It’s been more than 10 days since I arrived in Geneva and while it is definitely not home yet nor am I “all settled in” as people keep asking, it’s starting to feel a bit more comfortable.
This morning during my run I spent the 5 miles thinking about the experience thus far and trying to process some of the experiences. Here is a list of thoughts that came to mind in no particular order. I titled this post with a #1 as I’m sure this will be the first of many posts like this.
Once I get a camera or iPhone my posts will become far more regular as I’ll have pictures to share. Until then, you get to enjoy my random thoughts. Also, this stock photo is exactly what I experienced this morning at 5:45 as I ran around Lake Geneva. I stopped at one point and just sat for a few minutes towards the end of my run to reflect on the amazing blessing that I have right now. Within a 12 hour time period I watched the sunset while swimming in the lake and watched it rise while running along the lake path. (source)
– I really miss having an iPhone but not for the reasons my mom or Bo would expect. I don’t miss the social media aspects. I miss being able to easily call my friends and family. I miss having texting to make plans or confirm sharing funny events and pictures. I miss Instagram as my way to share Geneva with everyone. I miss Google maps immensely, especially when after walking for 45 minutes you realize you’ve walked the wrong direction and you can’t find anyone who knows where the small street your walking is located.
-Skype is absolutely amazing.
-Learning French is very difficult when you’ve retained more than you realized of your Spanish minor. Today my French tutor cried he was laughing so hard at my “Sprench.”
-It felt wonderful to dedicate 90 minutes to speaking and learning a new skill. It’s been a while since I had something to study like a new language and I’m welcoming the challenge.
-Swimming in lake water which is clear is far more pleasant than swimming in water that is murky.
-I am willing to spend more money on fresh produce from the farmers market but I haven’t missed Starbucks or other processed foods, except peanut butter.
-According to Google Maps there are no running stores in Geneva. At first I thought this must be false information but after speaking with people it seems to be the case. Looks like my friends will be bringing me new running shoes and Shotblocks for marathon training.
-I am very thankful for the friends I have in Geneva. Without the support of Nico and Renaud, making this move would have been far more difficult. For those of you who have asked, we became friends while working together previously within P&G. Now I am blessed to have four friends in the Geneva P&G office whom have been absolutely amazing. They have invited me to evening and weekend events, answered my numerous questions and help me understand the Geneva culture both within and outside the office. Next Monday I am bringing the four of them together for the first time for an evening on the lake. It should be quite reflective of this international city and office: 1 Scotchman, 1 Frenchman, 1 Belgian, and another US Expat.
-People send Outlook invitations for lunch. As I mentioned, the lunch hour is sacred. This means that people value that time and plan in advance how they’ll spend it. Sometimes you’ll receive a networking invite. Other times its a friend who wants to catch up on the weekend events. But, it is safe to say that most people have their lunch calendar filled a week or so in advance.
-Using appliances is very difficult when the knobs and dials are all labeled in French or German. It’s even harder when the manufacturer doesn’t have manuals on their website translated.
-I will be learning to drive manual again in a few weeks. Almost all cars in Switzerland and France are manual versus automatic. Bo and I plan to buy a used car to enjoy on the weekends which means the likelihood that we’ll be able to find an automatic is slim to none. My dad and I may just have a driving school when my parents are here in September. It will take him back to the days when I was 15 and we did circles and parallel parking drills in the school parking lot.
-I didn’t realize how much I missed water sports and being in water until I arrived. While I realize I had views of the water when I ran along the Hudson and East River in NYC, it’s a bit different when you can actually go in the water and see your hands and the fish swimming around you. There is nothing like ending a long day with two hours on the lake watching the sunset with friends.
-Floor to ceiling windows in an office make a world of difference. My desk faces the mountains and has afternoon sunlight which is perfect for keeping up my energy levels and soothing my soul during a stressful moment.
-I miss our furniture more than I thought. I figured that having temporary furniture would be fine but it’s been 10 years since I lived in a dorm setting and I don’t miss the furniture style one bit. Cooking with limited tools and having a very uncomfortable couch to sit on doesn’t make one want to be at home very much.
-I lost 8 pounds in the first 10 days here. I was doing nothing to try and lose weight but I think it is in keeping with the European way of life. I walk over 2 miles each day in addition to my run, I have eaten barely any processed foods since arriving, I’m less stressed, and I am sleeping 7-8 hours each night.
-I love living in another city with amazing and efficient public transportation. Taxi cabs are EXCEEDINGLY expensive here and I believe that one of the reasons is that the only people who need them on a regular basis are tourists and business travelers who don’t understand or care to use TPG, the Geneva tram and bus system.
-I have a new appreciation for the written word. Due to the time change getting people on the phone isn’t that easy. I’ve been sending my parents and Bo daily notes, sometimes paragraphs and other times 1-2 sentences, capturing the day’s adventures. In addition, I cried last night when I received my first letters from friends back in the states. Who knew a simple postcard could be so powerful. My friend Katie made it fun by asking me questions at the end. I thought I’d capture the questions and answers here for you guys!
What is my favorite French word so far? Bonjour. It’s the only French word I truly believe I can pronounce appropriately at this point. Please see above “Sprench” reference for more information.
What new food do I love and what do I miss? I am 100% in love with bircher rouge with is bircher museli made with berries. I have had it every morning for breakfast and while I have no clue what the calories or ingredients are I know it is made fresh each morning and that I lost weight the first 10 days here so it must be living up to it’s superfood reputation. I miss peanut butter and ice. Ice is available but not quite as common as it is in the states.
-I definitely miss my friends and Bo but at the same time I am so thankful for this opportunity that I have to focus on that. I have made a priority to write letters, emails, and Skype with people more than I would have previously while on vacation or business trips. Bo and I have talked all but one night via Skype and having that time to connect has made a world of difference.
-I’m really excited for my first London weekend with Bo this weekend!
That’s all I can remember for now. If you have any random questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them and share in future posts.
As I’ve mentioned before, when Procter & Gamble offered me the expat assignment in Geneva Bo and I had a tough choice to make as there weren’t any options in Geneva that would allow him to stay with his employer or further his career based on his current work. By sheer luck, there was an opening on his same team with Barclay’s in their London office, where Barclay’s is based. Through an internal interview process he was offered the role! Therefore, Bo and I will be living in separate cities Monday through Thursday each week. But, each weekend we will be together either in one of our home cities or another European city. While for some, this may be hard to fathom, but keep in mind we have been together for ten years. Over the course of this time we’ve been in different cities for four of the years. The key for us has always been constant communication via email and phone along with seeing each other as often as possible. 
We kicked off our morning in London with a run along The Thames. Unfortunately it wasn’t the most scenic or easy run until the end as running from Canary Warf westbound towards Millennium Bridge doesn’t have a constant running path. But, regardless of scenery or ease enjoying 5-6 miles through the streets together is our favorite way to begin discovering any new city! 
Today is Bo’s 29th birthday so we’re going to spend the rest of the day doing anything he wants! So far this includes fish & chips for lunch and walking around two of our potential neighborhoods taking in the sights and the lovely, cool London weather together. 
