When people find out that BK and I are moving abroad lots of questions usually follow. Here are some of the most common, in case they've crossed your mind too.
Q: What are you moving for?
A: BK's job.
Q: When are you leaving?
A: Sometime this Spring, depending on when our visas are approved. A bit about the visa process: we sent copies of all of our legal documents (passports, marriage certificate, employment contract, BK's diplomas, and a couple of other things) to the company legal department; the docs then make their way to the Canton where we'll live in Switzerland, and from there they go to the Swiss federal level for approval; after that they return to the US in Atlanta so that our entry visas can be granted by the Swiss Consulate, then sent back to us and we can go. It's about a six-ish week process.
Q: What am I going to do while we are in Switzerland?
A: First priority: learn German. Yes, lots of people speak English, but to really integrate into society, I need to learn German. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone outside of the US speaks English. Second: become familiar with daily living and how to manage life in Switzerland and in the US. Third: get involved with the profession of social work through volunteering, learning about social welfare system and figuring out how to get my PhD while abroad. That's a start, and should keep me busy for a while.
Q: What are you doing with your house?
A: Renting it so that we're not out of the US real estate market while we're gone.
Q: Are the dogs going?
A: Yes, at this point, they're pretty much the only ones who are ready to go. They get transported by a pet courier company. No, they don't go on the same plane that we do, and no, we don't have to mess with them in the airport. They will most likely go on United (A very pet-friendly airline, or most economical, I guess) through Chicago, then to Switzerland. They don't get to ride above in the cabin, but will be in a pressurized/climate controlled part of the cargo hold. There is no quarantine period, and they will be dropped off at our apartment the same day we arrive.
Q: Where will you live there?
A: We will live in corporate housing first, then during that time find an apartment. We have ideas about what part of the city we want to live in, but yes, it will most likely be an apartment. And yes, we will downsize.
Q: Will your place be furnished?
A: No, we're taking a couple of rooms of furniture, bedding, dishes, art and other pictures. Yes, we will have to buy some stuff over there to finish furnishing the Swiss apartment. The things we want to take are shipped, either by air or by sea. The air shipment is for "immediate" items that are needed and the sea shipment is for everything else. The air shipment takes around three weeks and the sea shipment takes five to eight weeks. The shipment company will come to our house and pack everything for us prior to leaving (for liability reasons). And yes, I think that is kind of awesome.
Q: What language do they speak in Switzerland?
A: They actually speak four languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. We'll be in the northern part of the country where they speak German. Note: English is not on this list.
Q: What are you all most excited about?
A: Outside of the obvious answer of being able to easily travel around Europe, we're most excited about a completely different lifestyle. Specifically, I'm excited about living a lifestyle that less wasteful and more intentional. No driving every day, more thought about how time is spent and what needs to be accomplished, eating food in season, doing lots of outdoor activity, and lots of other things!
very excited for you guys!
ReplyDelete