Summer Holiday in Geneva

Its been one year of being back to the norm; knowing where everything is, speaking the native language and spending more time with extended family and friends.  Although that is wonderful, we were ready to reconnect with our second home, Geneva.

We knew we would make it a top priority to return with the girls as often as we could.  We were fortunate to have spent the past two weeks in Europe reconnecting with friends, visiting favorite places and discovering new destinations.

We left for Geneva and flew Iceland Air, which has all of their connections in Reykjavik.  We never intended on spending time there but due to plane delays we started our holiday with a night in Iceland.  We spent the night in Reykjavik and were able to walk around the small town and see some of the unique landscape of the volcanic island.  Unfortunately, it was rainy and cold but we made the most of our time.

  

                                                                 Leif Eriksson Statue-                                  
                                                        Gifted to Iceland from the U.S.

Trying the local cauliflower soup- 

On Sunday, we arrived in Geneva and were excited to reunite with friends.  We immediately went to a beach on Lake Geneva and spent the night catching up.  

On Monday, our first stop was visiting our old house.  As we drove up, we were surprised to see our name still on the mailbox.  They were ready for us to move back!!  We talked with our landlord (our neighbor) and she said they did not rent it out the whole last year, so lucky for us, we got to go inside.  The girls loved seeing their rooms again- brought back a lot of memories.

Back in our backyard!

We are home!  

Chris went into work and the girls and I had a play date with friends at another beach along Lake Geneva, Excenevex Plage, which we had never been to before.  It was so much fun- our first sandy beach experience along the lake.

On Tuesday, the girls and I were able to visit another new place Filenvol, which is a trampoline/net park in the forest on Mont Saleve.

On Wednesday, the 4th of July, we spent the day revisiting some of our favorite places.  In the morning we went to Parc Merlet, we love walking around and seeing the animals in their natural habitats.  For lunch, we went to Chamonix and ate at our favorite restaurant, Elevation 1904, and enjoyed their tasty homemade chicken nuggets!  That night, we had a 4th of July party at a park with six other families.

These kids reconnected as if they had never been apart- 

Thursday morning, we left Geneva to another one of our favorite places, Lauterbrunnen Valley.  For the past year, the mountains have been calling; hiking and landscape are what we miss most about moving from Geneva.  Snow capped peaks, sharp narrow cliffs and charming mountain villages had filled our imaginations and we were excited to explore again.  We have visited the Lauterbrunnen Valley before and always stayed in Grindewald, so this time we decided to stay in Wengen.  Wengen is a car-free Swiss Alpine village, you take a train to get to the village.  Unfortunately, it was a bit rainy for our stay but we made the most of it when the rain stopped and enjoyed exploring the town of Wengen and the amazing views.

                         Overlooking the valley-                    Every hike has a vending machine with fresh
                                                                                   cheese and meats... right???!

Friday, we drove to Verbier, which is another Alpine village sitting up on a small plateau of the steep Swiss Alps.  Our good friend was running a trail race there so we were able to combine a weekend with friends in a stunning scenery.

Saturday, we woke up to sunshine and were ready to enjoy the mountain air.  In the morning, we did a hike up in the mountains with friends.  Later in the day, we cheered on the trail runners.  That night, we had a wonderful traditional Swiss meal.

On Sunday morning, we took a series of 4 cable cars to reach Mont Fort, which is a mountain peak with a height of 10,919ft.  I'm not a fan of heights or swaying cable cars but with the encouragement from the kids, I made it!

Mont Fort 

On Monday, we woke up and packed our bags for San Sebastian, a seaside village in the Basque region of Spain.  We were lucky to have our good friends join us on this excursion.  When we arrived later in the day, we settled into our apartment and went to explore the Old Town.

The Spanish eat dinner around 10pm, which for us Americans is really late.  Instead of a traditional dinner, we spent most of our nights eating pintxos, which are small finger foods.  There is a variety of types of pintxos, many include some type of seafood or ham.  At first, this way of eating was a bit difficult for me, I like to know all of the ingredients in the food that I am eating, no surprises!  Once we visited more and more pintxos bars, I got more comfortable with my food selection and enjoyed being able to try a variety of different foods, mainly croquettes.  The girls were very adventurous eaters, trying anything Chris gave them!

Pintxos Bar- 

Fish n' Chips?!

Tuesday, we went to Zurriola Beach, which is known for their surfing.  Adalyn and her friend, Jonah, really wanted to learn to surf and this beach turned out to be perfect for beginners.  Adalyn loved surfing and was surprisingly very successful!  Eliza enjoyed riding the waves- it was a great beach day.

 

                  So happy!                                   Ended the day with a suit full of sand!  

Surfer Girl!  

Wednesday, we ventured over to France, only a 45 minute drive, to Biarritz.  We walked along the beach of the seaside resort town and enjoyed lunch in the Old Town.  We could have definitely spent more time in this town, but the beach was calling, so we headed back to San Sebastian.

Thursday, we visited Parque Atracciones Monte Igueldo, which is a theme park overlooking San Sebastian.  Unfortunately, it was raining so many of the rides were closed, but the view was worth it.  We then headed to Bilbao and walked around the Old Town and enjoyed our final pintxos before heading to the airport.

Until next time, Spain...

On Friday, we had a relaxing day at a park in Geneva with friends.  That night, we were able to do an adult night out at one of our favorite restaurants.

Saturday was a bittersweet day, our last full day of our trip.  We always enjoyed the vineyards of Switzerland, so we went back to our picnic table and took in the view for one last time.

 

This view never gets old- 

Later in the day, we went down by the lake and finished the day with dinner at Luigia's, Eliza's favorite restaurant.

The joy of this trip was to watch the girls reconnect with their Geneva life.  As soon as we arrived they were pointing out favorite mountains, parks, restaurants and even grocery stores and shops.  Lots of smiles everyday for two weeks.  The hospitality granted by our friends, Lukasz and Ashley, was a blessing.  Our good fortune of sharing new adventures with so many families made the trip special, the kids playing together like they had never been apart.  Geneva is a transient place, the families that become friends will not be there forever, so capturing this time together was not taken for granted.  

Until next time Switzerland...

Dear Adalyn and Eliza,

Dear Adalyn and Eliza,

This is it, blog post number seventy-one.  The final entry in "The Story of My Life in Geneva."  I wanted to write this blog for you so you would never forget your time in Switzerland. 

Three years ago, we were faced with a difficult decision, whether or not to move for your daddy's job.  At first, it seemed irrational to take you away from family at such a young age.  After many nights of going over the pros and cons, we decided the opportunity was too good, and the biggest pro we could think of was the impact it would have on you two girls. We had no idea when we made that decision that it would have been as positive as it turned out to be.

You are leaving with a broader vision of the world.  Our only hope is that your curiosity about different cultures and geographies continues and travel becomes a priority in your life, realizing the value of experiences versus material items.   

It's hard to know how much of the last three years you will remember.  We sat down with each of you individually and asked you to reflect on some of your favorite moments.  As the years pass and you read this list, hopefully it will spark your memory and take you back to where they all took place.   

Eliza:
*Eating at Luigia's (a family friendly Italian restaurant in Geneva)
*Going on daddy's shoulders to be taller than everyone
*Picking flowers on hikes for mommy
*Riding the orange boat in Croatia
*Feeding the fish in Cassis from the boat
*Driving in the mountains
*Learning to spell her name
*Seeing Mickey Mouse at Disneyland
*Gelato
*Swimming in Crete with daddy
*Evan (my first friend)
*Lac de Passy
*Playing the dinner game with all the visitors

Adalyn:
*Hofbrauhaus in Munich- eating the giant pretzels and spätzle
*School - the friends and teachers
*Fete De Geneve- the celebration in August with fireworks
*Boat ride in Croatia
*Skiing in the Alps with friends
*Eating "Bangers and Mash" in London
*Eating tiramisu on the Spanish Steps in Rome
*Sledding in Grindelwald with Sophia and Brady
*Staying in a house in France with Kenzie, Lexi, and Jack (the dog)
*Visiting the Beauty and the Beast village- Eguisheim, France
*Going on the Luge course in Saas Fee
*Camping in the mountains with Jonah and Mason

At night, one of your favorite things is listening to stories about growing up from mommy, daddy, and anyone else who happens to be at our house during bedtime.  This book is filled with stories that you can tell your own kids one day.

We are so proud of the two of you. 

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

July 2014                                                           July 2017

                                                                                                                          

THE END

Thank You Geneva

Thank you Geneva.  We are grateful for our time spent here. 

The kindness, generosity and curiosity of the people we have encountered on this journey has been a gift, one that we will not forget nor do we take lightly. 

Our way of thinking and understanding the World broadened and evolved.  It is often said to learn more about your own country, go to another.  It was revealing to hear the views Europeans have of the US, some good and some not so good.  Many of the stereotypes we have of the Swiss are true, very private and punctual.  We also discovered the softer side, having been invited by neighbors to their homes and festivals, seeing the grace they show with all of the foreigners (Geneva is 50% expats) is most impressive.  It is hard to think of other countries that show that much patience to put up with bad questions and awkward moments created by a transient population of immigrants.

We were able to introduce forty different visitors to the charm and natural beauty of Switzerland.   

We embraced the fact that we were so close to neighboring countries.  We were able to visit ten different countries, some multiple times.  What we never dreamt of visiting in our lifetime, became a reality in three years.  We discovered quaint mountain villages filled with character, walked for hours through old towns and saw seaside bays peppered with sun-soaked Mediterranean villages. 

We were fortunate to have been able to ski in the Alps and have the girls learn to ski.  The girls were able to go from beginners to being able to ski down independently.  Our Saturdays in the mountains became our favorite day of the week.

We learned that being uncomfortable is okay, and it actually made us gain confidence.  We had to learn to communicate.  It is embarrassing to admit, but after three years, we still struggle with the French language (Adalyn is by far the most fluent).  Often times we would rely on Google translate or try our best French and make a complete fool of ourselves.  We drove on very narrow roads with bicycles, runners and motos on all sides.  The girls were put into many uncomfortable situations.  The girls are much more open about trying new things because of this experience. 

We are leaving with heavy hearts and embrace the adage of not being sad that it is over, but happy that it happened.   We could have never predicted how well this decision turned out.  We are forever grateful we got to live in this beautiful country and will definitely be back to visit. 

Merci Beaucoup!  Nous serons de retour bientot!


    

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.

When in Rome...

We have been fortunate to introduce our girls to many places throughout Europe, but there was one more destination that we felt they should experience while living here, Rome. 

Rome is a beautiful city, but with kids it can also be overwhelming.  I ordered a book from Amazon, which I highly recommend to anyone traveling to Rome with kids, Mission Rome: Top Secret Scavenger Hunt Adventure.  The girls enjoyed being "secret agents" and finding the answers to the clues in the books at the various sites, and we all learned a lot from the information in the book.  They also have books for other countries, so if planning a family trip, I would highly recommend.     
We arrived early Wednesday morning and immediately headed to the Vatican since the Pope was doing mass outside.  We arrived at the end of the mass, but we were able to see him from a distance.  The rest of the day we spent wandering the streets and getting a glimpse of the sights. 

Can you spy the Pope??

The next morning, we hired a tour guide, which our friends had recommended, that took us to the Spanish Steps, Pantheon and Colosseum.  He was able to share his knowledge of Rome with unique stories detailing the lives of Romans during the early years and present. 

So much to learn!

Adalyn learning the correct way to drink from one of the many fountains around the city-

Inside the Pantheon:

The tombs of King Umberto and Queen Margherita rest inside -

Italians named a pizza after the queen, the "Margherita Pizza" which has the toppings basil, mozzarella and tomato sauce, the colors of the Italian flag. 

The Colosseum:

The girls were captivated by the stories of the gladiators fighting against each other

and against lions, tigers and bears. 

After our morning tour, we spent some time at the Trevi Fountain.  The fountain was built as a Roman tradition, which was to have a beautiful fountain at the endpoint of an aqueduct.  The water travels eight miles from a spring outside of Rome through a 2,000 year old aqueduct, then comes gushing out of the Trevi sculptures.  

Legend says that if you throw a coin into the fountain, you are destined to return to Rome. 

The girls are hoping the legend is true! 

Around $4000 is thrown into the fountain daily.  Above is a picture of them vacuuming up the coins, which are donated to a charity. 

The next day, we spent the majority of our time in the Vatican City.  There was a very long line to get into the Vatican Museum, but thankfully we discovered that if you have a stroller, you skip the line!  Eliza was not happy about being called a "baby" but it saved us a ton of time.  Unfortunately, you can't take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel, but the girls were mesmerized by the artwork done by Michelangelo on the ceiling. 

Outside of the Sistine Chapel walking through the beautifully decorated hallways of the museum. 

Unfortunately, Saint Peter's Basilica did not have the same "stroller skip the line" policy, so we were not able to tour inside since the line was about two hours long.

The Swiss Guards:

The guards protect the Pope and Vatican City.  You must meet special requirements to join the Apostolic Swiss guard: single Catholic man, 30 years old or younger, at least 5'8"

and have some type of higher education. 

                                              

Colonna Dell'Immacolata

Located near the Spanish Steps is a large column with a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary at the top.  Every year, on December 8, the Pope does a ceremony near the statue and the wreath that Mary is holding is replaced. 

We are happy that we decided to take the girls to Rome.  We were able to see so much in the three days, walking a total of 30 miles, but still so much more to see and visit.  Here's to hoping they return someday! 

Arrivederci Roma!