Pros and Cons

Our time is up.  I figured it was fitting to create a list of what we will miss and what we look forward to in Minnesota.  When we first moved, the list was much longer on what we will miss- on the Minnesota side!  When creating this list, it was more difficult. 

What we will miss...

*Friends-  I have said it over and over, but having a network of friends that become family is in my eyes how you survive as an expat.

*Multi-Culturalism - Chris's office consisted of 38 employees coming from 21 different countries.  The girls attended school where more than 50% of their class spoke multiple languages.  It is hard to obtain that type of environment in Minnesota. 

*Affordable Travel - I'm not sure why it is so expensive to travel in the U.S.  We were able to fly the smaller airlines in Europe many times and averaged about $300 for all of us round trip. 

*Food -  The produce is coming from either Switzerland or nearby countries, the freshness is hard to beat.  Fresh baguettes/pastries everywhere.  We also enjoyed authentic Italian, French and Spanish food. 

*Wine - Oh, how we have enjoyed the wine! 

*No Mosquitoes - Our windows here don't have screens because we don't have to worry about bugs.  You get the occasional fly once in awhile, but we have really enjoyed being able to keep our windows open and enjoy summer nights outside. 

*Landscape -  We have fallen in love with mountains.  We will miss waking up and seeing Mount Saleve staring down on us. 

*Climate - The climate is similar to Minnesota, but without the harsh winters.  If we want snow, we go to the mountains, and actually enjoy it.  The temperature rarely gets below 40 degrees. 

What we are looking forward to...

*Family - We are very excited to be back with our families.  FaceTime was wonderful, but we are looking forward to spending time together. 

*Friends - Social media helped us stay connected to our friends, but we look forward to reconnecting in person. 

*Clear Communication - I'm excited to be able to get through my day without GoogleTranslate. 

*Customer Service- The customer is never right over here!! 

*Air Conditioning - We are all about conserving energy, but when it is 95 degrees plus, we all need some cool air.  Homes and most public places do not have air conditioning.

*Driving - Wider roads and spacious parking spots.  When we park here, sometimes you are exiting out the passenger side or backseat depending on where you have room.  I am also excited about a much shorter commute to get the girls to school.  Currently it takes one hour round trip, twice a day- not all driving time, but most of the time spent at their school parking lot since it is so tiny you need to arrive 1/2 hour early to get a spot. 

*Pace- Sometimes we grew to love the slow pace, but other times it was a bit too much.  I wait at many crosswalks and it still amazes me at how slow people cross, there is no running across.  If you go out to dinner, you have to allow at least two hours. 

*Convenience-  I am excited to reunite with Target and know that what I want will be there waiting for me!! 

An Insight into Swiss Schools

Since I was a teacher in Minnesota, I was very curious to see how schools would be in another part of the World.  Throughout the last three years, I have been able to gain insight into how the education system works in the International school, which can vary from the public schools.  I thought I would share a little about how the school the girls attend compares to the public schools that I taught at in Minnesota. 

Outdoor time is very important over here- rain or shine, the students are out twice a day for a half hour - forty minutes each time.  They have a morning outside break and then again after lunch. 

Snacks are communal.  Each parent is given a week or two throughout the year and you are in charge of providing snacks for the entire class for a week.  This consists of usually two to three items per day for 24 students. 

Lunch is very different.  They are served their lunch in the classroom for the primary grades, up to 3rd grade.  For the young children, they are served their meal at their table spot, along with a fork, knife and spoon.  The older kids are served buffet style in their classroom and also have the correct place setting.  They get 45 minutes for lunch. The lunches are gourmet.  While I am at home eating a sandwich, my kids are served veal, carrot salad, couscous and fresh fruit for dessert. 

When I was a teacher, correcting papers would consume my nights.  I always made sure tests were back to the students within one or two days.  While living here, I have had to get used to the idea that no tests, worksheets, etc. come home.  At the end of each semester we receive a booklet of all of the worksheets, but throughout the semester nothing comes home.

In Minnesota, I was also responsible for posting homework online daily and keeping up with a weekly newsletter.  Here, I am lucky if we get an update once every 3 months.  We usually find out about field trips a few days before, since they don't send permission slips.  We pay a fee in the beginning of the year to cover all field trip costs, so you just hope you know if your child is possibly heading to France for the day!! 

Starting at age five, they offer multiple classes after school ranging from gymnastics to origami.  The kids have a large variety of classes they can sign up for that take place right at the school.  This is very convenient for parents.  Students go straight from their classroom and parents only need to do pick up. 

I have also had the opportunity to sub in the secondary school which starts at age ten, which was an eye-opening experience. 

Every student has a laptop computer, provided by their parents, not the school.  They complete most of their assignments on their computer and receive most of their assignments via email from their teacher.  They all have headphones and would request to listen to music while completing their assignment, which I found hard to allow. 

The secondary school students, age ten to fourteen, also have an hour lunch where they go to the cafeteria on their own, can spend time outside with friends, whatever they want.  This freedom is very different than the very structured, patrolled environment I grew up in. 

I was surprised to learn that a full-time secondary teacher teaches 24 hours a week.  They teach different periods throughout the week, but in total, only 24 hours!!  They are allowed to leave during the periods that they are not teaching.  

I really enjoyed being able to see how schools run in a different country.  I think there are definitely pluses and minuses to all of what I observed, but at the end of the day, everyone has the common goal, which is to provide a quality education for all of the students. 




 

Holiday in Croatia

At the end of May, we took a four day trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  It was the perfect destination for May, not crowded and warm weather.  European destinations can get extremely busy in July and August when whole countries shut down for holiday, so if planning a trip, avoid July and August!! 

We stayed at a resort about 20 miles outside of Dubrovnik.  It was a great resort offering exactly what we were looking for, a relaxing long weekend.  The kids enjoyed the pools, kids club and eating at the buffet (who knew buffets were so exciting??!). 

One day, we rented a boat with a skipper and he took us to different islands on the Adriatic Sea. It was a great day spent at sea!  We were able to explore different islands and enjoy the spectacular scenery. 

Lovin' beach life! 

We also visited the old city of Dubrovnik, which was a highlight of our trip.  The most impressive part of the old city are the city walls.  The first fortifications were built in the 8th century, with more of the construction taking place during the 15th and 16th century.  It was an intense walk, with many steps up, the wall is 22 meters high, but the view was worth it. 

Beautiful city wall walk-

Reaching for the clouds! 

Walking the streets of Dubrovnik

We had a wonderful time exploring Croatia and the Adriatic Sea.  It's a country that was going through a difficult war during the 1990's, but has definitely rebuilt itself as a must-see place to visit.