I know I have been writing about rediscovering Zurich, and getting reacquainted with it, and new beginnings, and everything is lovely.
But today I find myself at home, while my husband and daughters are at the pool, and I’m in a different mood.
I chose not to go, thought I could use a quiet moment, because ever since we got off the plane it feels like it’s been people, people, people, and things to do, and schedule stuff, etc. I’ll just take a breather and chill, I told my husband. But when, when have I ever been known to just take a breather and chill? Ever? I’m always doing something. I can never just relax for more than 30 minutes. So I asked myself: ok, if I was in NY now, what would I do with my time? And that’s when it just landed on my head like a brick. I MISS MY FRIENDS. So. F***ing. Much.
I know, I already told you I miss my friends. But I also miss my other friends. The ones who don’t live close to me but I can call and chat with and stuff.
And I miss my other other friends. You know who they are, come on, many of them are your friends too: Target, Sephora, Nordstrom, Whole Foods… I miss them!
I could have gone browse the beauty aisles at Sephora now, with all this free time. And try out a few colors from the OPI display, like I did with Sarah the day before we left, and we both came out with our nails painted all different colors (because it’s not like I was going back there any time soon, so I felt free to be tacky and embarrass myself, plus it was fun to do, just ask my 10-year old).
Or I could have gone to Nordstrom to look at bags, and try some shoes on, so I know which ones to add to my wish list and which ones I have to stay away from like they are infected with the Black Death.
Or I could have gone to Whole Foods, bought a bunch of natural beauty products to bring home and use for a home spa afternoon of pampering.
Or I could have taken the time to flat-iron my hair properly. Which of course I cannot do now, because stupidly, I let my flat iron get packed for the container. Because the voltage is wrong and I figured I wouldn’t be setup for non-EU electronics (except for the laptop, which is a vital necessity and for which we had a converter handy.)
So many things I could have done. And now I’m left here to wonder if I should maybe pop out to Starbucks, which is only 3 tram stops away, and then come back and read a book.
I’m so bored. And I can practically hear you say “You pathetic little thing, don’t you have any friends there?” I do. They are working. Or home with their families. Also, Swiss people tend to be whiny about distances, because Switzerland is so small, everything is close together so driving 30 minutes becomes “But that’s so far!” I kid you not.
When my husband told people he worked in Basel (6 years ago) but lived in Zurich, a 45-minute train ride away, people would treat him like he had completely lost his marbles. “But why don’t you live in Basel?” people would ask. Dude. Have you seen Basel? It’s ugly. It barely looks like Switzerland at all. All grey and full of industry and Big Pharma buildings. Yuck.
But I digress. I tend to do that when I’m bored, I do thought zapping, like that annoying thing people do with their remotes when they cannot settle on a TV channel.
Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes… friends. I don’t even have the other Friends on DVD here, it’s all in the container. And before you think I’m a creep who secretly films her friends, I should tell you we are now talking about Friends. Here, have a taste. And if you are so bored you got to the end of this message, be a dear and give me a ring. Or send me a cheesecake or something.






















{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hearing that there’s no Sephora (just as I suspected) broke my heart wide open. I will have to spend the next 4 months there, then, to get my fill.
.-= Gwen´s last blog ..Treacle =-.
This is so sweet. I know how you feel b/c I moved an hour away from “home” and my friends asks me why did I have to move so far? We moved to make a better life for our kids and to buy a house.
Haven’t made new friends here b/c well, they just seem too “weird”..lol But I’m glad I made some new friends thru Twitter and my blog….like you.
You know, Although we never met, I feel like I know you. So I hope when you come back to NY to visit, I’m one of those peeps you’d want to see.
PS Keep writing, you make me laugh when I need it!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..What Would You Think? =-.
Just sending you a hug from another part of Europe. I know how hard it is. Hold on!
(Oh, and Basel? Boring as hell. You are SO right to stay where you are.)
.-= Mwa´s last blog ..Cancer fish =-.
Ok, first of all what kind of crazy socialist place did you move to that there is no Target? I think this means that the US should totally liberate the Swiss because they are obviously being tourtured and oppressed with the no Target thing. Also I feel your pain (on a smaller scale) when I moved from Chicago to WV, there is no drive through Starbucks here, I kid you not and that is totally the same as moving to another country right? Also that is my favorite Friends episiode because i have one friend I can see doing that with.
.-= mountainmomma18´s last blog ..I love a bad attitude =-.
Bless your cotton socks. I totally know how you feel. When I came back home, the isolation nearly killed me! But I survived in the end (hooray for still kickin’) and things do get better. You’ll find your Swiss groove. And we’re all still here with you.
xx
.-= Sam´s last blog .."Cause I’ve been bad; I’ve lied, cheated, stolen and been ungrateful for what I had" =-.
Marcus and I were talking about you over dinner. I was telling him about the cool park you and Stella found and he was telling me how much he’d like to go back to Switzerland. (He visited 20 something years ago. I’ll work on him…maybe we can vacation there and visit you! Ya know, when we win the lottery…) GAH I miss Whole Foods! Whenever I had free time, or if I was between shows at work and wanted a treat, I’d go to the one in Columbus Circle and get some fresh salsa and blue corn chips then go sit in the park and have myself a snack.
I’m so glad we have our blogs! Keep writing, lady. Stay connected.
xoxo
.-= Jen L.´s last blog ..Students and Teachers =-.
Well, I know we only met in a car ride to the airport and we really don’t know each other but dang… this post breaks my heart. And I wanna give you a hug. [hug]
And email me your address. I love sending mail to great people when they least expect it. And you are great people! Oh… working on great stuff for BlogHer next year. You’re going right? RIGHT?
It’s rotten when you’re far from home and not sure what to do with yourself. Sounds like you definitely need to indulge in something nice. And by the way, people are the same in England with the whole distance thing – an hour is a long way!
.-= Lady Mama´s last blog ..Day Trip Tricks (try saying that 3 times) =-.
boy do i know how you feel.
.-= jessica´s last blog ..Can I get someone to do a reality check please?! Thank you =-.
How about I come and visit?? OK?
.-= Scary Mommy´s last blog ..The Gift of Hindsight =-.
Hang in there! Moving is so hard, even when you’ve done it before. I think Sam (above) is right: you’ll find your Swiss groove and then we’ll all envy your cool new life.
If I had a plane, I would be there in a jiffy, but I don’t have a plane. Sorry.
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
OMG…not to minimize your pain…but that Friends episode you shared is classic. My little boy, noticing that my elbows on the computer table were making it shimmy, said, “Mommy. Stop laughing. You’re going to break the computer!”
But back to your issue…..wish I were close. Then WE could share a cheesecake and a laugh together! I moved away from home 25 years ago and I still miss some of the simplest things. Favorite hotdog place. The weather there in August. Sometimes I even miss snow. But the people? Irreplaceable. Sharing your pain and sending hugs!
.-= Jane´s last blog ..The Shortest Distance Between Two Points =-.
may this year bring lots of new friends for both of us!!
.-= the mama bird diaries´s last blog ..there are some things about my husband i will never understand =-.
I am sure if I moved that far away from home, I’d be missing all those things too. You’re a strong woman, and a great mother, and I’m sure you’ll be having a great time loving every minute of it, soon. I hope. I hope you settle into a great routinue… and come visit the USA often, okay? HUGS!!!!
.-= Loukia´s last blog ..The fear of flying… with children =-.
That sucks. And it’s what freezes my heart when I think that we might have to move. If that happens – especially if we end up in a non-English country, I’ll have to get some coping tips from you – or perhaps I’ll also just bitch about it on my blog. HAHA! Sometimes griping is almost as good as anything else to get the stress off your mind.
.-= Cranky Sarah´s last blog ..Oh, Daaaddyy =-.
(I meant “non-English speaking”)
.-= Cranky Sarah´s last blog ..Oh, Daaaddyy =-.