Wish us luck!

Well, here’s our big news:

Dennis managed to arrange a year in the Zurich Google office, and we leave on December 27th.

Dennis actually just returned Friday, triumphant, from a house-hunting trip.  Zurich is divided into twelve districts, and we’ll be living in the third, right about here. As you can see, the apartment he found us is just across the street from the district’s community center and also a large public park, including a library, petting zoo, ice rink, pool and water slides, and, of course, playgrounds, one of which has a slide that is more than twice as tall as our house. Our new back yard!

In the opposite direction, about two blocks away, will be Alex’s Kindergarten (they start at age 4 there), and, just past that, Ella’s primary school.  Swiss children are accustomed to walking to and from school without their parents, even at the age of 4.  With the schools so close, and no roads (just apartment building) between our place and the schools, I may be able to bring myself to let them go it alone.  Especially since Ella can drop Alex off on her way.  Or perhaps little Joey and I will spy from the bushes. We’re both quite stealthy.

Zurich is in the German section of Switzerland, and so the children will be learning Hochdeutsche in their schools (although the kids all speak Schweizerdeutsch at home and, more importantly, on the playground).  Most of the teachers in Ella’s and Alex’s respective schools speak at least rudimentary English, and the schools provide pullout language lessons for the many ex-patriots who have been flooding their schools, so I’ve decided to trust that they’ll be fine. Probably they’ll be better off than I am.  Despite my good intentions, my Rosetta Stone software is getting dusty.

Getting our home sorted was a huge relief: Dennis has the help of a relocation agent, but the market there is incredibly tight, so much so that appearing and applying in person was absolutely necessary.  Thank goodness for Dennis’s charm. He also had to provide a family photo and letter of introduction, proving that yes, the rest of us are presentable, and promising that no, we won’t vacuum after 8:00 PM.
If you’d like, I’ll let you know our new address, but my lovely mother-in-law will still be collecting and passing along letters from our Kirkland address, too.   We’ll also both have a couple of internet phone numbers (let me know if you want mine!) that are local to Seattle and Cleveland.  Or we’re happy to web chat: keep in touch!  We’ll miss you all!

As a part of our relocation package, Google is shipping a largish crate for us--our movers come on Wednesday--so the kids and I have spent the past couple of weeks deciding what, exactly, is most important to us.  Ella requested that we bring her turtle and her toothbrush; Alex, his stuffed kitty and his tiger.  This, I think, we can manage.  In addition to my kids’ modest requests, I’m bringing along more toys and art supplies than I should.  Especially considering that their favorite toys are all self-constructed.  Ella asked today, hopefully, if they have cardboard boxes in Switzerland.  “They are SO much fun. And highly useful.” 

I especially like the red "do not push" button

From Ella's Calvin & Hobbes phase

Oh, that? It's a puppet theater.

 
I think we’ll have plenty of cardboard.  Since furnished apartments rent for approximately 40% more than unfurnished, we’ll be ordering a houseful of furniture from Ikea.  ($40 bed? Right on!) One strange thing: apparently the apartments in Switzerland don’t come with light fixtures.  There are only holes in the ceilings, with wires.  So we’ll have to order some lights as well.  Or candles.

Grinch that I am, I told the children we wouldn’t be giving them Christmas presents this year, at least not on Christmas.  We thought it would be fun for them to pick out a new toy or three when we arrive instead.  So right now there are two gifts for each kid under the tree, mailed to us by kind friends.  I can’t tell you how often those boxes have been fondled and wondered over.

Oh, yes, I said tree.  We did put it up this year, so December 26th is dismantle-Christmas day, and then, the next afternoon, we’re off.

As I said, wish us luck!

And, here’s some homework for you: we’re making a list of family-friendly (the children are 7, 4, and 2) tourist destinations for the coming year.  If you have any recommendations, please pass them along. We’re looking forward to sticking some pushpins in our European wall map!