Waiting for the big day

Well, we are only a few days away from Sofia's arrival. I can't wait. Months of preparation, planning, anticipation, thinking, dreaming, and waiting will soon be over. It's exciting and frightening. Gina and I have spent so much time wondering what she will look like, act like, be like, and now we start to begin to find out. Important issues, meaningful thoughts are more difficult to ignore I've found. But basically we are ready to have our little baby. It should be quite an adventure.

To kill time until Sofia gets here we've been going to the lake, going hiking, working, etc. Nothing special. But yesterday we went to the orange theater to celebrate my birthday. Apparently orange, a major telecommunications company, is famous for installing temporary, summertime movie theaters all over the world. They installed one in Zurich this past June. Set right against the lake, the 350 m sq. screen folds down to allow for uninhibited views of the alps until it's time to play the movie. Built around the theater is a large amphitheater and eating areas. Gina and I took a water ferry from our side of the lake to the theater and arrived several hours early. We then proceeded to eat dinner and then went for a walk around the park just outside the lake, which somehow came to house an enormous Chinese inspired garden and what I can only describe as a traditional imperial Chinese castle. (I know nothing about Chinese architecture so maybe it was just some dudes house a while ago, I'm not certain,)

As cool as the theater and park were, the most amazing thing about these entire evening was the method employed to reserve seating. My biggest concern arriving so early was how we were going to lay claim to excellent seats, and then wander around to eat and drink and marvel. It turns out the Swiss provide name cards which everyone fills out and then dutifully places on their seats. This works here. Not only is there universal respect for the name cards, but people leave cameras, backpacks, clothing, etc. on the seats. I don't think theft has been invented here yet. Going in I figured Gina and I would get seats, and then one of us would hold down the fort, aggressively repelling any and all parties seeking to claim the unoccupied seat until the other returned with sustenance. It's a technique virtually every American has perfected. Apparently it's an unnecessary skill here. I'm still in shock. Name cards...

Anyways, the movie wasn't bad. I don't remember so many of the crew almost getting eaten by giant white sharks in the book, but I guess that makes for better entertainment than getting whacked in the face by flying fish all the time, which was apparently a problem during the real thing. Here are a few pictures of the yesterday.

our ride to the theater

view of the theater from the ferry

not a bad view

Uteliberg and the Heatwave

For the past week Zurich has been in a heat wave. We're talking in the low 90's, 100% humidity, and of course no air conditioning anywhere. Even at work, we sit there in our little offices sweating away and hoping for a slight breeze to come in through the tiny glass windows. So you might think it odd that we decided to go for a hike on Saturday, during the heat wave and all, but that was actually our strategy for beating the heat. In the forest by our apartment, the temperature is at least, at a bare minimum, 20 degrees cooler than our apartment, and the trees filter the sun so that you feel human again. Yep, the woods were the place to be this weekend.

Instead of walking aimlessly, which is what usually ends up happening, we decided to hike to the top of Utliberg. Now, this sounds like a big deal, perhaps one of the largest peaks in the Alps or something, but it's actually just one of the most famous points along the ridge of hills that lies to the west of Zurich. It's the most famous because there is a tower up there that you can see from any part of Zurich, and there's a nice hotel/restaurant at the top with cold beer, which makes it a popular hiking destination for locals and tourists alike. Also, along the way, and throughout Zurich in general, there are free, clean, and icy cold drinking fountains that spout water continuously. All you have to do is put your water bottle (or mouth) under the running water, and wait for the refreshment to begin. These drinking fountains are seriously one of the best parts about being here (although keep in mind that I'm writing this in a pool of sweat in our apartment, so my priorities are slightly biased right now).

So after a quick 2.4 km walk straight up the hill (again, not complaining since it was more refreshing than sitting in the sauna which is our apartment), we made it to the top and had a look around. The views were beautiful, the snacks superb, and best part was just sitting on a table in the shade for even longer than we spent hiking up there. Yep, it was not a bad way to spend the day during a heat wave.

In other news, today is the Ironman competition and the start, finish, and all transition zones are within a 5 minute walk from our apartment. It definitely seems exciting and we'll probably go watch later today. Right now, though, the thought of even being outside, let alone running a zillion miles, is too painful for me to consider. For survival purposes, we are both sitting in front of our plastic fan, drinking gallons of lukewarm water, and taking turns taking cold showers. I hear it's supposed to rain tomorrow, breaking the week-long reign of the heat tyrant, so that is what we sit here quietly waiting for. Who was it that said Zurich never got hot in the summer? Boy oh boy were they wrong!

A forest friend to help guide the way.

Handsome Ben sitting by a tree

Good thing there were hand rails! Gina's legs were giving way under her gigantic cargo.

View of Lake Zurich from the top.

Another view.

The tower. You can climb to to the top for an even better view.

Birthday Day!

Happy Birthday to Ben!! Ben turns 28 today. So far he has celebrated with a birthday breakfast pastry, a giant birthday carrot cake (obviously not baked by me since we don't have an oven. Stay tuned for a blog about that, I just haven't worked up the strength to put the terrible event in writing), and we are off to get our first hamburger and french fries in Europe. All in all, it's been a pretty good day.

And speaking of birthdays, Sofia's will be on August 14. We just got the letter in the mail. It's funny, during this whole last nine months with trying to guess when her birthday will be, I never imagined finding out through a letter in the mail. . . in German! I guess they really are organized here, they even pre-schedule everyone's birthdays!

The First Battle of Life

Human anatomy, pain mitigation options and strategies, massage secrets, the power of acupuncture, British parlance, Gina and I learned a little bit about all of them this weekend. Seeing as how we know nothing about what having a baby is all about, we felt it prudent to take a class to hopefully learn at least something about what to expect and how to prepare for what our teacher calls first battle of life.

Going in, one of our major concerns was the fact that Sofia is still in the breech position; it turns out she hasn’t yet moved either. But, Jenny did provide several different techniques we will try in the hopes of encouraging Sofia to get into the appropriate position. Although some of them sounded ridiculous and aroused suspicions that either she had gone senile or was engaging in some twisted joke, she assured the class that she hadn’t lost her mind and was also being sincere. So, to the techniques learned.

The first procedure she suggested was to have Gina get down on hands and knees and then to light what she called a cigar. As a quick aside, Gina and I met briefly after the first day with the other students in the class, an American and French couple, to discuss whether she was actually referring to a cigar as in Fidel Castro exploding stogie, or perhaps rather was referring to something else entirely and simply using weird British English. We never definitively decided. Either way, what was clear was that after Gina is in the right position, I need to obtain a very hot item, kneel behind her, and proceed to slowly bring the item we are calling a cigar slowly towards her left pinkie (toe). Then Gina will tell me when the heat becomes unbearable, at which point I then quickly pull it away, immediately replicating the process with the right foot. Apparently the idea is to repeat this over and over for an undisclosed period of time. We were told this is a highly successful technique (NOT highly successful, but worth a try I believe is what she said) in inducing infants to escape from the breech position. The next idea given was to perform an Indian bridge. The idea here is to invert the baby as much as possible while simultaneously holding a torch (flashlight) against the part of the belly we want Sofia to move towards. Apparently infants are like moths- bright lights are simply irresistible. Despite our best efforts she hasn’t yet decided to move and yesterday we visited the doctor and learned that we are rapidly running out of time. So for the moment we are still attempting to convince her to abandon her current hangout but also planning for necessary alternatives.

In addition to attending our infant preparation classes this past weekend Gina and I also went for a swim in Lake Zurich. Our apartment is only a few blocks from the water and there happens to be a line of parks and swimming areas that begin only ten minutes from where we live. When we first moved to Zurich we noticed that our neighborhood felt like a ghost town on Saturdays and Sundays and we assumed the Swiss were simply a very reclusive people. It turns out they all just go to the beach on the weekend. I don’t blame them. The water is cold and clear, the grass and the trees are a vibrant green, and the Alps soar up high towards the South; it’s a beautiful place.

That’s it for now.

Wait! There's one more thing. I need to add (this is Gina, by the way) that on Saturday we went to a pot luck thrown by one of our lab mates, which turned out to be a surprise baby shower! It was so much fun. Besides good food, we were treated to a nice, big diaper cake, more useful than tasty, but I guess that's what one would expect from diapers. All in all it was a good weekend and we are so lucky to work with such good people.

Yesterday, on the other hand, wasn't as much fun. We found out Sofie still hasn't turned, and because of this we had to schedule a C-section. We won't know the exact date until Friday, but we'll let you know as soon as we can. We also won't get to meet the doctor until the day before the surgery, which Ben wasn't too thrilled about. But I trust this hospital, so I'm not too worried about the actual procedure. It is apparently too dangerous to deliver a feet-first baby, and because of the placement of the placenta and the cord wrapped squarely around her neck, it's too risky to try the physical turning maneuver this hospital is known for. So basically that leaves us with one option, and we decided to take it! Of course there's still a slight possibility she'll turn by the C-section date, in which case we'll go al natural, but it doesn't seem too likely at this point. She's already a healthy 5.7 lbs and counting, so it's getting snug in there! I should know!

In any case, we'll let you know that date of the surgery, but in the meantime, think turning thoughts for us!

Swimming at Lake Zurich

Gina loves the water

Cool boat

Baby Shower

Sofia's first playmates

Move In Celebration

Gina and I recently completed the move from our temporary sublet into our new, more permanent apartment. Thank goodness. Although we’ve become expert at moving places, it’s still a lot of work and a pain in the ass. Our new abode is only a few blocks from the lake and about twenty minutes by tram to our office; the location is perfect. The apartment itself is what we euphemistically call unique. It seems that the building was built before power tools were invented- the beams were all hewn by hand and fitted together with mostly mortise and tenon. Over the years the floors have sagged a bit, Gina’s study chair keeps rolling away from her desk and we are still deciding how best to anchor it in position. But, it is our place, and to be honest it is kind of cool. 

We furnished it with a mix of free internet hand me downs and low cost IKEA furniture and I think we are both happy with the results. I haven’t yet decided about IKEA. On the one hand they force you to run through a complex maze of showcased furniture in a shameless effort to sell more product, but they also offer a Swedish meatball platter that is only 8 Francs. It’s a love hate relationship. 

Tomorrow Gina will enter the 34^th week of her pregnancy so little Sofia will arrive in about six weeks. It’s starting to seem more real. We have a two day baby course scheduled for next weekend so hopefully we will know at least something about babies when we have ours. My lack of infant care knowhow is starting to worry me. We have another doctor’s appointment schedule for the 17^th and we will learn if Sofia has rolled over then, hopefully she cooperates. Beyond that everything seems to be going really well. Gina and I walked to the base of Eutliberg, the mountain immediately to our West, and Gina did really well. 

The other fun news is the festival currently going on. Apparently every third year the city throws a party to celebrate itself and they go all out. The roads near the lake are all shut down and converted into a carnival/eating/drink space. It’s a lot of fun. This weekend we went on a ferris wheel and walked around, checking out the different venues. We did notice that for some reason they serve their hotdogs and buns separately, which was strange. Seeing thousands of people walking around holding a piece of bread in one hand and a sausage in the other is really what I think I’ll remember most about this weekend, that and the fireworks. Their pyrotechnics are world-class. For thirty minute they had six different platforms spread out over maybe a kilometer shooting synchronized volleys into the sky. And it was set to music; the entire waterfront was hooked up to one giant audio system and playing in concert with the fireworks going off. It was pretty amazing.

That’s about it for now. I’ve attached a few pictures and will write again before long.

Gina Setting up our Living Room

Our Dining Table and Sofia's Ride

Dining Room and Kitchen

Sofia's Crib

View from the Ferris Wheel

Ferris Wheel Again

This is not a smerf, a German relative perhaps?

High Dive

High Dive in Drag

Doesn't do them justice

A Leisurely Saturday Afternoon

Yesterday Gina and I, along with some of our lab mates, decided to explore the flea market at Burkliplatz, which lies at the beginning of the North end of Lake Zurich. We had a great time. We arrived at the market a little before noon and wandered through the different stalls, looking at all sorts of interesting bric-a-brac. The most interesting thing about what was being sold, at least to me, was that little of could be easily purchased in the United States. Unlike the flea markets at home, none of what was being sold appeared to be broken Walmart product. The place was overflowing with antiques, old hand tools, and unique, handmade toys. As we walked through the stalls we were encouraged to examine, try on, turn on, and open everything from nikon cameras to some sweet looking daggers- the weaponry was extra intriguing because I'm in the middle of game of thrones. Thanks Steve. Gina gently restrained me from trying to wear a WWII Japanese dive helmet- mint condition- and then one of our co-workers told us about a chocolate shop down the way.

So with Gina, who is much more interested in chocolate than historic artifacts these days leading the way, we wove a path through the labrynth of old town and into a place straight out of Willy Wanka's chocolate factory. This place had a lot of sweets. We each found a sample to try and then made our escape, trying not to get squished by truffle crazed tourists along the way.

And then we found the giant chess boards. And like many things here they are on top of a castle. It was like being at Hogwarts and the park in Searching for Bobby Fischer at the same time. It was fantastic.There were three humongous boards, two of which were being played on by really old German (In think) guys who were all yelling at one another, but the third was open... And so Ariani, a PhD student in our lab and I began a game. For a period of time it was perfect; closely contested, marked by advances and retreats, attacks and counter attacks, feints, fakes, thrusts and parries. As the game wore on I slowly and inexorably began to march down the board, designing a final brilliant stratagem to end the matter. But then the girls watching declared they were hot and bored so we had to leave.

Today has been a lot of fun as well. It is our one year anniversary and we enjoyed spending it together. We went for a long walk in the forest in the morning and enjoyed a slow afternoon reading, cooking, and skyping with family. Tomorrow work begins again but we had a great weekend and hope you guys did as well.

Engil and Gina

Refreshments

On the way to the giant chess boards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a really big chess set

me feigning concern

pretty good view

this thing confused us

First Days in Zurich

Greetings!

All of you know that Gina and I recently moved to Zurich, Switzerland so that she can pursue a PhD. in Agronomy at ETH Zurich, a technical university of some renown. Because a move of this sort, particularly when our little Sofia is expected to arrive soon, will doubtless be full of challenges and adventure, we decided it might be fun to share the experience with friends and family.

On May 14th we boarded a plane at San Francisco airport and flew some 5,000 miles across the globe to begin a new page of our lives together. Our family left California with 196 lbs of luggage, the memories of some wonderful farewells from some very special people, and Monkey Doo Doo. It's a long flight to Zurich and my headphones for some reason didn't allow me to listen to the in flight entertainment, so I mostly just sat there and thought about what we were doing. It's no small thing to leave your home, your family, your jobs. It can be scary and intimidating and often incites second guessing and hesitation. But I've traveled enough to understand that these are inevitable feelings. And as I sat and watched Gina destroy Sudoku puzzle after Sudoku puzzle I couldn't help but be reminded that we make a great team.

We've been in Zurich for three weeks now. It has been a busy time. The list of to dos never seems to end. Our first full day in the city we had to find the cantonal registration office to get residence permits. Luckily for us, our landlady went with us, which was an immense help because most of the government workers here don't speak English. Saina and her family have been really kind to us. She was at the airport waiting for us to arrive and drove us back to her home, she has invited us to eat at her table, shown us around the city, and looked out for us when we had to interact with health insurance salesmen. Without her help our transition to Zurich would have been much more difficult.

Housing has been a major headache. Competition for affordably priced apartments is fierce and many owners dislike renting to non Swiss. Yesterday however we did sign a contract for a nice apartment only a few blocks from the lake and we are excited to move into a place of our own.

The city itself is amazing. It is nestled around Lake Zurich, which lies at the bottom of a wide valley that is surrounded by wooded hills. The Alps, a massive line of snow capped peaks dominate the Southern horizon and can be seen from anywhere in the city. I can't wait to visit. The public transport is excellent and so far I haven't had a difficult time reaching any point in the city.

Then there are the parks. The city is dotted with large swathes of forest that are crisscrossed with well maintained gravel roads, benches, fountains, fire pits, and exercise stations. Gina and I have been going on daily walks in a tract behind our house that is simply beautiful. Below are a few pictures of our first few weeks in Zurich.

The view outside our apartment

Same view closer up

Gina on our nightly walks

A sheep