Switzerland - visiting the Hoch family!
On the train from Milan to Zurich - As if a switch was flipped, all the intercom announcements and the billboards and building signs were no longer in Italian - now it was Swiss German. As the train made a few stops along the way, the conversations I was hearing were turning more and more German than Italian, too. The landscape gradually changed, too. Now we were seeing lush, green foliage, tall trees, waterfalls, and hilly farmland.... quite a drastic change from the flat Italian countryside - however beautiful in its own way. Kelly made me laugh out loud when we were walking around the city our first day there. We were looking at billboards and signs trying to figure out what some of them say. Itialian was pretty easy for us - Kelly knows some Italian and I know Spanish, a close cousin to Italian. We did pretty well with that. But here was a different story. “Everything looks like it spells ‘Häggen Daaz’ to me!” Oh, Kelly. She’s so funny, isn’t she?!?
We arrived in Zurich, Switzerland on Thursday evening and Dalynn met us at the train station. I tell you - after seeing sooooo many unfamiliar faces over the past week, it was incredibly refreshing to see some people we knew!! I know the Hoch family from Harvest - I taught their daughter first grade last year and they just moved to Switzerland a week ago for her job. They were such great sports and very generous hosts to have us stay with them so soon after their move.
View from the Hoch Family's balcony :) I could get used to this!
Our first day in Zurich, Kelly and I took the bus down to the train/boat station and waited there by the shores of an incredibly clean and beautiful lake. We were going to take the boat downtown to Zurich. I grabbed my journal and camera and walked a ways down to a landing area and just sat in the sunshine and journaled, taking pictures of swans here and there as they floated by.
(Kelly here....) I stayed put, closer to the loading dock to keep a watch out and listened to my ipod (yes, an internal dance party :-))! As I am sitting there, three boys (about 13-15 years old) approach me and start speaking to me in Swiss German. Seeing as we had just come from Milan, I was suspicious about them asking for money or grabbing my purse. I have come to expect the unexpected! I asked them if they knew english and one of them did. He asked if I had a moment to speak with them. I said that I did. He proceeded to ask me what I knew about ghosts...what?!? I was incredibly puzzled..what in the world is he getting at? I asked him a few questions back and to be sure that I understood what exactly he was asking. He clarified that it was for an assignment for school. I wasn’t too helpful, especially as he was asking specifically about their city. I did share what Americans thought about this spiritual arena. Then I asked them about themselves. I learned that in Switzerland, by the age of 12, the path of all students is decided. If they do not have the aptitude to go on further in their studies, they will be assigned a trade and will begin a sort of vocational school for this. WOW - can you imagine that your path in life is decided for you at age 12! These boys were going to be working as a cook, in postage, and with computers. They spoke of it as a fact of their life and not emotional at all. Very different from the way our american seniors in high school agonize over their next steps during that season, here, it is all decided for you. Anyhow, it was a sweet conversation that I enjoyed very much and they were on their way. We were able to quickly adjust to this new place: no swindlers, no graffiti, and no pick-pockets.
(Kim again...)
The Swiss are very squeaky clean people. Everyone on the streets looks like they stepped out of a Banana Republic catalogue. In general, they are also a very responsible society. The family we stayed with told us that if a Swiss person sees a mark on a wall or door, they would rub it off. Even on the bus or boats, they don’t usually ask for your tickets- it’s all on the honor system. However, if you are caught without a ticket, they write your name down and report you to the government. You would be in BIG trouble. They very much are about their family’s name. You would not take someone’s wallet because you would disgrace your family by having stolen something that was not yours. Also, once you move to the country, you have to register your religion. It seems like a rather socialistic society. Every resident also pays a tax to their church. It was a very extreme opposite to Italy. I literally could leave my purse on a park bench and come back an hour later to find it still there (however, I did not test this theory because of my better than average common sense.)
Here’s a bullet point summary of 3 day stay in Switzerland:
Took a GORGEOUS boat ride to downtown Zurich and explored the shopping streets and tried not to walk around with our jaws on the floor due to the OUTRAGEOUS prices for everything.
Met up with the Hoch family for a truly Swiss German dinner - at an authentic restaurant. Mmmmm.... so good!
Dessert at a sweets shop that I’ve only imagined would be part of the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” movie set.
Next day we took the bus, then a train, then a boat ride to Luzern (a town right at the foot of the Alps).
NOw on the Cogwheel train going up the Alps!
Took a cogwheel train ride up to the top of the mountain and took in the view - WOW!
A little bit of a cloudy day but still VERY cool!
Had some lunch with the Hoch family at the restaurant at the top of the mountain and then started our gradual journey back down the mountain - stopped at a park where the kids played (and we did, too).
Once down the mountain, walked along one of the oldest covered bridges in the world
Too cute!
We are so thankful to the Hochs for their hospitality! We had such a sweet time with them! Kelly and I both agreed that it was so nice to be in a house - with a mom and a dad and kids! Praying rich blessings on their family as they adjust to life in Switzerland as they serve the Lord there!
No comments:
Post a Comment