By Kristi Remick

So before you condemn me for writing on boring subject matter, let me first point out that not too long ago it was 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rainy –  until the 3rd week of June to be exact.  Then it was as if someone flipped a switch and we went from a “suicide by butter knife Spring” to full on Summer overnight.

With some notable exceptions (modern buses, trams and trains), Zurich is almost void of air conditioning. As a result, the moans over the cold and damp weather have now turned into shrieks over how it is too hot. Shrieking over the additional moisture coming out of your pores can be tamed however and these methods for dealing with the heat are sure signs it is summertime in Zurich:

1. Get to the nearest body of water: There are 3 bodies of water in Zurich, two of which are famous for cooling you down fast.  On hot days, most people can be found on the shores of the Zurichsee or Limmat River.  Both are clean and cool and full of people watching.  People here really appreciate the water and the small amount of time they get to use it.  When I take the doggies to the park at 8am it isn’t unusual for me to see a pair of empty shoes along side a dry towel.  Morning swimmers are in abundance here.

2. Go for a bike ride: Grab your bike or rent a free bike and go for a ride.  Believe it or not, riding your bike can cool you down on a hot summer day.  It is also a great way to explore parts of Zurich you have never seen before.  OR you can do what we did last weekend – bike from Zurich to another town or city. We got lost a couple times going from Zurich to Baden, but that was part of the fun.

3. Grab a drink outdoors: Cafe and bar patios are alive during the day, filled with people soaking in the sunshine.  At night private Bades or “Baths” turn into bars or nightclubs.  When I hear people say Zurich is boring, I ask them if they have checked out Rimini, one of the many private Bades that turns into a public bar at night.  The atmosphere couldn’t be more energetic or enchanting.

Do you have any tips for beating the heat?  Are you happy to be sweating your buttocks off like me?

When I am not busy stuffing my face with chocolate, you can find me over at From A to Z blogging about my life in Zurich Switzerland.

The old town in Waldshut, Germany is great for shopping.

by Chantal Panozzo

No matter how long I live in Switzerland, I always feel a rush when I cross a border, even if it’s just for the day. Grocery shopping in Germany, hiking in Lichtenstein, dining in France, part of the fun of living in a country that borders five others is being able to country-hop. Below are four suggestions to make the most of your next border crossing.

Waldshut, Germany: An adorable, postcard perfect town just 40 minutes by train from Zurich. Geraniums spill from windows in the car-free old town where shopping deals can be found on clothes, bakeries offer tempting things like Nusszopf (nut bread), and ice cream cones are only 1 Euro. 1 Euro. Yes. We are not in Switzerland anymore. And right near the train tracks, take your pick, there are three huge grocery stores just waiting to temp you with their huge selection and reasonable prices.

Lake Como, Italy: Less than 30 minutes by train from Lugano, Como and its small resort towns cluster around Lake Como. You can visit a new one each time you cross the border: George Clooney can be found in Bellagio, the Vezio castle is yours to climb in Varenna, and the cathedral awaits in Como. And if you’re feeling fashionable, Milan is just another short 30-minute train ride away.

Vaduz, Lichtenstein: Why go to Lichtenstein? To say you went, of course. While you’re in Vaduz, be sure to buy a few stamps before you embark on a 2.5 hour round-trip hike, beginning and ending at the Rheinpark Stadium.

Eguisheim, France: Not far from Basel, Eguisheim, France is one of the most charming towns in the Alsace. Brightly colored houses all seem to compete for a gardening award, bakeries serve dome-shaped cakes called kougelhopfs, and a walk in the vineyards is just steps away.

Where do you like to border-hop?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

By Kristi Remick

My Ruby Slippers are flat and comfortable.

Who can forget the first time they saw Dorothy’s lip quiver when she uttered “There’s no place like home” and who didn’t celebrate when she clicked her heels three times, while donning ruby slippers, and made it back to Kansas?  In my past life, on the highways of Atlanta, I wished for ruby slippers on more than one occasion as I found myself “melting” in the abyss of Atlanta Traffic (yes, it gets caps so you can feel its evilness).

It is now just under two weeks until my first trip back to Atlanta and I started thinking about Dorothy.  She was so certain that Kansas was her home, even after being surrounded by incredible landscapes, yellow brick roads, talking lions and adorable munchkins.  What did Kansas have on munchkins?

At this point in my journey, Atlanta is not my Kansas.  I can’t say with certainty that I know where my home is and for me, the title fits me just as perfectly as it does Dorothy.  My interpretation is a bit more literal though because for me, there is really NO place like home.

Was I sad realizing this?  Not really, but I have to say it feels weird.  Does this phenomenon happen to all Expats?  I don’t think so as I have met quite a number of Expat folks that know where and sometimes even when they are going back to a certain somewhere.  Does this feeling happen to other people besides Expats?  Absolutely.  I remember when I first moved to Atlanta and felt like a stinky fish out of water.  I had never felt so out of  place before in my life, but that may have had more to do with me  leaving the comforts of college life and entering the real world.

So what about me now and what about Zurich?  Can I call Zurich “home” yet?  I wish I could and it isn’t for lack of  trying or wanting to…I just can’t yet.  Zurich is wonderful and the city has done nothing wrong to me (except ruin me when it comes to how clean I view other cities going forward). There are a lot of unknowns right now and until I have a few more “knowns”, I will probably not be able to call any place my home.  So until then, the red flip flops above will remain empty.

A few notes about the red flip flops because inquiring minds want to know:

1. I really liked how I ended my blog…you know, with the whole flip flop empty thing.  It really got my point across.  Originally though, I omitted my feet because they haven’t seen a pedicure in over 11 months.  I would have lost any and all readers I have accrued if my feet were in the flops.

2. I, *gasp*, do not own red pumps and/or red high heeled shoes.  In Zurich, I am probably in the female minority with this admission.

When I am not busy stuffing my face with chocolate, you can find me over at From A to Z blogging about my life in Zurich Switzerland.

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Switzerland is beautiful, safe, and clean.

By Chantal Panozzo

We only came to live in Switzerland for three years. Now we’ve been here for four and are planning to stay for five. I have many friends that have also extended their stays. But why? What is it about Switzerland that makes so many expats outstay their original contracts?

One: I feel safe

I go jogging by the river. I go hiking in the woods. I take trains at midnight and walk home. And I’ve never once felt unsafe. I’ve never once felt uneasy. Switzerland just doesn’t have much crime. The police are so bored, they make it their mission to fine people for putting their garbage out too early. What a problem to have.

Two: The country is beautiful and clean

The lakes are so clean you can swim in them. The rivers too. Everything in this country sparkles—even the trash cans. You have to give the Swiss credit. They really know how to keep their little country nice. As I’m writing this, the street sweeper is just coming by. Yes.

Three: The great outdoors

Along with cleanliness, the Swiss take great pride in outdoor activities. Hiking paths are never far from your front door—whether you live in the city or not. There are thousands of kilometers or marked footpaths, bike paths, and even rollerblading paths. I know of no other country on earth that has been able to successfully integrate nature, city living, and public transportation as seamlessly as Switzerland.

Four: Public transportation

I don’t own a car and I can get to the mountain hut in the middle of nowhere. The Swiss transportation network is that good. Trains go up 3000-meter mountains. Buses take you to towns in the middle of nowhere. Cable cars meet trains where trains can’t go. And boats connect to you too. Plus, if you really want to drive, the car-sharing program is available and affordable.

Oh, Switzerland. You’re so great.

What do you love about living in Switzerland?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland who has written for a variety of publications on two continents. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

Saving money can be tough in Switzerland

By Chantal Panozzo

You think I’d be over the shock by now. Just past my fourth anniversary of living in Switzerland, you think I’d just fork over the $50 for two take-out pizzas without blinking. Sadly, I still blink. And not just for pizza. $15 to watch a street festival? $25 for a few blank DVDs? $6 for water? Water?

I’ve written about saving money in Switzerland before, but I’m always learning new tricks the longer I live here. So here are a few more ways that you can save money in Switzerland:

One: Invest in a Sigg bottle. Ever since I bought my Sigg bottle back in December, I’ve cut way back on my beverage costs. I simply fill it up with tap water before leaving home and then avoid buying bottled drinks when I’m at festivals, eating at department store buffets like Manor, and hiking. My bottle is now over six months old and still as good as new. And besides saving money, you’re also doing something good for the environment.

Two: Get those REKA checks. Many international companies in Switzerland offer you the opportunity to purchase REKA checks at a discount of 20% (if your company doesn’t, you can also buy them at COOP, but only at a discount of 3%). I had never tried them until this year, being skeptical about actually using them. Now I’m regretting having waited so long. Here’s the deal: I got CHF 1000 worth of REKA checks for CHF 800. The checks, which look like monopoly money, can be used at the SBB/CFF/FFS to buy international tickets and tickets within Switzerland (they even work in ticket machines). They can also be used at restaurants like Manor and Wagamama, for many Swiss museums, and at hotels. For more info visit the REKA website or my blog about life in Switzerland.

Three: January and July. These are the two sale months in Switzerland and July is almost upon us. So wait to buy big items and be rewarded with sales as high at 80%. Some stores have started putting out the sale stuff already. My husband just got three pairs of hiking pants for the price of one at the Sport Outlet in Wettingen.

How do you save money in Switzerland?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland who has written for a variety of publications on two continents. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

By Kristi Remick

“Osmosis” is the process by which water molecules move across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration in order to achieve equilibrium.  ”Reverse Osmosis” is the same process, but well… in reverse – water molecules leave an area of high concentration and go to an area of low concentration to achieve equilibrium.  I think these two processes pretty much sum up my social life as an Expat.

When I first got here I had few connections and it seemed as if people sort of just flowed right into my life.  Living in an international city where 30% of the inhabitants are Expats means you have a pretty big pool of potential friends who are just as motivated as you to make connections.   While it is fairly easy make connections, there is always this niggling feeling and knowledge in the back of the Expat brain that knows people can flow out of your life just as easily as they have flown in.

My “Expat Molecule” had gotten pretty full over the past 9 months so  it was no surprise to learn of our first set of friends planning to leave and go back home.  I wish I could say I was out of equilibrium and I needed these people to leave my life, but we all know that isn’t how the human heart works.  While it is easy to draw a comparison between osmosis and making friends as an Expat, it doesn’t quite take into account that feelings are involved.

Meeting people as an Expat is exhilarating and saying goodbye to them is deflating.  It is one of the sad, hard truths that one must accept and deal with if they choose this lifestyle.  How have I done?  Logically, I know I just have to deal with it and for the most part I do.  I have my days though where I crave consistency.  When you think about how quickly people can come in and out of your life, you then start thinking about things like – “If the people I am meeting are mostly temporary, how do I know they are really investing in me?  Am I truly investing and giving myself to other people?  Are these friendships real?”.  They are crazy questions but legitimate at the same time.

All the crazy questions aside, I have decided the friendships I have made here are real and my only hope is one day I will be good at saying goodbye to the people I made them with.

When I am not busy stuffing my face with chocolate, you can find me over at From A to Z blogging about my life in Zurich Switzerland.

Jump in Lake Zurich. People do that.

By Chantal Panozzo

I’m not complaining about the heat. I’ve been dying for summer ever since, oh, last fall, but when it actually gets hot in Switzerland, it can be hard to deal with for one reason: no air conditioning.

Whether I’m sweating in a conference room, on a train, or in a store, I always look around at the other people and wonder what’s wrong with them.

The Swiss don’t seem to sweat. They shut the window on the train when I open it, they wear stiletto boots in the summer, and then they all sit there in long pants watching me sweat in my tank top.

Ok. Maybe I am complaining about the heat.

I don’t know if I can’t deal with hot because I grew up with A/C and my body is now in denial, but it’s a strange phenomenon. Anyhow. The point is that some of us expats in Switzerland may need a little cooling off. So here are a few suggestions of where to go and what to do:

One: The local swimming pool. Most communities in Switzerland have fantastic facilities—clean, inexpensive (yes), and in beautiful settings—next to lakes, on hilltops, or beside rivers. Check your local city’s website to locate yours.

Two: Drink a local beer. Many towns in Switzerland have their own breweries and distribute their beer only locally. For example, in Baden, they produce Müller beer and it’s hard to find outside the city. But you can enjoy a glass at the beer garden, right next to the Müller Brewery.

Three: Float down the river. In Zurich, Baden, Bern and other Swiss cities, there are banks on their respective rivers that are used as “beaches” and there are also designated sections of each river on which you can float on a raft along with the current.

Four: Water-ski. Only the Swiss would combine a ski lift with a lake so you can water-ski on Lake Neuchatel while a rope tow pulls you along at 18 miles an hour. I haven’t tried it since I can’t even ski on snow, but for those of you that can, have fun.

Where do you go to cool off in Switzerland?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland who has written for a variety of publications on two continents. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

The Five Lakes Hike near Pizol

By Chantal Panozzo

Summer, I know you’re out there. As I write this, it is June 2, and I haven’t seen the sun for about a month. While gray and fog are typical for Switzerland, this has been a rather unfortunate spring.

That’s why this post is dedicated to get you into the mountains (i.e. at an altitude above the gray and fog). Just like during the Swiss winter, sometimes in the summer you also have to ascend a few thousand feet to get your dose of Vitamin D.

Here are a few suggestions for hikers (and sunbathers) in Switzerland:

Mt. Rigi

The great thing about Mt. Rigi is not only its proximity to Zurich, but also the way that you can hike (or not hike) parts of the main trail due to the efficient railway that makes scheduled stops along the mountain. And if you just want to sunbathe, that’s ok too, there are several restaurants with fantastic terraces at the top of the mountain, which is directly reachable by train. Bonus: the Rigi railway now accepts the GA travel card.

The Five Lakes Hike (5-Seen Wanderung)

This is a tough hike. You are not just walking around five lakes. You are climbing up and descending from a lake and then starting the process all over again. The turquoise lakes and camera-worthy scenery make the blisters worth it though. But keep in mind, if you do the whole hike, it will most likely take you all day. And the chair lift that brings you back down the mountain closes exactly at 5 p.m. So start early.

The Bürgenstock Felsenweg Hike

This is an easy and scenic hike along the side of a ridge overlooking Lake Lucerne. The highlight is the option to take a short cut and ride the Hammetschwand-Lift, a crazy elevator that the Swiss built into the mountain in 1905 for the novelty of proving they could do it.

What hikes do you recommend in Switzerland?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

Ok, so, this isn't me in Canada (obviously) - but this is me saying "Hi world, it's me Kristi. I want to hug and embrace you"

By Kristi Remick

Sitting in my college dorm room in Plattsburgh NY, sometime between 1992 and 1996, I was likely dressed in some ratty flannel shirt while humming to a Smashing Pumpkins tune and wondering where my next beer would come from.  You see, I had a horrible fake ID so beer was sometimes hard to come by.  I went to a school 20 some odd minutes south of the Canadian border and I could quickly cross the border  in an effort to score higher alcohol percentage beer legally.  Sadly, it never once occurred to me while there to visit Montreal, a very French inspired, cute and cobbly city only 30 minutes north of the border.

Before you all start thinking I had a drinking problem, let’s fast forward to 2008 where I either had a crisis, meltdown or a combination of the two. Instead of wishing for a “midlife crisis mobile” from the latest pages of Popular Mechanics, I was wondering what in the world I was going to do with this life I was given. It was through this crisis-meltdown that I found my REASON.

Back up again to 1999 when I met my husband in Atlanta.  He was shockingly well traveled in my “Canada-crossing-the-border-to-get-beer” opinion.  He went to the Bahamas during a high school band field trip and even studied abroad in Europe while in college!  This world traveler was about to introduce me to…well, the World.  Our first trip was to the Cayman Islands, a good starting point for a girl like me who didn’t yet have a passport and could just barely point out the Caribbean on a map.  Not only was the water unlike any I had ever seen, it was there I realized I was going to marry this man and see the world with him.  A traveling spirit was beginning to form in my belly, one I never knew I existed.

Throughout the next decade we saw more beautiful blue waters, crackly old buildings in Europe and packs of wild animals grazing on the sunset painted lands of Africa.  Even though I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life in Atlanta, I knew I wanted to see more of the world.  My meltdown-crisis commenced with the realization that it was time to do just that.

My husband, who is well “acroynmed”, began the search for a global rotation with his company.  Our search became a reality and here we are today in Zurich, Switzerland.  There was a lot in between that search and subsequent landing, some of it sweet and some of it not so much, but it never would have happened if I visited Montreal back when I was in college.

Because, I am convinced that my traveling spirit was always there and just needed to be inspired.  Had I been inspired too early, I may not have met my husband or moved to Atlanta or landed in Zurich.  I am in no way condoning waiting to see the world, in fact I still physically shudder while telling people the story that I never once saw Montreal as a college student…but it gave me my reason and for that, I will always hold “never seeing Montreal Canada”, close to my heart.

Thanks Canada

By Kristi Remick

There are so many reasons to become an Expat: ability to travel, interest in other cultures,  following a spouse or partner, career advancement, philanthropy…the list goes on.  What makes these reasons stick?  No matter the reason for your Expat journey, you will undoubtedly experience a wide range of emotions including excitement, curiosity, fear and confusion.

Excitement is always a short lived emotion and one I like to call the new car smell emotion.  It is the best emotion while it lasts because it keeps you energized and propels you towards something that is perhaps scary or difficult to accomplish.  Eventually excitement fades much like a car’s new smell.  You try to duplicate it, even going so far as getting the new car smell freshener when you get your car washed, but you soon learn you can’t quite recapture it in its original form.

Curiosity is likely the catalyst that leads to excitement.  It is that emotion that triggers the common human conditions of  ”grass is greener-itis” or “the what ifs?”.  I think it is the emotion that keeps humans trying new things and prompts invention.  Just like excitement, it is temporary and can sometimes lead to bad decision making.  Any emotion that can kill a fuzzy kitten needs to be handled with care, unless of course you are a dog person who seeks to eradicate the entire feline population.

Fear and confusion are popular Expat emotions as well but ones that can be reconciled fairly quickly with a map, translation dictionary and glass of Prosecco.  It may seem I am downplaying them and while I do think they can be easily squashed, I know their power lies in their ability to resurface when you least expect them to making them particularly dangerous to an Expat.

So if Expat emotions are volatile and/or short lived, what emotion helps you stay the course?  It wasn’t until I thought back on my move from Upstate New York to Atlanta that it clicked.  For the longest time I talked about how the culture shock from my earlier move was more intense for me than our move from Atlanta to Zurich.  I received a lot of quizzical looks after I made this statement and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why it was harder to move within my own country.  What I never took into account was the fact that my move from New York to Atlanta lacked love.

My Mother lived in Atlanta and I certainly loved her.  She made the move feel safer than say moving to New York City but her love wasn’t the glue that kept me in Atlanta.  I was miserable for 2 years and was about to purchase a one way ticket back north when I met my future husband.  Suddenly Atlanta didn’t feel so foreign or scary.  It actually started to feel like home because I suddenly had a reason to be there and one that I loved.

So what does this have to do with the Expat experience?  A lot really as any reason why you choose to become an Expat is lined with a great deal of love.  Travel, learning about other cultures, career, partner, and philanthropy all  include an element of love and yes, you can even love your career.  It is true that love evolves over time, it can wax and wane and even sometimes disappear. Your Expat experience will likely be dictated by your reason and the progression of love you have for it.

I think the most popular question asked by people considering a move abroad is “how do I know if the Expat experience is right for me?”.  There is no right answer but if you have a reason to go, one that you are in love with, then I say go for it. It is the emotion that will protect you from all the other temporary and scary emotions:

Love- “Hey Fear, what’s up?”

Fear- “Meh, not so much…just holding back this human.”

Love- “Huh, sounds like a lot of fun but I am more in the business of setting people free.”

Fear- “Wow, that sounds really Lionel Ritchie of you.  You do know he thinks he can dance on a ceiling.”

Love- “Yeah, I know…but at least the people who rely on me do stuff… so take that Fear Schmear.”