I arrived safely in the land of the Swiss yesterday morning after a very long and sleepless flight! When I landed it was 5am my time, but 11am Swiss time, so even though I was super tired, I had to fight it and stay up!
As soon as I unboarded the plane, I knew that I had to be in Europe because I had to board a train to get to the baggage claim area of the airport! Go figure! My bags were one of the last ones off of the plane and I was starting to get very nervous and thought that my bags were lost because the crowd around the baggage claim belt was quickly dwindling and my bags still hadn't made an appearance! Luckily though, they came through just as I was beginning to strategize how I could make the 2 outfits I had in my carry-on last a whole year!
After I retrieved my bags, I continued to the exit of the terminal and walked into what seemed like a sea of people. I had seen my host family in pictures, so I knew who I was looking for, but I couldn't find them! Luckily they saw me and started wing so I was able to find them! With big smiles, we greeted each other and I gave each of them huge hugs. Especially my new mom, Rita, because I couldn't stop thinking about my own mother back in Canada. We went to the car and loaded my suitcases and piled in.
The drive from Zurich to Harkingen (where I live) is about an hour long and I swear i had my mouth open the entire time because I was trying to comprehend the immense beauty of this country! Rita speaks quite a bot of English so she was able to explain some things to me on the drive home. We pulled up to this red apartment building and I knew I was home. There is always a feeling you get, and I definitely had it.
My family lives on the 3rd floor, and their apartment is what we know as the "penthouse". There is a balcony surrounding the entire the apartment and each room has a door that opens onto it! I have my own bedroom here and it is very cute. Rita even hand sewed my curtains! I unpacked my bags and settled into my new home as my host dad, Ernst, made lunch! It is a really odd feeling eating lunch foods at my breakfast time, and dinner foods at my lunch time!
One of my host sisters, Natalie, and I went for a walk around Harkingen and to her grandparent's house to buy eggs from their small chicken farm. Natalie also speaks a fair bit of English, so our walk wasn't as silent as I thought it would be!
Marielle is the oldest daughter of my host parents but she does not live at home. She came over for dinner last night so I was able to meet her! She spent a year in Montana in 2004, so her and I were able to converse about things that were familiar to me!
One thing I have noticed is that my host family has a LOT of maps and atlases. It is so awesome because they often pull them out and show me things about Switzerland on a map and then I show them things about where I am from in Canada on a different map! Rita's brother lives in near Montreal, and my host family couldn't believe how far the distance was between Hamilton and Montreal, because in Switzerland, you would be in a different country if you traveled that far, haha!
I went to bed right after dinner yesterday because I was so tired! And to my surprise I didn't wake up until 11am! I think I am almost on Swiss time now!
I think about home and my family and dogs a lot, but every time I do, I get teary eyed because it is so different and weird not having them in my direct contact all of the time! With that said, I do love it here and wouldn't trade this experience for the world! It is difficult and very different having everyone around you speaking a different language and only understanding every 20th word, but with time I am hopeful that will change!
I have to end here though because my host mom is taking me to Basel this afternoon!
I miss you all and think about you often!
Much love,
Madi <3
Here are some photographs of my view! :)
Looking out from the dinner table!
The view from my room!
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