We are in the Mountains

We have safely arrived in Zurich and its going really well so far! We still have no furniture or household goods as the movers arrive this upcoming friday. We are reliving our college days of eating ramen noodles, oven baked pizzas (no totino's here unfortunately) and toasting sandwiches in the oven on tin foil. I have no idea how I survived like this for 4 years at Emory!

Our apartment has spectacular views of Lake Zurich, the mountains and the city of Zurich...not to mention our back yard is the Zurichberg forest where I take the dogs hiking every day. Its nice to get back to nature after spending almost 13 years in major polluted cities!

Some random facts about Switzerland and Zurich:

-Switzerland is the smallest country I have EVER lived in - 7.5 million people!
-Zurich is a town of 300k people
-They really do have the best cheese and meat fondue, AND chocolate anywhere!
-Everything here is so organized that I am in heaven - though some of the organization is a bit -strange!

Some random funny things about Zurich:

1.) They charge you a garbage tax via your garbage bag. I had to buy a special garbage bag costing 1chf each or $0.75 to put my trash out. They have trash police that will fine you if you don't use the bag! We still haven't figured out what to do with the pup poop bags! haha

2.) The chicken sold in supermarkets here comes from Switzerland and Germany. The German chicken is 50% less in price than the Swiss.

3.) According to our lease, we are only allowed to vacuum from 8:30-noon and 3-8pm Mon -Saturday. No sundays, no holidays! And forget about taking a bath after 10pm at night...it is too disturbing to the neighbors!

4.) I can finally get a drivers license here without being treated like I am from Zimbabwe! Finally a country that recognizes that America can be "civilized", when it wants to be that is...

Well hope you enjoyed these antics! More to come in the weeks ahead!

Its a boy!

We are delighted to share that we will be having a boy in May! It was a bit of a shocker for Ray and I, but we are delighted. The 20 week scan showed that he has all the right parts, with longish legs (which he gets from Ray of course) and big feet! I have been feeling him kick since 15 weeks and Ray just started feeling him from the outside at 22 weeks - this is very early for first pregnancies so we think we have a smarty pants on our hands!