in the same boat as the rest of you. So, what are you going to do? In order to get your college degree you took out loans and now you're swimming in debt and you've barely gotten started in life. Its not fair, no, but its how things are. Thanks, Baby Boomers.

Let me break it down a little more. In the early 1900s women fought hard for the right to vote. It was kind of a big deal.  In 1964 we had the Civil Right Act which prohibited the segregation of black and white people in schools. These were huge changes for the American people but do you think they were easy? I think not. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go when it comes to racism, equality, etc.  However, if we sit back and whine about how hard it is to be an adult then we have nowhere to go except backwards. Not to be too dark but the Baby Boomers will start dying off before too long and that leaves us in charge. How are you going to feel about being an adult then? Look at it this way, America is the country of entrepreneurs. The go-getters, the business builders, the fighters. We have come a long way from the founding of the country. We demolished slavery (at least, legally), women can own land and vote, and gay marriage is finally legally. Regardless of your personal views on any of these issues we fought to make changes that were to benefit the people of our country and it doesn't stop now. There is still much work to be done. For you, your children, and your children's children. Can you imagine what it would be like if our parents said, "I'm tired of adulting" and just sat back and did nothing?

I believe that our sense of entitlement has blinded us from realizing how hard we have to work to continue to grow and flourish. 

When in Rome....


Two weeks ago I was in Rome, Italy and it was wonderful. Emilie, Guillaume, and I all agreed that it was the most magnificent city we have ever seen. Literally. Even if you're not a history lover there is no way you could not fall in love with Rome!

I was able to take this delightful weekend adventure because Emilie was invited to a party of a co-worker... at a castle on the outskirts of Rome. Talk about awesome. It was an all-expenses-paid and work-free family trip for me! Again, talk about awesome. The only "work" I had to do was stay at our apartment in the city center on the night of the party. In the beginning, I was going to join Emilie and Guillaume for the party but we decided that the kids should stay and go to bed early and that I would stay with them, of course. So, it wasn't actually work but I didn't go to the party. However, I had pizza and wine from the little pizzeria below our apartment and watched Netflix in my bed. I was totally fine, I promise.

So, our apartment: we rented a little place above a pizzeria in the center of Rome. It was SO CUTE.

It had two bedrooms, a tiny "living room," bathroom, kitchen, and study/entryway. As I said, it was above a pizzeria so it was a bit noisy at night but that can hardly be avoided in Rome. The streets come alive at night and many of the apartments are nestled in these busy streets above bars, restaurants, shops, etc. 

We were only there for Friday night - Sunday night so we could not possibly see and do everything that we wanted, so to avoid the stress I spoke of in my last post (not experiencing the adventure fully due to a short amount of time) we mostly wandered around the city to see what we would run into. We did not try to do anything specific because of the short amount of time and the fact that we had a 2-year-old and 4-month-old with us. They can get cranky at any moment. Overall, the kids actually did pretty well. It was a bit warmer than I would have liked, and I would love to spend more time there but it was a wonderful weekend.

We saw some beautiful sites including:

Piazza Navona

The Colosseum: 

The Trevi Fountain:

The tradition with the Trevi Fountain is the stand with your back facing the water and toss a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder and it will ensure your return to Rome! I tossed a coin for a sweet friend of mine who is actually from Italy but currently living in the states. 

For you coffee lovers: the espresso is "delizioso!" The one pictured is actually a lungo, believe it or not. I liked to call it, "tiny mouse coffee." You can order an "American coffee" but its still going to be pretty small. Haha. 

Guillaume got Augustin to give me a kiss in front of the fountain! Isn't he sweet? He took his hat off and everything. Such a little gentleman. 

View from our window. 

I took a lot of pictures which I have uploaded to my Facebook but there are far too many to use here. Unfortunately, none of the pictures do the city justice. However, the city is probably much like you imagine: tiny roads with tons of people "flying" around on vespas, everyone is smoking cigarettes and drinking espresso, the smell of pizza and pasta wafting around every corner, and yes, it's pretty dirty. If you wear sandals your feet will be black by the end of the day.

 I was worried about pick-pockets but luckily did not encounter any. However, I did see a man running with his arms full of tapestries that he had stolen from a street vendor. A small part of me wanted to chase after him but I refrained. The only mishap we had was that Emilie accidentally broke the key of our apartment in the lock of the door the led out to the street! After about an hour Guillaume and I were able to dig it out with some knives. No big deal. Haha. 

Anyway, if you read my last post you may be wondering about how I said I didn't like traveling for short amounts of time and then suddenly I go to Rome for only three days. Well, while I still feel the way I did a few weeks ago (haha) but I feel that I should remind you that my flight to Rome was only an hour. I have driven much further for shorter amounts of time back in the states. Also, flights here can be crazy cheap if you look in the right place.  I can literally fly to Morocco and back for 50 euros!  Of course, I didn't have to pay for this flight but if I want to go back for another weekend it will be very feasible concerning finances. If you're coming from the States and have to fly 10+ hours and fork out a $2k, then yes, stay for a few weeks. Heck, stay for a month! There is something fantastic around every corner! 

While I feel that this post is short and choppy, I have things to do and must bring it to a close. Y'all stop by again soon! I'll update again shorty. 

Finding Adventure

When I was growing up I never thought much about traveling. In fact, when I did think about it I was not very interested in the idea. Now, here I am, living in France! I never would have believed that I would want to do this. Many (if not all) of my family and friends always talked about seeing the world. They talked about all of the adventures they wanted to have when they were older. Some of them have had some great adventures. My sister has been to England, Scotland, and Greece. Some of my cousins have been to Ireland, England, etc. Mostly English speaking countries, I believe. However, I could be wrong! I was never envious of their travels. I was not interested, or at least I didn't realize I was.

When I was growing up my family took a vacation every fall. We went to Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, etc. Basically, anywhere with mountains and where we could go hiking! My mum loved hiking! We would complain a lot but we loved it. I guess this is why I love mountains so much. As long as I am in/near the mountains I am fairly content.

Above:

 My family in CO, 1999. My dad was there too, but he was the one taking the picture! 

I always loved our family vacations. We would leave at 4am while it was still dark, chilly, and dew on the ground. We piled in our minivan with our pillows, blankets, headphones, cassette players or portable CD players. We were always too excited to go back to sleep. Sounds fun, right? It was until someone farted, slapped you, or put their stuff on "your land." Then it was a fine for the "Gripe Jar." Basically, we all had a designated seat in the van and it was OUR spot. We were a bunch of little Sheldon Coopers. If we argued or pestered one another we risked putting a quarter in the Gripe Jar. No one wanted to lose their money, but it was glorious when someone else did because the person with the best behavior won the money at the end! The worse someone else behaved the more money you made. What a great system. 

Anyway, enough about that. I liked traveling, I suppose, but I never thought I had any desire to leave my own country. Why would I do that? America has everything! Its a huge country filled with opportunity and freedom! Ha. What a precious thought. Of course, one can visit another country without living there, right? I mean, people do it all of the time. Everyday. However, for me, this always seemed a bit useless. I got anxiety at the thought of being in England or France for only a week or two. I could not possibly see and learn everything I wanted in that short amount of time. A short amount of time is better than none, but that it simply not how I operate. I never have. I had three weeks of vacation in Switzerland when I arrived here in Europe and honestly its all a blur! I was so overwhelmed and excited that I couldn't take it in properly. I am sure some of you can relate to that feeling when you travel. I like to experience things as fully and deeply as possible. Every sip of rich, red wine. Every taste of dark, bold coffee. The sensational taste and smell of a well-aged scotch. The cold "tickle" of snow flakes falling. The bright glow of a full moon. The heavenly scent of a burning candle. The warmth from a roaring fire. You get my point? Okay, good, because I am done being a cheesy weirdo. Forgive me, I am but a lowly artist. 

It was not until I was around twenty years old and I moved to Jackson, MS that the desire to experience more of the world was laid on my heart. As many of you may know, I have always loved history and been particularly interested in Russian history. When I moved to Jackson I became friends with several students from Russia, and also came to know a wonderful woman in the theatre world who had recently adopted a little girl from Russia. I thought I would burst from the desire to go there! I ended up having two opportunities to go but both fell apart mostly due to funds. Over the next few years my desire burned a little less but it was still there. Unfortunately, I had a lot of other things to deal with before I could focus on travel. 

As I think back on my desires and actions from most of my life, but particularly since college, I can see that they have all been telling me something. I was very unsettled and always searching. I moved from place to place and idea to idea. I changed drastically every few months. The things that brought me joy were not the things I could find so easily. I turned down three opportunities to get married, one with an actual ring involved. I walked away from each because they were not right for me and I knew I would be unhappy, but there was something else... something extra tugging at my thoughts and my heart. Something was telling me that I was supposed to be somewhere special or do something special and if I settled too quickly I would miss it. I was right. 

In 2014, when I started at UWF to finish my BA I started to truly find myself. I was in a comfortable enough place to let myself be honest with myself and what was actually happening in my life. It was not easy and I had to make some huge changes but I made it happen. It was during this time that I could see an open door. I didn't know where it led but I think that is because I could choose. It could have led anywhere and it was up to me to decide. In 2015, when graduation from UWF was finally approaching, I knew it was time to lay out my next steps. So, I did. I sat down and thought about what I wanted most in the world and what would make me truly happy. The only thing that came to mind was leaving the country. I had no idea where I wanted to go but I knew I wanted to go. I wanted to find a culture that better suited my personality and where I could see more of the beautiful world that I had only ever seen in photographs. It was during this time that I met my current boyfriend, Toby, and all of his friends from around the world who were living in the same city as us. Everything began to unfold and fit together. I made friends with people from Italy, France, Netherlands, Sweden, etc. I was flooded with support and encouragement. I knew I was on the right path. There was no doubt in my mind that I needed to make it happen. It was not easy, but so worth it. 

To those of you who (possibly) wish to follow in my footsteps: be careful. I do not say this because I am unhappy. I am immensely happy. I haven't had the first thought of regret or even been homesick. However, I can see where many people might end up being unhappy. While France suits me perfectly, it is not perfect. You cannot leave your own country expecting perfection elsewhere. I am sure you know this. My point is this: if you truly think I am "lucky" to be here or you feel truly jealous then do it yourself. Not so easily done? You're right! Its not. In fact, it is really, really hard! Depending on where you are in life it may even be harder for you than it was for me. However, I am a firm believer in the old saying, "where there is a will, there is a way." I have had to have a lot of will to get my way... and it didn't stop once I got here! My stamped Visa was only the beginning. 

From getting my first pat-down in the airport for forgetting a pack of gum in my back pocket, learning to drive manual transmission on tiny French mountain roads, finding out I have to have an X-ray to check for tobacco disease (weird rule because of people from Asia and Africa), hitting a tree because I couldn't stop my damn car in time, not being able to contact anyone when away from wifi, my debit card expiring before I had my new one and technically being penniless, discovering that I am allergic to "grocery store bread," and the many language barriers I face everyday, it has not been easy.  However, I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I love every minute of this adventure. Find your adventure because it will be the the greatest thing to ever happen to you, no matter how hard it may be. 

Aperitif and Driving Lessons

Bonjour et joyeux Vendredi!

Two nights ago I experienced my very first "aperitif." Translated literally it is, "appetizer." In France, one of their many fabulous customs is joining friends or neighbors for aperitif in the evening. It is not something one does everyday, but if you have a dinner party or simply wish to visit without dinner you can host an aperitif. A traditional aperitif includes but is not limited to snacks such as nuts, olives, cheese, etc. Traditional beverages for aperitif are things such as champagne, vermouth, lillet, etc. Basically, appetizers and cocktails! This practice is a bit more common here than in the States, or at least where I am from in the States.

I joined my Host Family for aperitif with our neighbors on Wednesday evening. They are an older couple who live just over the fence and they wanted to meet me and visit with the children. We had a very pleasant evening and I was able to practice my French! Like many older French folk, they don't speak English. My French is far from fluent so communication was a bit spotty, but it was fun. They served me my first real champagne. By real I mean that there is actually only ONE champagne that is actually champagne and the rest is simply sparkling wine. I was completely unaware of this before moving to France. How do you know if it is real champagne? Simple. If it comes from the region of Champagne, France then it is champagne. The rest is all sparkling wine. Who knew?! Not me. You learn something new every day, and sometimes education tastes tres magnifique!

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On Wednesday afternoon I had my first driving lesson for my manual car.

My host family gave* me a Ford Focus but unfortunately, it is a manual car! Yikes. I have NEVER driven one of those! Okay, I take that back. I tried several years ago when my ex-boyfriend made me try to drive his. He loved his car more than anything else so my attempt was short and sweet. I wasn't about to risk scratching that thing. However, this time I don't have an option. I have to drive while I am here and like 90% of the vehicles in Europe are manual. Great. Just great. My Host Family bought a new car so that I would have my own so I cannot really complain. While I am extremely grateful, I am terrified. Time to face more fears, I guess!

My first lesson was not so terrible but it wasn't good either. The whole three-peddle thing is an entirely new concept for me. Who came up with this crap, anyway? I had quite a few scares and screams but I made it. 

You may be wondering, "why is it so hard for you? Its really simple." Yes, in a way, its not really so bad... when you are on FLAT ground. We live in the Alps... nothing is flat. Also, if you have never driven in Europe you may not know that the roads are really small! Oh, and French driver's are CRAZY. They don't care that I am stalling and rolling backwards. And screaming. And clearly have no idea what I am doing. Zut alors! I was okay if I could keep going but stopping for traffic or signs was another story...

Today I had my second lesson. It was scary. as. hell. Scary, I tell you! However, I tackled some bigger hills and actually made it up without "jumping ship" and making Guillaume take over. I was panting and sweating, but hey, I did it!!! I am getting better... I think. We will see what happens tomorrow! 

*I do not legally own the car but it is mine to drive while I am here, and I will have insurance for it. 

Au Pair vs. Nanny

I decided to write this to clear up any confusion or misconceptions about my job: Au Pair. We all know about babysitters: she/he shows up on Mommy & Daddy's date nights, gives you pizza and ice cream, brings funny movies and games and lets you stay up past your bedtime. Both nannies and au pairs are totally different so throw all of that fluffy, funny Amelia Bedelia stuff from your mind.

The Nanny is quite a step up from a babysitter. The Nanny can have various duties and they include but are not limited to: meal prep, bath time, tutoring, driving to and from school/music lessons/sporting events and practices, and play time. Like any job, a Nanny has a regular schedule anywhere from M-F, 8am-5pm or just every other day. But at the end of her shift she goes home to her own life, just like any other job. The Au Pair is quite different.

Before I go any further, let me state that these are GENERAL rules for an Au Pair. Each host family is different and unfortunately many break the "rules" and abuse their Au Pairs. This is why there are agencies to help both Au Pairs and Host Families. It is a very delicate situation and protection is often needed on both ends.

Now, the Au Pair is different from the Nanny for many different reasons. First, an Au Pair often comes from a different country than his/her Host Family. Families who are willing to hire an Au Pair usually do so because they want their children to be exposed to other languages and cultures, and it is usually difficult to find someone diverse enough to fulfill this in your own country, no matter where you are from. Most, if not all, countries have specific Visa requirements for Au Pairs because it is a great opportunity to experience a new culture and it is very common. A lot of people do it illegally but I won't go into that right now. I can promise you that if you go this route your Host Family will abuse you and your work ethic. There is a reason they are skipping the paperwork: they can make you do whatever they want for however little money they want and you cannot complain.

Anyway, an Au Pair is different from a Nanny because the Au Pair often lives with the Host Family. If not, the family is to arrange (aka pay) for other housing for the Au Pair. The Au Pair is supposed to be treated like another member of the family by partaking in the meals, access to the TV, and basically anything everyone else in the household has access to. The Au Pair often has his/her own quarters of the house with his/her own bedroom, bathroom and sometimes a private entrance. I have seen ads for Au Pairs where he/she would be required to sleep in the same room with the children and all I have to say to that is, "hell to the no!" You could not pay me enough for that. Not even Mary Poppins shared a room with Jane and Michael. Not. Gonna. Happen. 

If transportation is part of the Au Pair's duties then the Host Family should provide the means. Either the Au Pair uses one of the parent's cars, he/she is given his/her own car, or his/her public transportation fare is covered by the Host Family. Unless, of course, you are Mary Poppins and you can use le parapluie!

An Au Pair is typically paid less than a Nanny but that is simply because the Au Pair's room and board is covered. The Host Family should provide housing, food, transportation, etc. When you add it all up, the pay is well worth it. At least it is in my opinion. An Au Pair does not pay for rent, utilities, groceries, or any other basic living needs. The Au Pair only has to pay for his/her personal things such as partying, new clothing, etc.

An Au Pair also gets to travel with the family as if he/she is family. Meaning that the Au Pair does not pay for their flight(s), meals, tickets to events with the family, etc. Sweet deal, if you ask me!

The Au Pair typically has the same daily duties as a Nanny would, but since the Au Pair often lives with the family he/she can easily be taken advantage of and made to do much more than the he/she is being paid to do. The biggest difference between and Au Pair and a Nanny is that the Au Pair is to be both family AND and employee. It is a very delicate balance to maintain for all parties involved. When handled appropriately its a dream job! If mistreated it can be a dangerous nightmare. Either way, it is not for the faint of heart.

The First Three Days

I have officially started my job as an Au Pair! I am now on Day 3, the kids are napping, and I am sipping on some coffee. Sounds pretty nice, right? It definitely has it's perks but it has been a rather difficult week so far. Not a bad week, just difficult. In case you do not know, or if you have forgotten, I am an Au Pair for two kids: Auggi, a two-year-old little boy, and Vicki, 3-month-old baby girl. Both are very adorable, but Auggi is in his "terrible twos" and Vicki is still young enough that as long as she gets to eat, sleep, and poop, all is well with the world. Last night I took care of Vicki by myself while the parents went to the country club with Auggi for a few hours. We had a pleasant evening and she was a perfect little Princess! She is a very happy baby and she only cries to let you know that she is hungry.

Auggi, on the other had, has been quite the opposite of a "happy baby." Not only is he in his "terrible twos" but he is going through a lot of changes. He has been with his Mom and Dad every day for several months because Mom has been on maternity leave and Dad is a school teacher out for summer break. Now Mom and Dad are getting ready to go back to work and there is a strange lady who now LIVES in his house that he is expected to obey and bond with. He his a little stressed out about all of this and I cannot say I really blame him. As the stranger in the house that has left her own home and everything she knows to come be apart of a new family, well, its stressful! Unfortunately, I don't get to scream and throw tantrums when I am feeling unsettled. Haha! Well, I suppose I could, but that would be a very unwise thing to do and I don't think my job would last very long.

For this week and most of next week the parents will be around the house so they can help me out a bit. I am very grateful for this because there is a lot that I need to learn about the house, the village, the kids, etc. However, I think this is also why Auggi is being so difficult. Once Mom and Dad aren't around he won't have any choice but to have to "deal" with me. Luckily, I won't have him all day every day. He will only be solely in my care on Mondays, Tuesday afternoons, and Wednesdays. Of course, we will be around each other more than that, but so will other people, or he will be at "nounou's" house or daycare. Vicki will go to Nounou everyday and come home in the evening with the parents. I think the schedule will be good for everyone so that we are not overly exhausted with one another. My biggest fear before coming was that I might get burnt-out on day after day child care, but I think this schedule will keep me busy but also give me time to have my own life.

Speaking of fear, I did a lot of research on the Au Pair lifestyle before I came to France and I do not remember reading anything that I found particularly alarming. There were horror stories but most of them were from the side of the Host Family, therefore, I should have no reason to worry because I knew I was not a slob, a threat, a liar, etc. I have continued to do some reading after coming here and for some reason I have a found A LOT more alarming stories but this time from the side of the Au Pair. While reading through some of these I found myself with my hand clasped over my mouth in astonishment at the horrendous experiences some of these poor girls endured. Why did I not come across any of this before now? Maybe it is a good thing because if I had, I might have been too frightening to go through with it. Well, not true, but I would have been a lot more nervous than I was! So far, I feel quite sure that I made a wise choice in my Host Family and that I will not have to experience any of the things I read. I am sure you are curious, aren't you?

Here are some examples:

1) The Au Pair life/job is often referred to as, "modern day slave trade." Yes. It can be that bad.
2) Many Au Pairs are required to be "invisible" with their family. This means she is not allowed to eat with them but instead must eat in the kitchen while they eat in the dining room, or even eat in her bedroom.
3) Many Au Pairs are required to not only take care of the children but to cook and serve all of the meals and do housework. Often times the Au Pair is told it will only be "light housework" such as cleaning up after the children or helping the parents clear the table after meals, but she ends up scrubbing floors and toilets, doing all of the laundry, all of the shopping, etc. Oh, and did I mention that she is rarely ever paid extra for these duties?
4) Many Au Pairs are often stuck working well over full-time and not being paid extra OR being given additional holiday time.
5) Some Au Pairs have had to miss their language classes because of the schedule she is assigned, and this is illegal and a breach of the contract signed to acquire the Visa.
6) Some Au Pairs have been required to keep secrets such as an affair that one of the parents may be having.
7) Some Au Pairs have had to deal with a drunken father hitting on her when the mother is not around. One Au Pair that I read about even experienced the father climbing into bed with her after he came home drunk.
8) Many Au Pairs have been required to wear a certain uniform and parade around the parent's friends and co-workers like a trophy slave. Some aren't even allowed to look the parents in the eye... they are to keep their head down.

These are just a few examples. Horrible, isn't it? I am so glad that I did not read any of this before coming to France. I have no concerns that any of this will happen to me. So far, my Host Family has been very kind and welcoming. I do not think they will take advantage of me in any way, especially since I don't even have to clean my own bedroom or bathroom. We have a housekeeper that comes twice a week and she will do it for me. Kinda cool, huh? I mean, I will be tidy but I don't have to do any scrubbing or anything. This is definitely a new experience for me! I do help them with meals but to me, that is perfectly normal and polite because even if I were an unpaid house guest I would help with such things. So far, I feel confident that this will be a great experience.

Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

I did something today that was a big deal for me: I went out in Zurich by myself! I didn’t really go that far, but it’s a big city AND nothing is in English so it was a big accomplishment for me. 

I have explored a lot the past three weeks but never by myself. Most afternoons I have stayed in Toby’s apartment while he is at work and I was beginning to feel rather cooped up. I could take walks in the park or by the river but that didn’t seem to be helping very much. I haven’t been afraid to explore the city, only afraid of getting lost in the whirlwind of transportation options. Between the trains, trams and buses there is no telling where I could end up and not know how to get back! 

Toby gave me exact instructions on how to get from Hardbrucke to Zurich HB (the mainstation) and even though it was very simple, I was very nervous. I had to remind myself of the same thing I told myself in the airports of Paris and Geneva, “whats the worst thing that can happen?” So what if I get lost? I can use a little common sense and confidence and it won’t be so bad. Also, while no signs are in English there are still lots of people who can speak English, even if not very fluently. Someone, somewhere would help me. 

Before I left my home and my country I knew that I would have to be “comfortable being uncomfortable.” Whether I am in France or Switzerland nothing will be familiar. Nothing will be in my “comfort zone.” I still have a long way to go in learning French, I know absolutely no German, I know no one (except for Toby, who is 2-3 hours way from my new home), the laws are different, the scenery is different, the cultures are different, the food is different, literally EVERYTHING is completely different. I know lots of people who have travelled around Europe but it’s different when you come here to live. You know that what you are experiencing is not temporary but rather the new “normal.” When you come here to vacation you know that you are going home in a few weeks. You know that you will return to your comfort zone soon enough. I no longer have a comfort zone nor a safety net to fall into and hide when the days are tough. I have to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. 

As I go here and there around Zurich there are people of all backgrounds jumping on and off the trains and buses. Strangers do not speak to each other and the conversations I can overhear are always in other languages. I cannot read any of the signs. I cannot order my own food in restaurants. I mean, I can but whoever I am with has to try to explain to me what the foods are. Salesmen will sometimes try to speak to me and in all honesty, its embarrassing that I don’t know to respond. They are never rude to me for not understanding because its not like I am the only non-German speaker, it’s simply the fact that nothing is straight-forward or familiar anymore that can be tiresome. I even get nervous around groups of Toby’s friends because none of them are native English speakers. They all speak English but sometimes they still speak Swiss-German or German to one another. There is nothing wrong with that, but I just feel even more like an outsider. Do not misunderstand me: I do not mind that they speak their native language to one another. I just find myself getting uncomfortable when I don't know what is being said around me. 

I knew it would be like this before I came here and I am certainly not complaining, my point is simply that it is a big adjustment. I feel like my brain does not function the way it does in America. Haha! No matter where I go my brain is in overdrive. I get lost in my own head by trying to take it all in, understand it, and be confident and comfortable. 

I am absolutely thrilled to be here because I am quite sure that nothing great happens if you stay in your comfort zone forever. I experience something new everyday and I find that it gets a little easier with every step I take. 

So, I went out in Zurich alone today and it was great! I didn't get lost and I already feel ready to go a bit further next time. I bought the groceries that I needed and I even sniffed out a Starbucks. You're not surprised, are you? I have to admit that the Starbucks stores here are not as good as the ones back home. This one, however, was better than the one in Lucerne! Don't even get me started on that disaster. I would much rather enjoy a coffee at a local cafe and not Starbucks but I am thankful that they have them here because it will soon be PSL time and I am not about to miss that! Also, finding a Starbucks is like a little piece of home. Not a very good piece, but it is a piece nevertheless. 

Many of the differences between here and home are actually positive ones even though I sound a little whiny. I actually like it here, I promise! I love not having Bud Light as a beer option, I love that everyone eats outside, I love that organic food is not as abnormal/triple the price as in the States, and I love that even McDonalds has a vegetarian Quinoa burger! I haven't tried it yet, but I never saw such a thing back home. I did, however, try a vegetarian burger at Jack & Jo last night.

It was a monster burger! The red stuff you see is beets, I believe. I am not sure what exactly was on it but it was yummy! The only thing I recognized in the description was "wasabi-mayo" to which I said, "hell to the no." I hate wasabi and I loathe mayo. 

Another thing that I love is that there is always something to do here. So far I have been to an awesome street food festival, an art museum, the European Outdoor Film Tour, and there are several more museums, an Opera House, and there are always concerts happening. If I had unlimited funds there would be something new to do everyday. However, I am still a home-body. I love cooking dinner with Toby and his roommates, watching movies, or having a glass of wine on the balcony. We can also take leisurely walks by the many lakes and rivers and there are always people playing with their dogs and musicians playing beautiful music. 

Zurich is what one could call a "happening" place, but I am very much looking forward to returning to my French family and our chalet in the mountains. I feel that between where I live and having Toby here in Zurich will give me the best of both worlds! Plus, I live 20 minutes from Geneva, which is also a great and beautiful Swiss city. I may be living a completely new life that is far outside of my comfort zone but I love every minute of it, no matter how stressful some moments may feel.