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!

+KOTA Dog Grooming, Mexico City

As Molly was extremely shaggy, I went in search of a dog groomer in Mexico City.

From time to time, I see dog grooming vans around town. Back in March, I even took a picture of one van, so that I would have their number when necessary.

But, I was hesitant to call because most small places don't have any worker that speaks English.

So, earlier in the week, I went to +KOTA, a dog supply chain, that has many locations in and around Polanco. They don't do grooming there, but gave me a name and phone numbers of who to call.

I went home, called said numbers, only to have the calls not go thru. So, I googled the name and found their website: http://www.maskota.com.mx/home/listado_cont.asp?cve_cont=152.

I called the number on the van pictured...and after a minute was able to speak to someone in English.

The guy took my information and said someone would be there between noon and 4 pm the next day.

At 12:07 pm, the groomer knocked on my door! Less than 40 minutes later, Molly was bathed and dried.

There is some debate between my husband and I on whether or not Molly actually got a haircut. I don't see it, but Mike says she DEFINITELY got a haircut and that the hair around her eyes and on her back is much shorter.

But, regardless, well worth the cost of just $270 pesos for the "estetica"!

Vet in Polanco / Mexico City

Molly and I survived six months in Mexico City, before having to seek out a vet. But, due to an ear infection, our streak ended this past Tuesday.

We went to the vet recommended by two friends. It is in Polanco, about a mile and a half from my house. So, armed with directions, and knowledge that they accept walk in appointments after 10:30 am, we set out to a new part of Polanco!

No one spoke English, aside from the vet, who said he spoke "a little English" when I told him "yo hablo muy pocito Espanol".

But Molly's ear infection spoke for itself!

We only waited about 30 minutes...which is not bad at all for a walk in appointment! The vet cleaned Molly's ear out, rubbed some ointment on the ear, gave her an antibiotic shot, and sent us on our way!

Here is a photo of the "invoice" (factura) that I was given! In the U.S., the invoice would look drastically different (and the total bill would be MUCH higher!!).

So, the cost was $765 pesos. Not bad.

We'll be going back in a month to get help with Molly's papers to get her back into the U.S.!

The vet's office is located at Presa Pabellon #8 in Polanco. I would highly recommend them!

Girls Night Out in Polanco

Last night, I went out with a bunch of the playgroup moms! We went to Ch!, an Argentinian restaurant, in Polanco.

It was FANTASTIC!!!

Wednesday night happened to be 2 for the price of 1 martini's. So, we all took advantage of that! Excellent apple martini's. They had awesome empanadas as appetizers. And the entrees all looked great too. I split the pechuga de pollo al chimi with one of the other ladies. It was really good.

I will definitely take Mike there soon!

It was my first girls night out with the ladies and I look forward to our next night out! At playgroup it can be very difficult to finish a conversation with another mom, because the kids are all running crazy and have to be constantly watched. So, it was great to get to know everyone better and not worry where the kids were!

Leaving Mexico City...

Last week, Mike got word that he is being offered a promotion and we'll be moving near Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. EC is just over the George Washington Bridge from Manhattan. We have yet to see any paperwork, but are told everything is in the works. They want Mike to start working in EC at the end of October.

So, while we have no official word or dates, we are anticipating a crazy end of the year. First, we'll need to repatriate from Mexico City back to Chicago. THEN, we'll begin our relocation to New Jersey. It will be a permanent move.

We are excited and looking forward to moving to the East coast! But, we know it will be a logistical nightmare for the next several months!

As we get more information, I will continue updating the blog!

Movie Theater Experience in Mexico City

A few nights ago, I went to see "Damas en Guerra" ("Bridesmaids"), at the VIP movie theater in Polanco at Antara, with my friend Tricia. We got to the theater early and bought tickets (cost of $120 pesos or so). Since it is a VIP theater, when you buy your tickets, you pick your seats, which is pretty nice!

Then, we went to Chili's for dinner. Eating at Chili's in Mexico is identical to eating there in the U.S. All the signs on the walls were in English and identical to those in the U.S. The menu was identical, aside from the descriptions written in Spanish.

After dinner, we headed back to the theater and found our seats. The VIP theater has leather seats that are separated into pairs with nice, large armrests. The seats recline, which was awesome! And, there is a call button to get the waiter to stop by to get your order. I almost bought some Ben & Jerry's, but decided I was too full from dinner! Next time!

"Damas en Guerra" ended up being HILARIOUS!! Tricia and I both laughed out loud many times. We were by far the loudest people in the theater, which led us to believe that the jokes weren't translating well via subtitles. The Mexicans in the theater probably thought we were crazy!

We had walked to the theater and planned on taking a taxi home. It's not a far walk, but figured it's safer to take the taxi in the dark. But, when we hopped into the taxi, the driver told us it would be $150 pesos (approx. $15 USD)...which was ridiculous since Tricia and I live on the same street, a block apart, and we were only 6 or so blocks from our street. So, we got out of the taxi and walked home. The walk was fine and only took about 15 minutes.

Needless to say, I enjoyed my first VIP movie experience in Mexico City! Looking forward to going back to seeing "Friends with Benefits" when it comes out!

Club America Futbol Game in Mexico City

Last night, we went to a Club America vs. San Luis futbol game at Estadio Azteca. The stadium is huge and is apparently the only stadium to have hosted two World Cup finals (1970 and 1986). The stadium often hosts large events/concerts.

There was a ton of traffic to get to and from the stadium. So, we were glad that the stadium was no where near full, as then traffic would have been AWFUL! We were also very thankful that Mike's co-workers went out of their way to take us to and from the game. They had written out directions for us. The directions in Mexico mostly contain landmarks - not street names. So, we were quite confident we would have gotten lost and never made it to the stadium or the specified parking lot. Thank you Tono and Carlos for driving us!

Annabelle talked constantly the whole way to the game. "I'm going to a soccer game" was repeated dozens of times! And, she became obsessed with Tono, talking to him or asking where he was the entire night!

Anyways, Mike's co-worker Carlos had access to a box (palco, as they call them in Mexico). The palco was SUPER nice to have since Annabelle went to the game! She was able to walk around and remain contained!

For the first twenty minutes, Annabelle was absolutely mesmerized by the game and her surroundings. She really enjoyed watching the crowd, the t.v. and trying to follow the ball on the field! After about twenty minutes, she became obsessed with Cynthia's phone case, snacking and climbing the stairs! I think Annabelle really enjoyed her Club America experience, as did Mike and I! We had a lot of fun watching the game, Annabelle and hanging out with Carlos, Tono, Sergio, Cynthia and Alejandro!

Cheering after CA scored (final score was 2-2)

Annabelle and Tono

These fans cheered and waved their flags the entire game!

Annabelle with Alejandro and Cynthia

New Occupant in the Building

A few weeks ago, we got a new occupant in our building. I have no idea what this guy does, but he drives a SUPER expensive BMW. Mike estimates the car's worth around $100,000 USD, depending on what engine is in the car and where it was purchased (US vs Mex).

Along with this new occupant and wicked BMW comes three guards, two chase cars (driven by said guards), and new guards for our building.

The new guards for our building are the only changes that affect us. Now, on weekdays, we have two guards during the day, then one guard at night.

These guards are a lot more strict and more professional than the previous guards.

Previously, when we ordered Domino's Pizza, the delivery guy would be let in and sent alone to our door. Now, we get called to verify that we ordered pizza. And, the delivery guy gets escorted to our door.

Similarly, last week my washing machine broke. So, my awesome friend Tricia let me use her washer and dryer...and her maid, who ended up delivering my laundry back to my house (about a block away). When Catarina (the maid) brought the bag over, the guard left her outside, then came to talk to me. I had no clue what he was talking about, so I just said "si, bien". A few minutes later, he escorted Catarina to my unit. I think she may have had to hand over ID and sign in too.

When my maid showed up on Saturday, she was given a hard time and had to sign in too.

All good things, I suppose!

Last night, Tricia came over so we could walk to a movie together. She was allowed in without question, once she said my name. Apparently...if you look like an American...you get right in!

I do feel bad for the former security guards losing their jobs, especially if the main reason was that we have a high-rolling now in the building! But, the new guards are nice and efficient...and speak a bit more English.

Golden Doodle in Mexico

Golden doodles in Mexico seem to be pretty rare. Just about every time we take Molly on a walk, we get stopped by a pedestrian or someone leaning out the window of their car. Each person/couple wants to know what kind of dog we are walking.

So, FINALLY today, I have google translated poodle and golden retriever, so I'll be prepared from now on...provided I remember the translations!

Poodle = caniche

Golden = dorado

Retriever = perdiguero

But, when I googled golden retriever, the translation came back "golden retriever". So, I had to break it down to get the individual words. From now on, I can tell people caniche y perdiguero dorado.

Speaking Spanish in the U.S. vs. Mexico

I know very little Spanish. Much less than I thought I would know by now.

However, I no longer find myself saying "hello" or "good morning". Saying "hola" or "buenos dias" has become first nature.

So, when in the U.S. and ordering food at Chipotle, I found myself saying "hola", "gracias", etc. But, I was not confident enough to do my whole order in Spanish. When I went over my order in my head, using Spanish, I figured I could do it fine and they would understand.

But, is it rude to use my broken Spanish in the U.S., when speaking to a bilingual Mexican? Especially if I am just saying "hola" or "gracias"? Part of me thinks it is. Especially, since I don't know if the Mexican is a first or second generation Mexican-American. For all I know, they don't even speak Spanish.

Mexicans are very proud of their culture and heritage. So, I am pretty sure that the parents and grandparents make sure the kids grow up speaking Spanish. They may not be able to write in Spanish, but surely most know how to speak the language.

But, I don't want to assume and be rude.

So, while I wanted to practice my Spanish in the U.S., I was very hesitant to do so.

In Mexico, when I am speaking my broken Spanish, I feel like people don't hold it against me. I feel like they are happy that I am at least making an effort to speak Spanish. Clearly, everything would be easier, on both sides, if I knew more Spanish. But, I am not hesitant to try to put sentences together.

Going forward though, I need to put a much larger emphasis on learning Spanish!

Differences We Noticed Between the U.S. and Mexico

After being in the U.S. for several days, Mike and I realized we had yet to hear a car honk it's horn. In Mexico, you don't go five minutes without hearing honking.

Upon taking a walk in downtown Naperville, Mike and I both had the thought "there's so much open space". In Mexico, open space is very difficult to come by.

In the U.S., we had to make a conscious effort to get out and walk around. In Mexico, walking is all we do. Every single time we go anywhere, aside from Mike going to work, we walk.

We used to think traffic in Naperville was heavy and annoying. Now, we think it is light and peaceful. Driving in the U.S. is so much easier and less stressful than driving in Mexico. In Mexico, driver's have to be constantly alert and aware of all the cars around them, jockeying for various lanes, watching for topes (speed bumps), looking for cars going thru red lights, etc.

Certainly, there are MANY things we take for granted in the U.S. Going to the grocery store and having refrigerator upon refrigerator of choices. Aisle upon aisle of beauty products and toiletries. In Mexico, I have yet to see an eye pencil sharpener, nail polish or greeting cards. I am sure they are in abundance at Walmart...but I have only been two Walmart twice in five months. And, at the time, those were not things I needed. When I started wanting these items and was on the lookout, these items were nowhere to be found!

American Airlines - Mexico to Chicago

We took our home leave earlier this month, returning to Chicago.

We always fly American Airlines, since it has a direct route from Mexico City to Chicago...and because we are working on earning free flights with mileage points.

But, we were a bit disgruntled with American on our flight to Chicago.

Annabelle is two and we have to pay for a seat for her, which is fine, because then she doesn't have to squirm on our laps for four hours.

A few days before the flight, I looked at www.aa.com to refresh my memory on their baggage policies and children's policies. I was glad to see that we could take Annabelle's car seat on the plane to use, since Interjet had made us check the car seat.

When we got to the airport and were checking in, the person helping us told us we had to check the car seat. That we were not allowed to bring it on board. We argued, saying we needed it. She said "use the seat belt". We told her that Annabelle was able to get out of the seat belt. Her response "tighten it". Clearly she was not a mother, as any mother would know that at about age 1, children figure out how to unhook the seat belt on an airplane. The woman was relentless and made us check the car seat.

Once we got onboard, we asked the flight attendants about the car seat. They were baffled and said we should have been able to bring it aboard. Upon leaving Chicago to return to Mexico, the check-in attendant allowed us to keep the car seat with us and had no idea why the attendant in Mexico forced us to check it.

Needless to say, the flight back to Mexico went a lot smoother than the flight to Chicago. On the way to Chicago, sans car seat, Annabelle refused to sit in her seat with her seat belt on. A problem when the pilot told us to expect turbulence for two of the four hours. When we tried to keep her contained on our laps, she screamed...something the other passengers loved, I'm sure.

With the car seat, on the way back to Mexico, Annabelle was contained, couldn't escape and seemed to accept the confines of her car seat. She watched a bit of the movie playing onboard, played with the iPad, looked at videos of herself on the iPhone and ate snacks. Unfortunately, she also kicked the seat in front of us a bit, but settled down pretty quickly after being yelled at and told not to kick.

The ideal flight would have been to have the car seat and sit in the first row, where she would not have been able to kick the seat in front of her. Or, to have the flight full minus at least one seat, so that no one was sitting in front of her.

Next time, American Airlines in Mexico tells us no to the car seat, we'll ask to speak to a supervisor. Not only is it easier for the parents and other passengers to have children confined, but it is a LOT safer, especially when there is turbulence.

Infinitum Telmex Internet Service

This past Monday afternoon, my internet stopped working. I waited about six hours, until my husband got home, then had him call Telmex - our service provider.

They ran a "test" - unplugging the internet and phone (losing the call with the service person). But, that didn't help.

So, Tuesday afternoon, I called back, ran another "test" - holding the reset button in for 20 seconds. That didn't do anything either.

At that point, Telmex gave me a report number and told me that a technician would be out to look at the modem in 1-3 business days. I said "will he call when he's on his way???". The wonderful service man said "no, if he's in the area, he'll just stop by".

Was I really expected to sit around my house with a crazy two year old for three days?!?! Apparently!

But, when I went to shut the computer off tonight, I noticed that all the lights on my modem were lit up again and I had working internet!

On the plus side, I didn't waste my whole day sitting around the house. Another positive...I'll never again be irritated in the U.S. when someone gives me a 6 hour time frame! Mexico is teaching me patience!

General Questions Answered...

When I began this blog, it was to keep all of my friends and family in the U.S. in the loop on my experiences in Mexico.

In just a few months, it has become so much more. I have had several thousand hits, mostly from the U.S., but also hits from over twenty other countries.

Last week, I received a blog comment from a woman who may move here due to her husband's job. Since her comment, we have traded several emails. She had a few questions that hopefully I answered sufficiently.

But, due to all of the people viewing this blog, I thought I would post my answers to her questions here as well...

1. SAFETY: I take zero precautions here. I don't do anything differently than I did in Chicago. Annabelle and I feel totally safe strolling throughout Polanco. That said, I don't leave my wallet unattended...as I wouldn't anywhere else. I walk Annabelle to school, then continue on to the bank, grocery store, bakery, Starbucks (Mexicans love their Starbucks!...seriously I could walk to five different Starbucks any given morning), etc. When my husband gets home from work, he'll walk to the gym (Golds Gym), or we'll take Annabelle and the dog out walking, going over near the restaurant/"Polanquito" district or walk towards California Pizza Kitchen. We feel so much safer than we EVER thought we would. Annabelle and I will walk to the zoo by ourselves. We don't feel limited at all.

2. SCHOOLS: I viewed three Montessori schools in April. Had no problem getting a spot. There are schools and daycares in abundance. My husbands company hired a company to take me to look at schools. But, if you just walk down a few streets, you'll see something! I joined a playgroup upon arriving, and the women there are FANTASTIC and super helpful. The women are very open about where their kids go to school, what activities they do, and extremely welcoming. You can also join the "newcomber's club" and get tons of helpful information. I didn't join that, just because I met the playgroup women, most of whom belong to newcomber's, and I felt I was fine without newcomber's!

3. General feeling about living here... I love it. If I have my choice of staying here or moving back to the U.S., I will choose to stay here for awhile! For us women, Polanco is awesome. I am so much more active here than I ever was in the U.S. I get together with one or all of the playgroup women at least twice a week. I could definitely do more if I made just a bit of effort! I enjoy walking everywhere and love that Annabelle is learning Spanish and going to school. I see Americans all the time. For my husband it is harder. He rarely sees Americans and interacts with them. So, he craves going to the U.S. a ton more than I do. I feel very at home here in Polanco!

Living in Mexico has it's frustrations. Nothing gets fixed or taken care of very quickly. But, if you know that going in and take it in stride, you'll be fine.

All the Mexicans I have interacted with have been very friendly and soooo helpful. They speak very little to no English. But, if you have a knowledge of Spanish, you'll do great here!

The first time we visited, we were driven around by a driver from my husband's company in an armored car. If your husband is high up in a company and it is provided...go for it. But, it's not necessary. If anything, we feel like the driver and armored car just draw more attention to you. On Friday nights in the restaurant district, you'll see the bodyguards/driver's standing outside restaurants...but they NEVER have to do anything. Zero crime and violence in Polanco. Almost every building has a 24 hour guard, along with stores. So, wherever you walk, there are people.

Around the corner from us is a Porsche dealership, with all glass windows - no bars or anything preventing the breaking of glass. If you walk two minutes up the street, there are the W and Presidente Intercontinental hotels, along with more Starbucks, a Bentley dealership, and some other car dealers. Down the road, on Presidente Masaryk, there is a Tiffany, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, etc. The local mall is called Antara. It is super expensive and consists of high end stores. We have McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Chili's, the Coffee Bean, etc. Mexicans are apparently obsessed with American culture!

I always laugh at this one complex that boasts a McDonalds, movie theater and Maserati/Ferrari dealership. An interesting combo!

This is NOT real Mexico that the newspapers write about. This is the absolute BEST part of Mexico. It is like the Gold Coast in Chicago, or the Upper West Side in New York.

We did a TON of research before moving here. My parents specifically were convinced we would die five minutes after setting foot here. But, the violence is not in Polanco or the surrounding towns. It is in the border cities and the poor areas.

You could get kidnapped if you just flag down a taxi on the street. But, that is rare. And, you just make sure to call a radio taxi. Our building security guard does that for us. Or there are a bunch of radio taxi stands around. If you were to get "express kidnapped" as they call it, they just drive you around and take you to an ATM to get money from you. Very unlikely to happen though, provided you use a little common sense.

A website that my husband has used to look at housing here is www.inmomexico.com. They don't seem to use websites like we do, ie. realtor.com. They are behind the times in some aspects, for sure! I would expect in Polanco for you to pay at least $30,000 pesos for rent. My husband's company pays $35,000 pesos for our place. It is a brand new building. I think we have 1,800 sq. feet or so, with 2 bedrooms, a den, living room/dining combo, kitchen and 3.5 bathrooms. All appliances, but no furniture. I rent furniture for about $170 USD/month. Cable/satellite costs about $100-120 USD a month. We have internet and a landline (with unlimited calls to the US) for about $120/month. We also have a gas bill of about $40 USD a month. No other bills associated with our apartment.

We have a maid on Saturdays. We pay her $300 pesos ($25 USD) a week. She stays from 10 am to 4 pm. A lot of my friends have maids that either live in or come 5 days a week. Several have personal drivers. Labor is cheap here.

Most buildings here do NOT have bathtubs, nor do they have furnaces and air conditioning units. The bathtub could come in handy with kids! But we are fine without it. The a/c and furnace is just not necessary! The weather is amazing! Absolute love that aspect of living here!

Healthcare. Doctors are soooo much more accessible here. They give you their email addresses and cell numbers. They answer after hours. On the recommendation of a friend, my husband saw a doctor a few weeks ago for vertigo. The doctor studied in the U.S. at Johns Hopkins. From the expats, you get great referrals.

All around, a very nice place to live and call home!