Author: Mark

One year ago today I arrived in Switzerland. Time flies! The past year went by quickly. I really enjoy living here, especially because the pace of life is very different from in the U.S. Still, it can be tough living in a foreign country, especially one where you struggle with the language.

Things I’m pleased about

• Haven’t driven to the supermarket in a year
• Can see cows and corn and mountains from our apartment
• Left my old job and now work for myself
• Learned a fair amount of German
• Visited UK, Portugal, Italy, and France
• Visited many beautiful places in Switzerland

Things that didn’t go as planned

• Need to exercise more
• Need to manage my time better
• Wish I had learned more German
• Wish I had met more locals
• Would like to have traveled even more

Much of the first year in a new place is just settling in: finding a place to live, setting up the apartment, getting a car, finding care providers, learning how things work, learning how and where to buy things, etc. The first year is always the hardest. I hope now that that’s behind us, we’ll have more time to exercise and travel both internationally and domestically.

We don’t know how long we will be here. I’d love to stay for a few more years, but that might not work out. Regardless, we hope to make the most of our time here.