On the surface, our move to Switzerland in January of 2025 feels rash, bold, and even spontaneous. Let’s review the timeline
June 23: at a reception for families at a company retreat, I (the spouse) have a conversation with the boss (TB), whom I have known for many years. He refers to an opportunity for us to move to Europe something Jo and I had discussed over the years but passed on.
June 24: I initiate a serious conversation with Jo about wanting to make this happen. We had discussed this a few weeks prior and decided it might not be optimal but I was never fully convinced. I am usually not skilled at these types of exchanges but we consider the idea deeply.
June 25: Jo revisits the conversation with TB, indicating we are open to the idea. I'm (obviously) impatient to get this moving along.
June 27: We sit down with TB for drinks, in the afternoon before leaving the retreat. We look him straight up and say “We’re in” and wish to proceed. We have never been to Switzerland. We have NEVER been to Switzerland.
June 28: We ask our children for their thoughts. “GO FOR IT!” They have been very supportive throughout this process and want us to live our lives.
June 29: I am on the dance floor as never before (at a wedding reception) realizing that this decision means that my career as a teacher has ended and I am retired. I am ecstatic. I have flexibility! As a person of high energy on the regular, I have been told that my level was outsized that evening. "Cruel Summer" is my Taylor Swift anthem.
July 24: I formally resign from my teaching position, ending my 35-year career in the classroom. I'll need to process this more but I was remarkably absent "feelings" as I cleaned out my desk and classroom for the final time.
July 29: We take our first trip to Zürich and explore the city. My constant thought: "Can we really live in such a fun place?" We stay at the super-posh Hotel Storchen, with a balcony that overlooks the Limmat River. I am disappointed that I didn't pack any swimming gear as the Lake is full of people in the water. Jo is fascinated by the swans.
August 2: We return home to make plans. I decide it is time to go to our lake house and enjoy my new flexibility. I begin to appreciate the value of a good road trip. I make it to SoCal, including San Diego for my annual La Jolla swim relay.
October 11: Back in Zürich, we secure an apartment in the city.
December 6: We leave to spend four weeks at our lake house. Who knows when we will be back to the North Woods.
January 5: A moving company packs some of our U.S. belongings that we will ship to our new apartment. What should we take? Since we will keep our house, at least for the interim, all of the major items will remain. And it doesn't make sense to send framed pictures and such. We decide on mostly clothing. Oh, and the Peloton. LOL
January 6: Jo cleans out HER desk from the local office. She has been there a long time and will not return to this location. She is very happy about that.
January 9: We spend the first night in our new apartment, in the Seefeld section of the city. What are we doing here? The bed is decidedly NOT comfortable.
Over five days in June we shifted our mindset from being grounded at home in California to dreams of the Swiss Alps and traveling throughout Europe every weekend. The timeline spans roughly the distance from Jo’s birthday to mine, June to January. Our lives had changed completely in less than seven months.
I reflect on the idea of change more than I imagined I would. I never understood "old folks" when I was younger but now I get it. I don't have that "GET OFF MY LAWN" energy (at least in my head) but I am noticing that "back in my day" energy creeping in. That's not to say that I long for the past, rather, I am astonished at how different my life path is from what I expected, likely because I rarely dreamed of the future when I was young. It's remarkable how willing we were to upend our lives for this opportunity, and how throughout the years we have been willing to jump an opportunity.
Getting married? We knew each other only three months (less?) when I "asked" her. While the details are a story for another time, we agreed to join forces so early in our relationship that if such a proposal happened with one of our children I would deem this reckless without a doubt. Buying a vacation home? We are that couple that goes on vacation and after three days starts looking at properties only to bid on one and MAKE AN OFFER! That's bananas, and "reckless" if told to me by anyone else. So moving to Zürich falls right in line with that mojo. I have never questioned our ability to pivot, because I have never questioned the underlying forces of our relationship and our ability to adapt, change, and support each other.
The logistics to pull this off have been significant. Let's be clear, this is a work move for Jo and she carried two jobs (old role / new role) for some time before arriving here. The logistics within the company to rotate her into this position I still don't quite understand, as this caused a cascading effect in roles. It also had the byproduct of my being told "Do NOT post anything online" so as not to let the news of our move precede the formal transition. The details of planning the actual move and the furnishing of the apartment led to some hilarious moments, such as being phoned in the middle of the night by Siwss delivery companies asking to be let into the apartment. Now we're here, moving ahead with our new life, figuring it out.
It's been three weeks since our first night. We are finally in a regular sleep rhythm, although we do both miss our bed back in the US. We understand how to take out the trash, recycle, buy food, and secure all of the necessities for life here. I love this change, and I am sure that Jo will get tired of me telling her how excited I am about this. We are nine time zones away from our children and friends back home and it doesn't feel that distant. We have made the change and run towards a future filled with possibilities not imagined a year ago.
I love our life, and cannot wait for what is next.