Public Transportation in Switzerland

From the moment I told people "we are moving to Switzerland", everyone that I know who has been there has said "oh, the trains are GREAT!  It is so easy to move around!  You won't need a car".

To them, after just completing a ten day house hunting trip in Switzerland, I say "you must not be traveling with three children and a double stroller".

If you are mobile, without young children, then yes, the public transports options are AMAZING!!!

However, I found it extremely stressful to use the trains.

I have a double stroller for my two youngest, ages 2 years and 9 months.  The second seat is below the main seat, which makes it a little easier.  If I had a side by side double stroller...forget about it.  That would be impossible to get on a train.

Some of the trains are handicap/stroller accessible, when you can just roll right onto the train, from the platform.

Other trains two steps up to get on the train.  They may have a handicap sign next to one of the train doors.  However, the steps do not turn into a ramp with the push of a button.  Apparently you need to be able to pick up your double stroller (or wheelchair) and carry it up.  And, if you cannot be this yourself, you are supposed to ask for assistance from a railway employee...  The handicap sign on the train door just indicates that there is enough room in that cabin to park your stroller or wheelchair.

Luckily, my husband and I were able to each pick up an end of the stroller.  But, I was still stressed about timing.  The trains are only in the stations for a few minutes.  They are very timely and do not wait.  So, it was very stressful to find the door with the handicap sign, get the stroller aboard and reassure our walking six year old that she wouldn't get left (on or off the train) without us.

My stress level was especially high as once we landed at the Zurich airport, we were to take the train from there to Schaffhausen.  My husband bought the tickets.  We were on the platform 10 minutes early.  Our train arrived 8 minutes late.  And, as we were trying to carry out luggage, car seats, carry on bags and three children into the train...the train left the station.  Not a good start to our trip (especially as the airline had forgotten to put our stroller on the flight!).  Double whammy!

From there, we had to lug our stuff back upstairs into the airport and find a taxi.  $250 francs later, plus the $50 train tickets we didn't get to use, we made it to Schaffhausen...where our realtor was waiting to show us homes!

Moving to Switzerland!

After almost four years in the New York City area, we are being sent to Switzerland for an expat assignment!

We are very excited for the move, as well as anxious for the relocation process to begin!

Right now, we are in a state of waiting.  Life is on hold, as we await the visa process.

But, we need things to start moving as our oldest needs to get enrolled in school and our apartment lease is up in 6 weeks!

In the meantime, I may need to update the name of my blog, Google "necessary Swish German words for beginners", and begin organizing/purging items we will and won't be needing overseas.

Favorite Things and Places within NJ Driving Distance

When people ask us "what do you like about NJ?"...our response is always "how easy it is to leave NJ."

We LOVE that we can get to Manhattan in 20 minutes, Connecticut in 45 minutes, Philadelphia in 90 minutes, Boston in 3.5 hours, Newport, Rhode Island in 3 hours, etc.  We haven't driven to Washington DC since moving to NJ, but DC is only about 4 hours away too!  Portland, Maine is about 5 hours away.  After 8 months of living here, I am still amazed that I can drive thru 6 states in 5 hours (NJ, NY, CT, MA, NH, ME).  It's GREAT!  And, so different than living in the midwest!

So, here are a few of our favorite places within driving distance:

1.  NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

Newport is one of my absolute favorite places!  I love downtown Newport, the Cliff Walk, and Brenton Point State Park.  It is a great place to spend a weekend, or a day, as we often do!  We went to Newport on July 1st for the America's Cup.  It was our first sailing event and a great day!

2.  PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia was an easy 90 minute drive.  We parked in a garage near Independence Hall, waited in line to see the Liberty Bell (free to all), then walked a few blocks away to grab a Philly Cheesesteak at Campo's.  We drove towards Boathouse Row, parking for free on a side street, and walked around, ending up at the Rocky steps at the Art Museum!  Not too many people were running up the steps...too many cheesesteaks perhaps?

3.  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Boston is about 4 hours away.  A bit long for a day trip...but doable.  We went to Boston on a whim last weekend.  Next time, we'll plan ahead a bit.  It was a game day, so Fenway Park was packed early and the tours sold out super early.  We also tried to take a tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery, but since it was a game day...they closed early and we missed that tour too!  We did enjoy walking around Fenway.  And, we made our way to Cambridge to walk around Harvard University.  We found an awesome children's park near the university in Cambridge Commons.  We also enjoyed walking thru the park and reading the monuments and plaques on display.  I know a little more US history than I did prior to our visit!  Boston made for a long day, but definitely worth it.  We'll be going back!

Favorite Things and Places in NJ and NY

Since moving to New Jersey in November, we have tried to hit the ground running.  We don't know how long we'll be here, so we try to make the most of our weekends.

So far, here are a few of my favorite things that we have done and seen.

1.  MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

The parade made for a long day, but it was definitely worth it.  We researched our parking garage ahead of time, opting to park on the Upper East Side around 63rd Avenue.  With a coupon, I think we paid $15 to park (not bad!).  We walked thru Central Park and found a spot on Central Park West.  We arrived around 6 am.  The teenagers in front us arrived at 5 am.  They deserved their spot upfront!  We brought blankets and chairs...next year we'll bring caution tape to identify "our" spot and keep the late arrivals away.  Those that arrived after 8 tried to crowd in and make their way up to the front...which is NOT appreciated by those that arrive at 5 or 6 am!  The parade is in our agenda for this Thanksgiving!

2.  ROCKEFELLER CENTER AT CHRISTMAS

Rockefeller Center is a must at Christmas.  I think we took Annie three or four times, including going on Christmas Eve - which was the most crowded time.  Each time we park in the same garage on 40th, near Times Square.  With a coupon, we pay about $15 (without a coupon you are looking at $26).  It is great fun to walk past Radio City Music Hall, Bryant Park and around Times Square.  There are always people (and a line) ice skating at Rockefeller Center, which is fun to watch.  I plan on ice skating there this winter, at least once!

3.  THE BELMONT STAKES

The Belmont Stakes is run at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY in June.  We spent $10/person (kids free) for general admission tickets, along with another $10 to park.  Most of our time was spent in the "backyard" at the playground.  But, we made our way towards the track for the big race.  We moved away from the finish line towards the last turn to have a bit more space, due to having a stroller with us.  The whole experience was great.  Excellent atmosphere.  We have talked about going to all three of the Triple Crown events in 2013.  A side note:  Until the Belmont, I had never seen so many men wearing pastels!

4.  CENTRAL PARK ZOO

Above is a picture of our friend Gus, the Polar Bear, who lives at the Central Park Zoo.  We have been to see Gus 5 or 6 times.  Upon our first visit to the CPZ, we became members.  Joining gives you access to five zoo's around NYC, as well as to the NY Aquarium in Brooklyn.  The CPZ is our favorite, because it is small with just a few exhibits and it is in Central Park - our next favorite place!

5.  CENTRAL PARK

Most people think of Central Park immediately when planning a visit.  But, it is awesome for locals.  The amount of runners, bikers, athletes and kids in the park is tremendous.  The park is huge and great fun to explore.  We actually need to dedicate more time to exploring and utilizing the park.  In the summer, it is best to get there early in the morning, beating the heat and the crowds!

6.  JANE'S CAROUSEL AT DUMBO PARK

Jane's Carousel is located in Brooklyn, under the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge's in DUMBO Park.  DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.  The carousel cost $2, I believe.  And, I think they charged for my husband, not my daughter.  We parked for free on a residential street in Brooklyn, then walked thru Brooklyn Bridge Park and over to DUMBO Park.  The park has great views and the best carousel we've ridden so far!

The Move: Mexico to New Jersey

Seven months since my last post, I have decided to update my blog name and continue posting.  In November 2011, we moved from Mexico City to New Jersey, just over the George Washington Bridge from New York City.  We are about 15 minutes away from midtown Manhattan and trying to take advantage of living on the East coast!

Before I get into life in New Jersey and New York City, I should go back to the end of our time in Mexico City...

Our time in Mexico went very quick and was hectic at the end.  We kept Annabelle in school until the day before we left.  Seven months later, Annabelle still says "I miss Pao" - her teacher at Mi Montessori in Polanco!

Mike made two separate week long business trips to New Jersey in October.  Then, my sister came to visit.  We celebrated Halloween with our playgroup and by trick-or-treating with the families from Mi Montessori.  And, we had to sell mattresses, rugs, furniture, as well as return our rental furniture.  All the while coordinating everything with the date the movers were coming to pack us up.  It was a bit crazy, as the movers weren't confirmed until two days before our packing date.

Then, when the movers arrived, they started packing boxes...but didn't bring a scale to weigh anything.  I was told we could bring back 40 pounds more than what we arrived in Mexico with.  However, with our language barrier and lack of scale, we came home with much less.  A woman from the relocation company called to make sure the movers had arrived...but she was calling from London and wasn't able to help or do anything.  Once the movers had finished, a woman from their office in Mexico called to tell me my shipment would be taken back to their warehouse, where it would then be weighed.  At that point they would call me to tell me if I was over or under my weight allowance.  Not surprisingly, I never received that phone call.

The other small issue we had was our satellite service...  When we moved in, we signed a one year contract with SKY.  They wouldn't allow us to break our contract and were going to continue charging our credit card monthly.  Luckily, we were able to transfer the service...not to the U.S. but to one of Mike's co-workers in Mexico.  Mike's co-worker added our remaining 6 months to his contract and took over the payment.  Thank you Carlos!!!

Two days before our flight back to Chicago, we took Molly to the vet.  She got her shots and documents for flying.  It was all very easy and cost about $40 USD.  Super cheap.

On the morning of our flight, we sold of our last mattress, paid our last utility bills, had our apartment walk thru with our relocation lady, and cleared out...taking our 8 checked bags, 6 carry on bags, car seat, stroller, dog crate, dog and child to the airport!

Checking our bags was relatively easy and painless as Mike is an American Airlines gold member...which also meant we got three checked bags per person for free, since we were also flying business class.

What was painful was checking Molly.  At first, the woman checking Molly in said she couldn't fly because it was 42 degrees in Chicago and it had to be at least 45 degrees.  So, I found our original vet document from April, when Molly flew from Chicago to Mexico.  On that document, the vet had checked the box stating that Molly COULD fly in lower temperatures.  She didn't want to accept the document, since it was from 6+ months before, but after debating it with her co-workers and photo copying the document, she said Molly could fly.  Phew!!!

My joy only lasted for a minute...until the woman came around the ticket counter with her tape measure.  She looked at Molly's crate and said "no, this crate is too big.  She can't fly".  I was livid and freaking out.  I must have said five times "But, this is the crate that she flew down to Mexico in."  The woman said "but that was a different flight".  To which I replied "No, it was the SAME flight.  Every day, this same plane goes from Chicago to Mexico City, then straight back to Chicago.  If it fit then, it will fit now".  To which SHE replied "well, it would fit IF you were going to Chicago."  To which I yelled "I AM GOING TO CHICAGO".  The woman then checked with her co-worker, who was checking our bags TO CHICAGO, verifying that yes, Chicago was our destination.

So, at that point, Molly was allowed to be checked.  Oy vey!  And by this time...the temperature had reached the 45 degrees normally required for a pet to be checked...So, had we checked in a bit later, I may have had a bit more patience for the crate situation!!

Once we got on the plane, in our business class seats, Annie fell asleep, and Mike and I de-stressed with a beer and glass of wine!  The business class seats were nice!  Much nicer than coach!  More leg room and better food!

In Chicago, we spent two nights.  During this time, we had dentist and doctor appointments, and had to get our large shipment packed for the move to New Jersey.  We didn't do the best job of packing up our house when we left Chicago for Mexico, so the moving company had to load our storage unit and also pack boxes at my parents house.  Plus, they had to take our car and load that in the back of their truck.

The next day, Mike and I left Annie and Molly with my parents and we flew out to New Jersey.

On one of Mike's business trips in October, he had found us an apartment and signed a lease.  He only spent a few minutes in the apartment.  So, when I asked "is there recessed lighting?"  "ceiling fans?"  "a microwave?"  "closet space?" ...His answers were all "I don't know.  I don't remember."

He did a good job though!  We like our apartment and the location.  We spent a lot of time in Mexico debating whether to live in NYC and get a one bedroom apartment with NO space.  Or to live further out.  In the end, we have a three bedroom, two bath apartment that is about 3 miles from Mike's work!  We are pretty happy with it.  I'll blog more about it later!

One Week Left in Mexico

Our time in Mexico is coming to a close. We have about one week left until we move back to the U.S. and things are starting to get busy. Utilities have to be cancelled, same with Mike's gym membership, a painter has to come in and paint the unit (which is ridiculous as we have hung nothing on the walls, and the only marks on the walls are from bug guts - as we have had to kill numerous spiders, mosquitoes, etc). We have to get packed up - although we do not have confirmation that the movers will be here on Monday. We have a few more items to sell, but can't get rid of until the last minute (mattress and high chair). We have to get the dog to the vet for her paperwork and blood test. And, Mike has to work until the very end.

I think Mike may be most sad about leaving Mexico, as he has to give up the NFL Sunday Ticket. In our new apartment in New Jersey, satellite dishes are not allowed. So, it will be years until he can have the Sunday Ticket again. So sad!

I am most sad about leaving Annabelle's school. She LOVES her school and is learning so much. She is constantly saying things in Spanish and we are tremendously sad that her Spanish education is going to slow down. Even if we find her a tutor or babysitter that speaks Spanish to her, it will not come close to equaling the twenty hours of Spanish that she speaks a week right now.

And, we don't think Annabelle understands that she is moving (again). She knows that her choo choo trains are in New Jersey, as Mike took some clothes and toys with him on a business trip last week. And, Annabelle knows she is going on an airplane again soon. But, she travels frequently, having been on five round trip flights this year. So, once we get to New Jersey, we think she'll miss her friends and her school. Perhaps she'll even ask to come back to Mexico City, as she knows that is where she lives.

It certainly is sad to think that as Annabelle ages she will not remember her time in Mexico. Our goal is to try and keep her connection with the city, by continuing teaching her Spanish and coming back to visit. But, it would have been nice to live in Mexico City for a few more years, so that Annabelle could have a firm grasp on Spanish and have some great memories!

With a week left, we have a lot of things we still want to do. Some will get done and others will have to wait until we come back for a visit!

Domino's Pizza in Mexico City

With Annabelle in the midst of the terrible two's, we have pretty much stopped going out to eat. She gets bored with the paper and crayons, as well as with the iPhone. So, we order Domino's Pizza regularly.

It is fantastic because we can order online at www.dominos.com.mx and the pizza is delivered within 30 minutes!

Ordering online is super easy, even with everything written in Spanish.

Ordering on the phone is so much more difficult with pronunciation and our lack of fluent Spanish.

So, online is the way to go! And, the order is always correct and on time! Very easy...although Annie is scared of the delivery men, as they drive motorcycles and come to the door with their helmets on!