Today, we are 10 days into our Swiss Living adventure. I wanted to dedicate my future Friday posts to gratitude. This Friday, I am grateful for finding some places to fit in and new friends, especially with Gabe traveling for work half of this past week:

( 1 ) I joined the American International Women’s Club this week and they embraced me with open arms. I took a yoga class Wednesday morning (awesome place to do a down-dog, right outside 17th century windows, above). I can’t wait to do more events. They have a meeting later today and a “drop-in” coffee event on Monday.

( 2 ) Charlotte friend, S (part of S&S) who are joining us to live here in Geneva in a few weeks, introduced me to super-nice Lady J (check out her blog here) who recently moved here from Japan (and prior to that, Singapore) and we spent a morning last week enjoying an Auer coffee and a walk comparing notes on settling into the city. Thanks for the introduction, S!

( 3 ) We joined a gym – yeah!!! It felt great to get back in my routine I had established going to the Dowd Y in the mornings before work over the last 4 years. Yesterday, I was happy to discover that they have a 7am Thursday Disco cycle and happily enjoyed my first Disco spinning experience with lights, music and enthusiastic French instruction. It almost felt like home; however, the main difference being women in full jewelry/make-up in couture working out. i definitely scream American here in the real gym clothes.

( 4 ) I started checking out the four English-speaking churches in the Canton of Geneva and noted their times and addresses. I plan to make a circuit to check them out over the next few weeks to see which feels right. Anyhow, this past Sunday, I went to a Lutheran one in Old Town that meets at 11am. It was more traditional than what I am used to in Charlotte, but what was pretty neat is they had a completely International congregation – I think out of their 80-100 members, there are at least 20 nationalities – pretty cool. The service was Lutheran and music was sung/performed in English, French, and Zimbabwe and Swahili. I was very welcomed by everyone, especially a really nice Singaporean man who helped me know what to do (communion etc) during their service. They had a coffee reception afterwards in the basement full of homemade baked goods. Three women approached me to welcome me and to talk about how I was settling in….most of them Americans who had been in Geneva now over 10 years. I’ll continue to check out others, but they really set the bar high and i know I could return happily here.

Have a great weekend, everyone!