What will you do with your garden?

That is the other most asked question I get now that I am leaving...'What are you going to do with your garden?' I fear that I have become a bit of a green thumb during my Schwebergarten (allottment garden in German) period here in Switzerland... we all know it.

The good thing though about the system here in Switzerland is that I just rented the garden. I rented it indefinitely and would have paid for another year come Spring if we were staying, but as fate would have it, we are not and I will be handing the land back over to whomever the next lucky person on the waiting list is. I will give up my key, and my soil, and get my deposit back... but leave with a lot of good memories...

When I get back to Australia, I have big gardening plans, so stay tuned on the new blog. I love Australia native plants and I intend to go to town in the backyard, creating my own little (dog friendly - or rather dog proof if that is possible!) native oasis... And I intend to get a colorbond/aluminium raised garden bed to try my hand at some fruit and veg in Australia, too. It all comes down to the dirt in Australia - it is really sand - so you have to bring in the good stuff (compost rich and dark), preferably in its own area or pot, which I will do, to make a success of it... and WATER A LOT!

Until then, let's remember the good times, with a few photos of the last weeks of the garden - also when my brother was here and he let me use his fancy macro lens to capture a few shots. Thanks, Nate! A lot of these photos are his. So please contact him if you would like to rip off his work. heheh :)



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Someone please take my apartment so I can stop showing it... please?!

Ok, here is the deal. I am annoyed. It is not Wincasa's fault, and it would be easier to blame them, but I won't. Yet, I am still annoyed. Allow me to explain.

We handed in our notice to Wincasa about... oh 8 weeks ago now. Yes, we have a four month notice period with our current apartment. I would say that is INSANE... but really it is BEYOND INSANE, although I have heard of some notices that can only be given on the night of a full moon when the temperature is 24 degrees. Ok, not really, but I have heard of some where you can only give notice like in September or May, or two months of the year. I know - INSANE. Anyway, so we have known for awhile that we would be leaving the apartment, and so has Wincasa.

And when they confirmed our notification, they wrote a nice line in the letter about how great it would be if we could 'cooperate' in terms of them finding a new tenant. Sure, ok, no worries. I will cooperate. You wanna show someone around - go ahead - you have a key...

Oh, what? You don't have a key?

Oh... I see... I will just leave it in the mailbox and you can show them on in. That's cool. I trust you. I know where you live.

Um... oh... what's that? You require that we are here when you show people our apartment? Ok - so you don't require but you prefer that we are here? Oh, I see. So you want me to be here while strange people go through my fridge and peruse my underwear drawer and why don't I show them the washer and dryer in the basement, too...??!! Sure... ok... COME ON DOWN...

So I have complied with this little ruse and I have made myself available for not one but TWO open nights so far in which I sit here and watch people go through my home and shake their head about how it just won't work... or get all excited about the place, but knowing in the end that ultimately no contracts have come. I know it is not my place and I should not be attached - but hell, it is my place right now and I should not have to witness this abuse.

Then I get another email today... "Um, no contracts yet... when can we come again?"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Does anyone else think that this is insane? I know that this is how things are run in Switzerland and like no one owns their own home but why do they have to make it so no one can own their own privacy too!? Of course I will do the right thing and say come on over with bells on next week so that I can watch some more strangers make mental notes of all the things they would like to steal or how there is no way they would put the TV in that location... but I am only doing it because I like the Wincasa lady and she complimented my gourds... the quickest way to my heart, I tell ya. But I still say that I just wish it were like Boston where the apartment is showed during the day when I am at work or after I move out perhaps?! ERRRRRRR.

So... if you want a great 4 1/2 by Swiss standards apartment in the roof in a quiet neighborhood in Urdorf, just say the word. I will personally show you around... not because I want to though... but because I am a sucker that cannot say no to a lady that knows a good pumpkin when she sees one...
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The Rose that is Rapperswil

In the distance, the Capuchin Monestary in Rapperswil

We went to Rapperswil when my family was in town, and I have to admit... I loved it. I thought it would be bit too small - a bit too boring. And while it was small, it was far from boring. This little village at the end of the Zurichsee is honestly delightful. I can't imagine why we didn't visit it sooner - oh yeah, that's right - because Jace thought it would be small and boring. Note to self - Jace doesn't know what he is missing... all he knows is that Rapperswil is fun to say... "Rappers - veeelllll!"

Rapperswil castle

The highlights of the town include Rapperswil castle (now the Polish Muesum is housed inside as well as an über-expensive restaurant)...

... the wooden bridge to Hurden, one of the longest wooden bridges in the world...

Wooden bridge in the distance

... and the picturesque alleys of the Altstadt. The town is also famed for its multiple rose gardens, one of which I stumbled upon with a few open blossoms before Fall hit...

... not to mention the Capuchin monestary on the hill - seen in the first picture, and the vineyards surrounding it are below.

Whether you come via train or boat, I would recommend Rapperswil for a lovely little weekend outing or daytrip from Zürich. There is a lot more to see than you would expect, and the size is just right for photo lovers or familes. Enjoy!

Want more?

• Ladies that lunch in Rapperswil by Peterhals
  

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Traumjob gewinnen : VOTE FOR VALENTINA!

Hey everyone - one of my friends has applied for a dream job to be a sports moderator, and if she wins, she will get to moderate during the Swiss vs. Israel game coming up and get a whopping CHF 5.000! Please vote for her every day from now until next Monday the 12th and help her realize her dreams. (Only those that live in Switzerland can vote, so please tell your friends!)

PLUS- if you understand German, her video is super cute and definately the best!

GO VALENTINA!!! My hero! ;)

VOTE FOR VALENTINA

Thanks everyone.

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We are moving back to Australia!

This is the post I thought would never come, but knew was eventually inevitable, such is the life of an expat. Jace and I, after much thought and deliberation, have decided to move back to Australia. Due to several factors, the timing is right. And while on one hand we are both sad to close this chapter of our cosmopolitan lives, on the other we are really excited to open the next by returning to Jace's home of Perth, Australia and trying our hand at planting some roots...

Let's cut to the chase though as you must have questions, and I have prepared some answers to those questions that we seem to get a lot of now that the word is out.

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When are you leaving?
We will be leaving at the end of November. That gives us a few more weeks to enjoy Fall in Switzerland, tie up our professional lose ends, and pack a lot of stuff.

Can I have your stuff?
Nope. Sorry. We are taking it with us... it was a big (expensive) decision which I question daily and will no doubt chronicle here, but no, this is my toaster and I am taking it with me.

I want to live in Switzerland... can I have your job? your apartment?
Um, as for the job, it is on Monster.com. I have no influence in who gets it, but I can highly recommend it. As for the apartment, I believe it is still available and in Urdorf. We loved it and can highly recommend living in Urdorf... As for living in Switzerland in general - I recommend you throw your hat in the ring if you get an opportunity to live abroad. It is a wonderful experience, and if you don't try, you'll never know... so just do it !

What is going to happen to the blog? Who will write it now?
Well, that is a good question. I definitely cannot write a "Swiss" story blog from Australia, but my blogging days are far from over. I have a few ideas in the back of my head for a new blog (Note to self - need cool new blog name...suggestions welcome...) and let's face it - it will still be an Expat blog (me being American and all- or an Ami as the Aussies say). I am hoping all of you will come along and join me for the virtual ride. This blog will remain online so that future expats can still benefit from the wealth that is Swisstory. And the Swiss Expat Blog Network will stay, too, and I will no doubt be checking in although I will obviously be taking a less active role.

Are you sad to go?
Yes. Of course. Living in Europe was a dream come true for us. I still have a long list of things to see and people to do... scratch that, reverse it... but let's face it, we are still in our 20's. We have some time, right?! ;) I see retirement cruises in the Mediterranean in our future... if not earlier vacations/adventures!

You just got the handle on your German and now you are leaving?!
Well, I know. That sucks doesn't it? Or should I say, "Das ist total doof, oder? Es macht mich auch verrückt." But that is cool - I am already taking applications a la Paris Hilton for my new Super Cool German Speaking Aussie Best friend. Please contact me for details. ;)

What are you going to do in Perth?
I am looking at online marketing/digital roles in Perth. If you have an opportunity for me, let me know. I am available to rock your digital world as of December 2009. Otherwise, we will be living it up in our house that has been waiting for us these last few years - albeit in the hands of what I hear are clean freak renters (thank you, we love you), dreaming of our future labrador puppy whose name I will spare you for the time-being, and no doubt Jace will be keeping my long list of Asian vacation plans in check.

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Got another question - post it in the comments and I will answer it here.

So that's it. We're leaving. Ho hum. But -until we leave and probably even into 2010, I will continue to blog about our lives in Switzerland and the process of returning home... after all, the blog has to come full circle eventually and the harmony in that gives me good Chi and Zen and super Shui feelings simultaneously.

I thank you all for following us in our expat adventures, especially those of you who have taken the time to connect via email, comments, in person or on the network, and I look forward to sharing our new adventures down under with you in a new blog soon. Until then, let's continue our Swisstory adventures, shall we? ;)
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Stein am Rhein? More like total GEM!

(A few weeks ago now...) on Wednesday, we took off for a place that everyone seems to love as I have read and heard a lot about it - Stein am Rhein, which literally means, Stone on the Rhein. The Rhein is a major river in Europe and it just happens to border Switzerland to the north. However, I think that this village was totally jipped when it came to names, as this is no stone on the river, but a priceless jewel, a wonderful little village (albeit tourist swamped) which after visiting I would 100% recommend as one of the best day trips from Zürich on offer. (By the way, the only historical evidence I could find of why it was named Stein am Rhein was that there was a stone bridge here during Roman times...)

We arrived at Stein am Rhein in a round about way - a route recommended by my sister in law, Sarah, who visited a few weeks before us. We took a train to Schaffhausen first, being sure to sit on the left side of the train from Wintertur to Schaffhausen, as instructed by our helpful SBB ticket agent, so we could see the Rheinfalls out the window. Stunning!!! Then when we arrived in Schaffhausen, we took a bus to the river (2 minute ride, or 10 minute walk) and then took a scenic boat to Stein am Rhein. (All in all, took about an hour and a half to get to Schaffhausen from Zürich, the boat ride was 2 hours from Schaffhausen to Steim am Rhein and worth it... then we trained back from Stein am Rhein. Simples.)

The boat is run by the SBB as well, so if you have a GA pass or Swiss pass, like my family did, you're covered! I got a special day pass that got me great savings on this trip with my half-fare card. Enquire at your SBB ticket office.

We got on the boat around 11 am and arrived at Stein am Rhein at 1pm - just in time to be famished and devour a few delicious crepes at the creperie recommended by many (thanks again!) on the main street... the street is tiny, so you cannot miss this quaint creperie quite near the ice cream parlor.

The highlights of Stein am Rhein are the medieval city walls and gates, ornate painted houses - especially those on the main street...

...and the medieval castle up on the hill, which you can see in the distance from the main street... not to mention the lovely vineyards and Rhein river surrounds.

The medieval city streets are also pedestrianized, meaning no cars - so considering that and all the beautiful features of the city, I would say Stein am Rhein is a photographer's paradise. My mom and brother really loved it. I could not keep them with me for a minute longer after lunch - they were off shooting every nook and cranny within seconds.

So if you need a great weekend getaway or a dose of Swiss architectural beauty, check out Stein am Rhein. I am glad we did, and I even got a few photos myself. ;) Check out my slideshow.



Next on the agenda... Rapperswil!
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