Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Switzerland.... Known for its chocolate, watches, cows, banks, the UN as well as an obsession with efficiency. I will admit that I came with some apprehension as well as disinterest in the culture, relying on my desire to hike in the Swiss Alps to motivate me. Stamped by by comrades going to France and inadvertently preparing for that trip, the past days have felt like a dream of being somewhere unexpected and struggling to convince myself I am here in Switzerland, whatever that means. I have made my way around the region to check in on my kids only to find them staying in lovely homes with lovely people from all different backgrounds; French, English, German, Peruvian, Iranian etc... This makes it kind of hard to know what exactly is Swiss. Many of these folks have some kind of association with the banks here and I was saddened to hear from one of the host mothers that her husband works from 7am - 8pm each day. He travels often and does not have the luxury to be home even for the children's birthdays. My host family is a bit different, they are a couple about the same age as my parents. They are semi-retired and were both born and raised here in Switzerland. My host mother was born in a small village not far from the town of Nyon where I am currently staying. She reminded me that these people work because they choose to. They choose to support large houses with multiple amenities and nice vacations. I am suddenly reminded of my own struggle to find employment and although I may not have much I am still master of my daily destiny. Switzerland is much more agrarian that I thought it would be. People struggle here to find their way lust like anywhere. What I have found so far is an incredibly diverse population quite unlike any that I've ever seen. Finally I saw the mountains for the first time yesterday. They've been hiding behind the haze of our first few days and the rain of the next few. They took my breath away! I think I'm ready to discover what this place has to offer...

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