Laura's Life: Moving back to Switzerland

Ever since leaving the beautiful country of Switzerland, I've had the urge to return. After moving back to America, spending four years back in public school and completing my Master's Degree, it was time. Back on the international teaching market, I quickly learned that math teachers have it made...the demand is high. Overwhelmed with five job offers after not even completing all of the scheduled interviews, I knew, without a doubt that Switzerland was where I wanted to be. I returned to Leysin in August 2015.

As usual the fall semester has been filled with adventure and I love every minute of it....

Zermatt, Switzerland during the 10th grade class trip (August)

From the Gruyère cycling sportif I did in September. 114km with 2000+ meters climbing.

Here's a few pictures from Leysin, hiking up the Berneuse in August....

And then there was the weekend in September that I went to Budapest to visit Dennis

Mary and me in Budapest!

Budapest, Hungary

Heroe's Square, Budapest

Budapest

The Danube River

Parliament from a boat on the Danube

Parliament

Me, Dennis and Mary on the dinner Danube boat cruise

I was assigned to a group of seven (awesome) kids along with one other colleague, Ben. For the duration of the school year, we are a family. Faculty family weekend happens in early September. I booked us a hut at Lac Taney in Switzerland. We hiked up and spent the night.

Lac Taney

My awesome family and "husband"

Just can't get enough of this view from my living room....

Dents du Midi from my living room

L'Etivaz cow festival happens every fall. The cows are decorated and marched down the roads by their famers. This signifies the coming of winter and the end of summer. There is plenty of cheese, potatoes and wine for all!

Nothing beats the sound of the alpenhorn in the mountains

Marta. Is. Awesome.

Fondue Baguette = Love at first bite

Loving Life

And then there was the weekend I biked to Chamonix, my favorite mountain town....

Sunrise before the descent into the valley and the ride over to Chamonix

Approaching Chamonix

After 90km en vélo, it was time to hydrate and relax with espresso in the sunshine...

Mark, Paul, Jacqui and me at our hotel looking out to Mont Blanc, Chamonix

Dinner in Chamonix

Before riding back to Leysin (Mont Blanc in the background)

Descending La Forclaz toward Martigny, Switzerland from Chamonix

A brief video from the flat part of the ride between Martigny and Aigle on our way back to Leysin

View of Martigny, Switzerland

Chris and I registered for a fall half marathon. We drove 3.5 hours east in Switzerland to Frauenfeld. When we arrived to register, we learned registration was taking place at a Swiss army base. We soon learned that this was a Swiss military race! Members of the Swiss military would run the full marathon in their army gear! (We were only running the half.) After retrieving our race bibs, Chris asked the guard outside if we could take pictures at the army base. He said yes and didn't seem to understand why we were asking. Then Chris explained that in America one cannot do that. He chuckled and said, "Of course you can't do that in America!" He was then kind enough to pose in a picture with us.

The Swiss military at the start line. Full gear and guns on their backs.

Post race (in the army base) with Chris and Mary

And then in November the snow came. Here's a quick peek at the first ski tour of the season skinning up to the Berneuse in Leysin.

And then I decided it was time for a trip to Amsterdam. My lovely friend Krysten now lives in Haarlem so I was able to stay with her. I love the city of Amsterdam. The gouda and the stroopwaffles are to die for and there's also good beer on tap.

One of my favorite things about the city...parking garage for bicycles

Me and Krysten in Amsterdam

I also took part in the faculty ski trip to Zermatt in the first weekend of December. We depart after school on Friday and return on Sunday evening. We had beautiful weather, but unfortunately there was not a lot of snow. For someone used to New England, I definitely would NOT classify this as "bad ski conditions" though!