What's new?

Since we've arrived here, I have found myself comparing and contrasting our new home base versus where we left.  I can see Landon and Willem doing the same thing -- for instance, they love naming cars as they go by and now discuss the similarities and differences of cars here to cars in the US.  They've noticed that we still see favorites like Volvo's and the occasional Mustang, but that the trucks look different (flat faced European style).  We see Ford's and Chevy's, but not always the same models that we're used to.  One difference that they love:  there are so many Smart cars!  Counting them on the way to school is a good distraction for them.

School has been a good way for us to set up a weekday routine.  Landon is in the kindergarten program at a bilingual private school.  He has class with an English teacher Monday/Wednesday/Friday, and with a German teacher the other days.  His English teacher has called him "a bright young chap", and his German teacher says he is "wunderbar". (Meaning wonderful!  Don't forget that "w's" sound like "v's".)

Willem started preschool at the same school, and attends 3 mornings.  It is reassuring to him that Landon is in the same building, although they only occasionally wave to each other in passing.  This is Willem's first experience in a school environment, so it's a big adjustment for him.  We're hoping that he can make some new friends that he looks forward to playing with.

And since Willem is now in preschool, I actually have 3 mornings to myself!  Aside from unpacking, I feel like I've been spending a lot of time exploring grocery stores.  There is little to no English on labels, and items like real orange juice seem very expensive.  Back in the US, I tried to be somewhat proactive about what I was buying in terms of ingredients, packaging, and where it was coming from.  All in an effort to try to eat healthy and not take up too big of a global footprint while doing it.  So far while we're here, I'm just happy if I can identify the food and not pay too much.  That's one reason why I've been hesitant to buy much meat;  I'm still learning the German terms.  

So just when I was starting to feel comfortable in some of the local supermarkets, today I went to a large French supermarket, which was massive compared to what I've seen thus far.  I felt a bit off guard with another change in language to French, but the good news is that there was a much bigger selection.  Particularly in cereal.  In the Swiss markets, there are a few corn flake varieties.  Today, I found cereals that are relatives of Cheerios and Kix.  And more chocolate cereals than I've ever seen!  (I'm trying to hold out on those.)

With my mind on so many things since we've moved, I've been really careful about always having my house keys on me.  Because when you shut our front door, it locks behind you.  And there is essentially no other way in the house if the patio doors are closed.  Locks like this seem to be the standard around here.  I learned another invaluable lesson today -- that I can't unlock the door if there are keys in the inside keyhole, even if I have keys on the outside.  So we had some minor drama today -- I locked us out of the house and had to get a locksmith to open the door.  Anyone that I talked to had also had this happen to them which was comforting, I suppose.  It was bound to happen sooner or later!  But let's hope that I don't have to see another locksmith anytime soon.  

Ciao for now...