My First Week

Ok. Sorry for the delayed update! I’ve been dying haha. Not literally, but jet-lag is brutal man! The struggle is real! Anyhow, here’s updates for the last few days.

Wednesday (8/13/14)

I made it! :D

This is the face of a girl who is SO happy to be done flying! (for the time being)

I flew from Salt Lake City, to Dallas-Fort Worth, then JFK in New York and FINALLY to Zürich. It was absolutely perfect. I had no problems at all, even though apparently I almost missed the connection to JFK, but until I got to the terminal and they told me they were getting ready to close the doors, I was unaware haha oops! And in New York, my flight was ALMOST delayed for 2 hours, but only ended up being about 20 minutes thank goodness.

I kept falling asleep on each flight, then waking up thinking hours had gone by… but they hadn’t. I swear time slows down in the air. It’s crazy. Thankfully, during my longest flight, no one was seated next to me, and you bet your little tushy I sprawled out like an animal.

When I finally arrived I loaded my ginormous suitcases (by myself) onto a trolley – I was a little surprised no one stopped or offered to help my little 5-foot self hefting these 60+ lbs suitcases that are like almost ¾ my size… but you know, whatever. I don’t need a man! …moving on – so yes, suitcases, trolley, and then I found the family waiting for me in the greeting area. Hallelujah! I was so nervous I wouldn’t find them and I’d have no way to get in contact with them (airport wifi is THE WORST fyi). They had just gotten there like 3 minutes before I walked out; guess that 20-minute delay in NY was worth it! ;)                                                           

Ah, it was SO great to finally have these people right in front of me, in the flesh. They were extremely warm and welcoming. We ran a few errands, then headed home where they gave me a tour of the house (which is gorgeous, albeit completely different than a typical American home) and let me unpack. Um, I’m in love with my room and bathroom. It’s a lot bigger than I was expecting, which was a lovely surprise, and it’s so… stylish! I will post pictures of them, and the rest of the house, later. For now, here is a picture of the view from the house:

I live in a postcard. SO beautiful here.
(Taken Sunday 8/17/14 - finally a sunny day! It's been rainy all week.)

I unpacked and my very first meal in Europe… pizza! haha :)

I was out at like 7:30pm. Yay jet-lag!

Thursday (8/14/14)

Awake at 5:30am. UGH.

Today some of Tamara and Peter’s friends stopped by to visit on their way home. It was a little awkward for me at first, but eventually, it wasn’t so much and I tried to follow along their German, but they kept switching back and forth between German and English for me.

Later Tamara took me and Svenja to her sister’s house to visit her sister (obviously), nephew, dad, and step-mom. Her sister was SO nice and offered me all sorts of beverages and refreshments. She had these delicious fruit cakes that we all ate and I tried to follow along all the German conversation (their parents don’t speak English). Tamara and her sister kept translating for me every so often, which was very sweet. They were all very kind and it was actually a lot of fun, even with the language barrier.

P.S. “Cake” is not cake like in America. It’s not as sweet (which I’m fine with) and it was like… pie meets custard meets fruit. With a cheese-cakey texture… sort of. haha. It’s difficult to explain, but it was DELICIOUS. I had a piece of a cherry one and then the sister was having her 3^rd piece and offered me another one for the third time and I couldn’t keep saying no haha so I tried some of the plum one.

Tamara "made" this on Sunday. A little different, but you get the idea

Friday (8/15/14)

Oh Friday.

Friday was rough. Like “what the freak am I doing here, God?” rough.

It wasn’t that anything bad happened… I think it was more of just reality setting in. I’m not in MY country. I’m all alone. I have no friends or family here. And I won’t see my friends of family for 1 year. 1 YEAR! That’s a dang long time! I’m also still very tired, and I cannot express to you the frustration of seeing a person, a normal human being, smiling at you, and you at them, and then they speak, and it is complete GIBBERISH to your ears. AGH! I SO badly WANT to communicate and understand. I keep reverting to Spanish in my head, and then it’s like, just kidding, that doesn’t work either! *grumble grumble* I hate to admit it… and when I say hate, I mean loathe… but this experience is definitely going to be much more challenging mentally and emotionally than I thought.

On a positive note, I put together this awesome desk chair Tamara bought for me, all by myself! With a little help from Peter at the end cause the little knob things at the bottom of the chair legs did NOT want to go in. He even struggled a bit with them. I feel so accomplished haha!

I've got mad skills

I also went on a walk by myself in the evening to explore the area I’m living in a little bit. I couldn’t find anything of interest – it was pretty dead. And I was afraid if it got too dark, I would get lost so I was only gone 20 minutes or so.  

Saturday (8/16/14)

Today has been a lot better. Tamara and Peter dropped me off in Frauenfeld so I could explore a little while they went to the gym (they took Svenja with them). It was such a surreal feeling knowing that I was wondering the streets of this little town in Europe, alone. I couldn’t help but think about my Dad’s utter terror at the idea of his “little girl” exploring the big-bad-world by her lonesome haha. It was fairly uneventful though (don’t worry Dad!). I walked and watched for about an hour and a half, looking at the little storefronts and bistros. I even found a tiny little famers market (no idea what it’s called here) and if I’d had some smaller bills or change, I would have bought something. AH! There was a bratwurst vendor in front of a grocery store where I sat for a bit… SMELLED SO GOOD. I was afraid they wouldn’t have any change for my massive bill, but it looked so good.

I walked back to the bus station and sat where Tamara and Peter dropped me off to wait for them to return. While I was waiting, this guy came up to me with some sort of petition asking me to sign it… All I know, is that it had to do with handicapped people. I kept trying to tell him I didn’t speak German, but he was one persistent bugger. Then I thought he was telling me he was deaf cause the motion he was doing, means “deaf” in ASL… but then I was like, that doesn’t make sense cause obviously he can hear me! haha. Ugh. I could have signed something that says we should throw handicapped people into the sewer and make them live underground, and I wouldn’t know it. It gets better though hahahaha I think he was telling me I was very sexy… AND THEN, he just straight up asked me for sex. BAHAHA. He kept saying sex, but, you know, language barrier and all, I thought I was misunderstanding or something, and I looked confused so he said, “Sex, you know? Um… you, me, sex?” and then my brain was like OH! hahaha and I laughed and shook my head no. He took the rejection a lot better than most American boys. Ah, Europe! :) 

xoxo,

     Rebecca

Drumroll please...

After months of preparation and waiting, completing mountains of paperwork (ok, not really but just roll with it haha), many scans sent back and forth, and stalking my house for FedEx workers daily...

...my visa has finally arrived!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I would just like to say that 

1. faith and prayer work 

and 

2. God is in the details of our lives. 

FIVE DAYS! :D

xoxo,

     Rebecca

Swiss Chocolate

Because you can't talk about Switzerland without chocolate coming up :)

From Frommer's "Food & Drink in Switzerland":

Chocolate Superpower

Cocoa beans are chocolate's raw ingredients. First publicized in Europe by Columbus, who noticed them growing on trees in Nicaragua in 1502, they were traded as currency by the conquistadores in the New World, who viewed them as an elixir of physical strength. Back in Spain, royal cooks mixed the pulverized beans with sugar and hot water and served them with great success to the royal family. The Spanish-born Anne of Austria introduced it to the French court at her dinner parties after her marriage to Louis XIII. And in a kind of chain reaction to the bean's original "discovery," London's first chocolate shop was established by a Frenchman in 1657.

Nineteenth-century attitudes about chocolate (as perceived in North America and in Europe) were widely different. In 1825, the leading culinarian of the French-speaking world (Brillat-Savarin) declared that chocolate was one of the most effective restoratives of physical and intellectual powers known to man. In contrast, Harriet Beecher Stowe, the American-born moral crusader and woman of letters, declared chocolate unfit for proper American tables, and -- in a burst of prudishness -- commented suspiciously on its French and Spanish origins.

Despite Ms. Stowe's invectives, the market for chocolate continued to grow. This fact was immediately noticed by the canny Swiss from their politically neutral bastion in the Alps.

From the early 1800s, the Swiss began investing heavily in what they perceived as a long-range moneymaker. Pioneers of the industry opened the country's first chocolate factory in 1819 at Corsier, near Vevey. What's now a massive multinational concern, Suchard, was established near Neuchâtel in 1824. In 1875, Swiss-born Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate by adding condensed milk to his brew of pulverized cocoa and sugar. In 1879, the first chocolate bar was created (the Lindt Surfin bar). In 1899, the Sprungli and Lindt empires merged into a Zurich-based chocolate-making dynasty. The Tobler and Nestlé organizations were founded shortly afterward.

Switzerland today is the largest chocolate superpower in the world, leading the globe in production. Both secrecy and precision have always been cited as Swiss virtues, and both of these qualities are required during a complicated blending process that transforms the raw ingredients into the final product. The allure is aesthetic as well as gastronomic: Swiss consumers expect new artwork on their chocolate wrappers at frequent intervals, and an army of commercial artists labors at yearly intervals to comply. The Swiss eat and drink more chocolate per capita than any other nation in the world, fueling their bodies for the bone-chilling temperatures of the alpine climate. (No self-respecting mountain climber ever embarks without the requisite chocolate bars.) Swiss factories maintain "chocolate breaks" for sugar-induced bursts of energy, and swiss housewives usually don't buy less than a kilo of chocolate at a time.

Read more:   http://www.frommers.com/destinations/switzerland/798116#sthash.SlK40VpY.dpbs#ixzz34gQu9bZI

xoxo,

     Rebecca

Aren't you nervous?!

People keep asking me if I'm nervous about moving to a different country. I am WAY too excited to be nervous! haha There are so many things I'm looking forward to! This is going to be life-changing. The only things that have given me some slight trepidation are some random bizarro nightmares and... food. 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am one of the least adventurous eaters on the planet. I'm the girl who has one or two dishes/meals at various restaurants that I ALWAYS order and I rarely deviate from those items (it seems that whenever I do try to have something new, it's always such a  disappointment). I know what I like, and I'm extremely hesitant to try anything outside of that box, ESPECIALLY when it comes to textures. My best friend and her family constantly tease me about "weird ethnic food" but they have managed to open my palate and my mind to some new foods that have actually become personal favorites now, because surprisingly, Utah has a pretty eclectic variety. 
I haven't been TOO worried because, as far as Europe is concerned, I feel that Switzerland is one of the more mild places to be exposed to new kinds of delicious cuisine. And because of its close proximity to so many other countries, there is a cross-over of German, French, and Italian dishes, depending on which area of Switzerland you happen to be in. 
I've just decided that I'm going to try everything at least once. It's not gonna kill me, right? :) Besides, from what I can gather in a five minute Google search haha, the Swiss are big on fondue/cheese, potatoes, sausage, and of course CHOCOLATE ...I think I'm gonna be ok :) 

Here is a link of recommended foods to sample:
BBC Good Food: Top 10 foods to try in Switzerland

xoxo,

     Rebecca

"Ah Music..."

Oh. mah. gosh. I am already IN LOVE with the music from Switzerland's Top 20 list. I'm sure this isn't even the tip of the iceberg, but I can't wait to be exposed to new artists and styles!

Ok, this video sucks, BUT the song is pretty dang catchy. And holy cow, good rap in english already blows my mind, but in another language... *slow clapping while standing* 

(P.S. drugs are BAD, and hookah is stupid.)

ohmahgosh. what is this dancing!? I LOVE IT. It's like Michael Jackson meets Grease! #soretro Also, her voice is awesome.

Just, yes. The Eagles meets Spanish classical guitarist/vocalist, anyone? Mmm.


Also on the Top 20 is Xavier Naidoo, who I am already familiar with (I knew a German exchange student once upon a time); I even own one of his albums, which I love. And apparently the Swiss are big fans of Ed Sheeran and Coldplay as well. Nice! Good taste these people :) Shocking, I know, for a country famous for its brilliant music festivals ;)

xoxo,

     Rebecca

Do you have any recommendations? Leave them in the comments section below! 

A Brief Overview

Ok, so I thought it was probably a good idea to do a little research about where I'll be living, before I get there haha. Here is just a brief (oh so brief) summary:

1. 
   Switzerland a.k.a the Swiss Confederation

   

   "Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno" 

   ~ One for all, all for one ~

   
   

   Government: Federal Republic, Directorial system 

   Official Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh

   Currency: Swiss franc

   Predominant Religion: Christianity

   Time Zone: Central European 

   "The establishment of the Swiss Confederation is traditionally dated to 1 August 1291, which is celebrated annually as Swiss National Day. It has a long history of armed neutrality—it has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815—and did not join the United Nations until 2002. It pursues, however, an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world. Switzerland is also the birthplace of the Red Cross and home to a large number of international organizations, including the second largest UN office. On the European level, it is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association and is part of the Schengen Area – although it is notably not a member of the European Union, nor the European Economic Area. Switzerland comprises four main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian and the Romansh-speaking valleys. Therefore the Swiss, although predominantly German-speaking, do not form a nation in the sense of a common ethnic or linguistic identity; rather, the strong sense of identity and community is founded on a common historical background, shared values such as federalism and direct democracy, and Alpine symbolism." (Wikipedia.com)
   
   

   I will be living near Lake Constance, known in German as the Untersee ("Lower Lake").

    
   
   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
2. Total Church Membership: 8,741

   Congregations: 36

   Temples: 1 ---> Bern Switzerland Temple 

   Family History Centers: 14
   

   xoxo,

        Rebecca

This is NOT a Prank

Yes, it's true: I'm moving to Switzerland! :D

Near the end of 2013, I learned that a good friend, whom I had the pleasure of meeting during my time in Hawaii, was going to be working THIS year in Germany, as an au pair. I was intrigued and asked her about it and how she came upon such an opportunity. She informed me of a couple legitimate, safe websites where you could register to become an au pair and look at possible families (while families in turn, register and search for possible au pairs). I decided, on somewhat of a whim, to create a profile. However, after a discussion with my best friend, and at the beginning of my senior year at school, I quickly put it aside and didn't think much of it. 

I went about my studies, trying to balance being a full-time student, dancing on my University's ballroom company, working on my senior project, three part-time jobs, familial duties, and an effort to maintain some semblance of a social life - all more than plenty individually to preoccupy my mind and my time. 

At last, after four months of insanity and chaos, finals came and went - as did graduation!

I had every intention of moving to Oregon, it was just a matter of when. I had a place to stay, thanks to the kindness of my cousin and her family, lots of other family members and friends in the area, and I felt really good about it. It felt right. And it had been an excruciatingly long time since I had had that much clarity about what I should do, so I was stoked. I even started looking into schools there to eventually pursue a Master's degree.

Well, in the midst of all of this, I decided to check my au pair profile, mostly with the intention of deleting it. Once I got there though, I decided it couldn't hurt to just see if there were any opportunities now that I didn't have school tying me down. I spruced up my profile hoping to impress some family. Much to my surprise, soon I did have people showing interest, especially after I browsed through some families and voiced an interest myself, to those who seemed like a good fit in various countries (you click a button that says "interested" and wait and see if they respond the same way or if they "decline"). Several families in Australia were inquisitive, and one in particular very much peaked my interest and seemed perfect, but after reviewing Australia's visa restrictions etc... I had reservations.

Around this time, a family in Switzerland showed interest and after reviewing their profile, I eagerly responded in the affirmative. Soon after that the mother, Tamara, messaged me. We corresponded through the website's messaging system for about five days, and regardless of having never met this woman previously, I felt an immediate connection with her, as you would with an old friend. You could tell she was just a bright, happy, giving person.

Everything seemed to be falling perfectly into place, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high too soon. 

We decided to exchange email addresses, and traded more messages and photos. Ah! Be still my heart - cutest children, EVER. 

 Baby girl <3

The BOYS

On the carousel w/ her brother. Girl after my own heart :)

We set up a time for a Skype chat where I spoke with Tamara and her husband Peter, and I was able to "meet" their daughter. I just kept falling more and more in love with the whole family. 

Silly girl with her momma, Tamara

Peter & all the kids

During the interview we all confessed we were each other's favorite "candidate" and that we were both ready to proceed with official paperwork. 

The extent of my excitement and joy was (and still is) overwhelming. Like how little kids get overly excited and so full of emotion that they don't know what to do with themselves so they just burst into tears haha. I can't believe this is really happening!  
I couldn't help but post the following epiphany to my Facebook timeline a few days later:

"Recently, Heavenly Father has brought some wonderful opportunities into my life; opportunities that have made me the happiest I can ever remember being. And I have realized, that He was waiting for me to be THIS person; who I am NOW. With this knowledge, this education, these life experiences, and THIS desire in my heart..."

*Side Note: Currently we are working on finishing up all the paperwork and getting a visa! Guess where there just happens to be a Consulate of Switzerland for me to pick up my visa... Salt Lake City, UT :) 

God really is in the details of our lives. Yes, moving to Oregon would have been good; actually it would have been great, but remember that General Conference talk "Good, Better, Best" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks? Being an au pair in Switzerland for this family, is the BEST decision for me at this point in my life. This is EXACTLY what I'm supposed to be doing, and where I'm supposed to go, and I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to continue to get to know these beautiful people welcoming me into their home, and into their lives.

xoxo,

     Rebecca