From Switzerland to the USA
I received some questions recently, like why did you leave Switzerland and how did you end up in the US? So here is the story of how a girl from Switzerland became a business owner in the USA.
Once Upon a Time…
I was born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland. My parents are both Swiss, but from a young age, I knew I was going to live in the USA one way or another. I didn’t learn English until 9th grade and only learned it in school for one year. But I watched a lot of movies in English and learned that way. My native language is Swiss German, but in school we learn High German and I also had 3 years of French.
After I was done with 9 years of school, I took a 4 yrs apprenticeship as an Architectural Drafter, during which I worked 4 days a week in an architecture office and one day a week I went to school. I received hands-on training and at the end of the 4 years had a week of final exams which included drafting plans, taking exams in physics, chemistry, math and other subjects. I passed with a 4.5 (six is the best) and was now an Architectural drafter. After my Graduation I was able to work at the same business I was an apprentice at for the rest of the year and then found employment at another architecture office. My boss was actually a somewhat famous architect in Switzerland for designing this Marble Church
I worked there for almost a year, when one day, my boss said something that made me angry and on my way home, the tram stopped in front of an EF agency. I got out and went inside and picked up an application for becoming an AuPair. That application was filled out and dropped off the very next day.
And wouldn't you know it, in April that same year, I got off a plane in Austin, TX, and was picked up by my most awesome host family, which I am still in contact with to this day.
Meeting my future husband…
Each Tuesday all the AuPairs would meet at the Dog & Duck Pub in Austin, which sadly no longer exists in its original location. But I digress, so one Tuesday it was pretty rainy and none of the AuPairs showed up. So I decided to watch the Dart Players, as I had learned to play darts a couple of months before started my adventure in Austin. The players played a game which I didn’t know, hence I asked if they could explain it to me and it turned out to be Cricket. I got along with them and invited them to my birthday the next weekend.
Well, my birthday came and they didn’t show up, back then cell phones were not as common. We had already gone to the lake when they called to let us know that they weren’t able to make it. No harm no foul. The following weeks I would hang out with them at the Pub and got to know them.
Steven then invited me to his housewarming party and that is where we ended up together. I was one of the last guests and we ended up on the couch together. While watching Beavis and Butthead and he grabbed my hand and never really let go since.
Long-Distance Relationship…
My contract with EF AuPair was only for one year and that meant my visa was expiring as well. So after we’ve been dating for 6 months, we had to say goodbye. But Steven surprised me on the last day and told me, that he already had plane tickets to visit me in Switzerland for my birthday. He’s a keeper, I am telling you.
So I moved back to Switzerland and got a job that paid crap. But I had to save all the money I could to come back as a student at ACC. Well, a had a dear friend that helped me out. So after 8 months of only calling twice a week, cause long-distance phone bills were real and writing letters. I came back to the US and enrolled as a student at ACC. We got married a year later and I have been in the US since.
Now…
We are still together and have two wonderful grown children and four cats.
Do I miss Switzerland? Sometimes, but my family is here now. I lived more than half my life in the US now. As of last year I am a US Citizen.
So hold on to your dreams, cause they might come true, maybe not the way you imagine, but they do.
Much love,
