An expensive word to learn!

Well, it's been a hell of a week. It's been utterly fab having some folks from home visit, one of whom brought her new beau for us to judge (sorry, meet!). What was truly special was having a part of our much cherished friendship group from Leeds come over; it really helped this feel like home and it's incredibly reassuring and comforting to know that we're still connected. At an hour and a half's flight we're MUCH less cut-off than we were in Rwanda or Calgary.

So, word of the week was " Une Amende," which means "A Fine." 

On Thursday I was coming home from a Sailing lesson I hadn't had as the sailing company had forgotten about me when Victoria called. Normally I wouldn't pick up when driving but I was making poor choices that day. 

The previous evening a colleague of Victoria's (we'll call her Jane) had been robbed at the entrance to her garage in Geneva, her hand-bag lifted off the passenger seat of the car by a ne'er-do-well while his colleague distracted Jane on the other side of the car. Being chivalrous and kind, Victoria lent Jane her husband so she didn't have to suffer through the rest of the evening unprotected and alone. Jane and I waited up for the RIDICULOUSLY expensive late-night emergency locksmith to come and let us in to her flat and replace her locks, and then we took a pleasant stroll through a raging storm to the police station in the middle of the red-light district, where she lives. By the time all this was sorted I got to bed in Geneva at about three O’clock. Now, you may well know that I'm not at my best in the morning, far from my usual cheery self and considerably farther from observant than usual, so when Jane's alarm pulled me from my slumber at 7.30 the following A.M. I was impressed that I managed to quietly leave her flat and get to the station, where I managed to buy the correct ticket and get a coffee. Sadly, having accomplished so much, I must have rested a little on my antemeridian laurels as I managed to get the only train to Lausanne that DOESN'T stop at Nyon. This put me an hour later back home than anticipated, which made me an hour late for my first meeting with a new tutee. At this point I was already quite stressed and bouncing through my morning on caffeine and adrenaline (with a little help from a delectable almond croissant. If one must be stressed in Switzerland, there are at least perks). It didn't help that being late for my first appointment necessitated a call to the parents of my second and third appointments to relate my sorry tale and apologise!

Eventually I got home and crammed in some lunch  before setting off to not have a sailing lesson. This cancellation was almost the last straw and I was going a bit out of my mind when I picked up the phone, which I knew was wrong but thought to be legal here as I had seen so many people on their phones while driving. This was a notion the policeman who pulled me over seemed more than happy to disabuse me of. He was even happy to take time to explain what was happening in broken English and sign language as he told me he was giving me 'an amende' of CHF100. 

Mea culpa, I know, and I make no excuses, but if every word I have to learn comes at such a price Victoria's salary won't go nearly far enough!!

Thankfully, I start regular French lessons on Monday, at a much more reasonable rate.

Bienvenu A Suisse

You'll have to forgive the delay in posting; I know we've been on this new adventure for nearly two weeks now but it's been just too hot to move or think! Still this being the view from the dining area helps; you can almost see the heat, no?

So, here we are in sunny Nyon, temperatures clearing 30 degrees every day so far and not dropping much at night. Alps to the left, Jura to the right and beautiful Lake Geneva (Lac Leman to locals, and who am I to argue) sat right there in the middle.  There have so far been several lessons as a private tutor, one wonderful trip to church where we both felt right at home and were immediately installed as small group leaders (daunting!), one barbecue, four overly hot runs, one guest (my easy going sister) with two more on the way and much French taught. It's been hectic!

Things I have noticed about Switzerland:

When you take over a house you do just that, not a house and its light fittings. Several dark nights followed and some minor electrical jiggery-pokery: now we can see! Hosannas were sung over the brownie-points earned.

Ikea meatballs are equally awesome wherever you go!

The cheese is really that good!

The trains really are that punctual!

Pistachio and chocolate is THE BEST combination of ice cream, flavours, c'est sure!

Electric velo-pass bikes (Swiss 'Boris-bikes') should be available everywhere! All of you who visit MUST try them.


Everything really is shut on a Sunday. Hello Sabbath!

Grass beaches, despite initial weirdness, really do work. No sand in pants = happy Rob.

On a more general note, I've started writing a book. It concerns marriage and fidelity and I have a lot of ideas to work out, so that might be a recurring theme here for a while. I'm just not sure how to treat a necessarily sexual subject in overtly Christian fiction.

So, what next for Rob? That's been a common question for months now and it's no different here, most often from folks at church. Back in the UK I was happy with the position that God had called us both here and there would be a right thing to do once I got here. Now I'm finally here and I'm in that period of reflecting, waiting and praying it all feels a bit odd. Still, it's early days, so we'll see. Maybe it's the writing, only time will tell.