I've been trying to get caught up on my pictures and blogging from these last few months, so here are some of the highlights from the last month or so that I was in Switzerland (minus my trip in Germany with my family, which will get post(s) of its own).
One weekend, I spent about 30 hours in Strasbourg, visiting my dear friend Aurore one last time. I went the weekend before the Christmas markets opened, so the whole city was decorated so beautifully. We were able to have dinner with some of Aurore's friends that I have seen so often in my visits (and at Aurore's wedding) that we have become friends, and we had such a nice time together that Aurore and I barely caught the last tram home. It was so nice to get some extra time with Aurore, and it was hard to say goodbye. I'm sure we'll meet again, though!
Quite a bit of the last month that I was in Switzerland was taken up with administrative things: de-registering from Switzerland, canceling all my contracts, packing everything, moving out of my flat, selling everything that I didn't leave in my flat or take with me, finishing things at work, and figuring out how to close my bank account. This meant that I got to wander around Zurich during the day to take care of some of this business, and I got some pretty pictures of the area by the river.
I spent my final weekend in Switzerland in Ticino with Stefanie and her family. Ticino is possibly my favorite place in Switzerland, and Stefanie and her family are among my favorite people, so it was the perfect last weekend. I had finished moving the week before, so I was able to relax and just enjoy our time together.
The weekend did have a rather funny ending: Stefanie and I were running a little later than normal for the train (we're both normally 15-minutes-early girls), so I rushed to put my luggage on the train and then got off to say goodbye (which is what I normally do). All of the sudden, with no warning, the doors slammed shut and the train took off with everything that I owned: laptop, cell phone, wallet, passport, luggage, etc. There were a few moments of panic, but Stefanie happened to know someone who was also on the train, and he found my bags and gave them to the conductor, who left them at a stop about 30 minutes away. Then I got on the next train- thankfully my ticket wasn't checked, since I had nothing on my person- and caught up with my luggage in time to catch the next train. The funny thing is that, in the end, I caught up with the train that I was supposed to be on originally and ended up sitting in the same car that I was in to start out with! (The train that my luggage took without me is a slower train that stops more frequently, but you don't have to change at any stations, so I liked to take it, since it gave me the chance to get more work done.) All's well that ends well, and I'm really thankful that Stefanie took care of me and talked to everyone in Italian and made sure that I was reunited with my things.
That's the beauty of Switzerland, though. I was really never worried that someone would steal my things or that I wouldn't catch up with them, I was only worried that I was going to have to break the rules by riding the train without a ticket to catch up with my things!
Thinking back, I feel like I spent my last month in Switzerland running around like a crazed maniac (I did), but I was able to have some really sweet time with some of my dear friends and to say goodbye to some of my favorite places. I do really miss Switzerland, but I know that I'll go back someday!
One weekend, I spent about 30 hours in Strasbourg, visiting my dear friend Aurore one last time. I went the weekend before the Christmas markets opened, so the whole city was decorated so beautifully. We were able to have dinner with some of Aurore's friends that I have seen so often in my visits (and at Aurore's wedding) that we have become friends, and we had such a nice time together that Aurore and I barely caught the last tram home. It was so nice to get some extra time with Aurore, and it was hard to say goodbye. I'm sure we'll meet again, though!
Quite a bit of the last month that I was in Switzerland was taken up with administrative things: de-registering from Switzerland, canceling all my contracts, packing everything, moving out of my flat, selling everything that I didn't leave in my flat or take with me, finishing things at work, and figuring out how to close my bank account. This meant that I got to wander around Zurich during the day to take care of some of this business, and I got some pretty pictures of the area by the river.
I spent my final weekend in Switzerland in Ticino with Stefanie and her family. Ticino is possibly my favorite place in Switzerland, and Stefanie and her family are among my favorite people, so it was the perfect last weekend. I had finished moving the week before, so I was able to relax and just enjoy our time together.
The weekend did have a rather funny ending: Stefanie and I were running a little later than normal for the train (we're both normally 15-minutes-early girls), so I rushed to put my luggage on the train and then got off to say goodbye (which is what I normally do). All of the sudden, with no warning, the doors slammed shut and the train took off with everything that I owned: laptop, cell phone, wallet, passport, luggage, etc. There were a few moments of panic, but Stefanie happened to know someone who was also on the train, and he found my bags and gave them to the conductor, who left them at a stop about 30 minutes away. Then I got on the next train- thankfully my ticket wasn't checked, since I had nothing on my person- and caught up with my luggage in time to catch the next train. The funny thing is that, in the end, I caught up with the train that I was supposed to be on originally and ended up sitting in the same car that I was in to start out with! (The train that my luggage took without me is a slower train that stops more frequently, but you don't have to change at any stations, so I liked to take it, since it gave me the chance to get more work done.) All's well that ends well, and I'm really thankful that Stefanie took care of me and talked to everyone in Italian and made sure that I was reunited with my things.
That's the beauty of Switzerland, though. I was really never worried that someone would steal my things or that I wouldn't catch up with them, I was only worried that I was going to have to break the rules by riding the train without a ticket to catch up with my things!
Thinking back, I feel like I spent my last month in Switzerland running around like a crazed maniac (I did), but I was able to have some really sweet time with some of my dear friends and to say goodbye to some of my favorite places. I do really miss Switzerland, but I know that I'll go back someday!
