Before I dive into this post, I want to tell you about the new segment I will be introducing on my blog. The segment will be called “Swiss&Tell” and this is where I will be keeping more diary style posts about my Swiss experiences.

I want to keep creating helpful blog posts about Switzerland too but I also want to have a space where I can write just random things about my experiences. Maybe these posts won’t have a lot of information or advice but they will still give you some insight into my life as an expat in Switzerland! So, now to jump into my first Swiss&Tell post……..

If you read any of my previous posts, you would probably know that I moved to Switzerland in July 2018. I was working and living in Basel as an Au Pair, up until now. Technically I was supposed to stay at this job for one year, but I ended up finding a new job and to be completely honest, I was really happy about it. It wasn’t that I hated my job, or hated being an Au Pair, but I wasn’t exactly happy either. It was hard living and working in someone else’s home and it never really felt like I belonged there.

My new job is in Zürich, which is amazing because now I can actually live with Tom (my bf) since this is where he has been living since he moved back over here. Before, I would only see him on the weekends and it was a lot of back and forth between Basel and Zürich.

Although getting this new job made me really happy to start something new, I was also a bit sad to leave Basel. It is the city I know best in Switzerland as I spent most of my free time exploring the many cafés, shops, and old streets. I felt comfortable, like I knew my way around. I also made a few friends throughout my Basel adventures as well. I had my favourite spots where I would often go to relax or explore and I will definitely miss being so close to these spots and being able to visit them freely.

Some of my favourite memories include sitting by the Rhine in the summertime and watching many people, boats, and swans swim by. Or walking up and down Freiestrasse and popping in and out of the shops (sometimes buying one thing too many). I loved walking through Münsterplatz listening to the loud ringing of the afternoon churchbells, watching tourist groups gush over the views (to be honest, I also gushed over the views), and feeling the cobblestone paths beneath my feet. I will always cherish those memories and I am happy that I had the time to get to know this beautiful city ♥

It can be hard to leave a familiar place, but I realized I now have a whole new city to explore. The feeling of excitement to explore a new place definitely outweighs the sadness of leaving another place behind. I have so many new and exciting experiences to look forward to, like starting my new job, living with my bf again, and making a real home in Switzerland.

I believe we go through everything for a reason. Every experience we have in life teaches us some kind of lesson. Since being here,  I am learning a lot about leaving my comfort zone and I am proud of myself for taking on life’s challenges as they come at me. 

So thank you, Basel. For all that you allowed me to experience! And now I am onto another new adventure.

As always, thanks for reading and following along on my adventure!

xo,

z.