The Move is Officially On!

So I initially started this blog so that when we moved overseas we could keep our family and friends updated on what was happening in our life while we were across the globe. I'm happy to report that the time has finally come!  

Basel is northwest of Zurich on the northern border

BK and I will be booking a one-way ticket to Basel, Switzerland to arrive sometime in mid-March to April to stay for good.  We are headed over for BK's job, and yes, our furry friends will be accompanying us on this journey.  I'm not quite sure what I'll do while we're over there...learn German and figure out how to function in a new country to start.  Then I have some other things I'd like to do including get involved with the International Federation of Social Workers, possibly get my PhD, and work in social welfare there if possible.  Of course, there's A LOT of travel in our future as well.

Your mind may be flooded with questions about what happens next, as most people's are.  We have a little more than three months to go and lots to do.  But have no fear, as usual lists abound at our house, so we're on our way to being ready. 

We can't wait for our journey to start, but know we have a long way to go before we actually get on that plane.  Lots more to come about how we'll get there and the new experiences we'll have!

Showing Our Age: A Young Team and Frogs Getting Older

Pre-game festivities

Well, unfortunately we've just signaled the end of another Frog football season, and it didn't quite have the ending that Frog fans had hoped for: we lost the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl to Michigan State (17-16).  Everyone says we're a young team, so we're moving on and looking forward to what next season brings!  This season was exciting...our first one in the Big XII, with many of our old Southwest Conference opponents making a reappearance in Amon Carter Stadium; a remodeled stadium; a sold out stadium; and more support than ever from the community (i.e. purple EVERYWHERE).  BK and I were also proud of ourselves for attending more away games...Baylor and Texas in addition to the Bowl game. It helps that our games are not scattered all over the country. We've decided that we're going to try and go the games in Oklahoma in the future too.

AH and Sam on Christmas

Being the avid Frog fans that we are, BK and I travelled to Scottsdale, Arizona to cheer on our favorite team.  This year was a bit different for us in traveling to the bowl game- for the first time in the 10 years we've been together BK and I did not go with my parents.  Surprising, I'm sure, considering that we're in our "early-ish" thirties, but it's just what we've done.  This year a new baby arrived right before Christmas and the other one had her first birthday right after- a busy time for the grandparents.  I couldn't resist adding a pic of AH here, as she's pretty much the cutest thing ever!

Drinks at Citizen Public House

Back to the Bowl game!  We had a number of friends who were going, so there were about 10 of us that hung out for the weekend.  We went in on Friday afternoon, hung out in Old Town Scottsdale, then went to the TCU pep rally.  The pep rally needs more pep to say the least- it was by far one of the worst that I've attended.  I get why the TCU team can't be there, but give the fans who have travelled so far SOMETHING to cheer about besides an awkward radio host who did not not know how to get fans into it.  The highlight of the night was definitely dinner at Citizen Public House (Surprise...One of my favorite events was around a meal!).  We dined with close friends and had lots of good laughs at one an other's expense late into the night.

Arizona Biltmore

Saturday was fun, but where we really showed our age.  Bowl games have changed some since the early 20s when we wanted to party the entire time.  We all met in the lobby then headed to the Arizona Biltmore for lunch.  They have an amazing brunch/lunch menu and the food and drinks were really good.  Duck fat poached fries, chicken salad sandwich and tortilla soup were some of the highlights.  After lunch we walked around for a bit, then all agreed that we should head back to the hotel for a NAP.  You read right, we all needed a mid-afternoon nap after our day drinking.  That would have never happened before, and we probably would have powered through (not the best idea either).  We'll call it a rebound; most felt that it would be "clutch" later in the night.  This theory proved to be somewhat true.

ASU Stadium

As we journeyed to the stadium, I can see why ASU is the biggest party school in the US. There are bars surrounding the stadium, making it quite the party atmosphere.  We enjoyed some beverages at Gordon Biersch then headed into the game.  Apparently pretty much everyone in Fort Worth fell asleep by half time since it started so much later than normal.  They missed the painful part of the game.  After the game was pretty much a fail, and I've decided that Big 10 fans might be some of the worst I've seen.  Wisconsin fans were absolutely terrible before and after TCU beat them in the Rose Bowl and Michigan State fans weren't much different.  Constantly yelling, cursing, shoving and pretty much just acting like jerks the entire time.  No clue about southern hospitality or manners!

That pretty much ended the Bowl journey 2012 for us, as we headed home the next morning.  A couple of other random things I learned on this trip: Hertz NeverLost navigation system is great for our relationship, and it is surprisingly cold in Arizona in December- take a coat if you go.  

One of my new year's resolutions is to blog on a more regular basis.  BK and I got exciting news about our move abroad at the end of December, so I see that being pretty easy! More to come on that soon!

BK's Home Away From Home

So as you all know, BK and I love to travel.  What you may not know is that BK actually has a home away from home that I typically don't get to visit: Basel, Switzerland.  This month things changed...I got to visit Basel with BK for about a week.  It was a bit of a whirlwind considering that we were home for approximately 36 hours between two trips, but I really can't complain.  There are many worse things in life than being in Napa for five days then turning around and going to Switzerland for a week.

The Old Bridge over Rhine River

BK lives in Basel for about 10 days a month when his company closes their books.  Sometimes it's a little longer if it's a quarter-end month, or could be shorter if he just has meetings.  Basel was really fun. Of course as BK was here for work, so for a couple of days that I was here I spent a lot of time exploring around town by myself.  Basel (and Switzerland in general) is incredibly safe, so there were no worries about me wandering around.  

The Rhine River runs through Basel, but everyone says that instead of dividing the city, it actually unites two halves.  I like that thinking.  The Old Bridge is a landmark in the city and is a major thoroughfare, but not too busy.  People walk everywhere and Basel has a great tram system that you can jump on at any point, and if you're staying in a hotel they give you a free mobility pass so it's free to ride for the duration of your stay.

Thursday I spent about four hours walking around the city I did this great walking tour they have around the city.  People who live here don't seem to know about it, but I stopped in the tourism office and they told me about it.  It is also not a serious tour, so you're not bogged down by tons of history, you just get to enjoy the sites.  It gives you a route to follow; for me, it gave me a plan...and we all know how I love to have a plan.  

To do the tour you just follow these guys around the city.

Basel has lots of great little squares, which I think in German are called "platz."  Yes, German, and specifically Swiss-German, is the language spoken here.  A good majority of people speak English, but I feel bad expecting them to speak my language and not having a clue about theirs.  If you haven't ever looked into German, it seems completely foreign to me, and I can't really decipher anything without some serious context clues.  

Markeplatz is where city hall is and is at the city center.  During the summer they have open air markets and lots of people gather here.  It is where I started for my tour.  The city is great and incredibly pleasant to walk around in.  Switzerland has done a wonderful job of preserving old architecture and mixing it with new, modern buildings.  BK joined me on Friday for the afternoon and we did some exploring together, including me showing him what I had learned the day before.  

City Hall in Marktplatz

We explored many parts of the city, including the side that is not considered "Old Town."  There are so many nice neighborhoods that are a little off the beaten path, but are well worth the walk.  There is lots of green space tucked away throughout the city and you can pretty much walk along the river as long as it stretches.  After BK and I walked around for quite a while, we ended up in Munsterplatz which contains Basel's main landmark, the Cathedral.  It is a beautiful church with great views of the river behind it and another square in front of it.  There are many restaurants tucked in corners throughout the city, including in old, repurposed buildings.  We ended Friday with dinner and drinks at a little restaurant in the Cathedral square, and then watched the Ryder Cup late into the night.  

Cathedral in Munsterplatz

Saturday took us to Zurich, about an hour's train ride away. More about that later. Now it's back to American life to watch the Frogs take on SMU.  Game time this week: 1am.