Category: Home
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Pushka is Coming Home
Tomorrow, I’ll drive over to Portugal to pick up this very special old lady š„°šš„¹ 10 years ago, when I adopted her in Malta, I promised her I would never abandon her. But then life had other plans. Thankfully, dearest, sweet, old Pushka, I managed to keep my promise to you after all. It’s been a…
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Defined by Water
Itās time to stay close to home for a whileā¦ simply to be careful with financesā¦ and also because, quite honestly, I just love my rooftop apartment with its little terrace. Even more, I love sitting on said terrace for hours together with my room mates JoJo and Luna, two adorable felines who I canāt…
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Spring in Zurich
Spring in Zurich is a festival of colours. A banquet of flowers. Green leaves begin sprouting everywhere in a myriad of hues. The air feels lighter all of a sudden. Warm and fluid. Caressing your skin. Growth is everywhere. In the earth, the trees, the lakes, the rain, the skiesā¦ Every living thing around you…
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Home
Home. After not having had a home base for almost 2 years, I cannot express well enough how grateful I am to have found a place in June 2021 to which I can return to happily, and relax in, every single day.Ā Many good friends offered me shelter along the way when I was homeless,…
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Suspended in Time
Iām on vacation! 2 1/2 weeks off work. Thankfully, as of this moment it still feels as if Iām suspended in time. I have all the time in the world. In fact, this is my first vacation since beginning of 2019 that is without stress and anxiety. A vacation without existential angstā¦ even though Iām…
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Slowly Arriving
Itās been eight months now since I came back to Zurich. A place which has been my home two times before already. All in all, this is my 19th year here. It is more home than any other place on Earth, and yet I struggle to relax into it. Over the last thirty years, Iāve grown…
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Macau, One of the Harbours of My Life
As happy as I am where I am right now, I miss my home in Macay every single day. I miss my life in that strange, yet beautiful little town right next to Zhuhai, China. I miss my cozy apartment with a view over the South China Sea and the mainland. With its lush tropical…
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Thunderstorms
A thunderstorm building up the other dayā¦ I love thunderstorms. Always have. Usually, I either go for a walk as the storm builds up or, if I can, I sit outside with a hot cup of tea or a glass of wine and calmly enjoy the forces of nature. Now, from my terrace, I can…
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Stairway to Heaven
The Wonderweg continues. Currently mostly just around Zurich. But itās amazing. I have already lived here twice. Altogether, this is now my 18th year here, but I am daily re-discovering Zurich on a whole new level. Finding corners Iāve never been to before. Enjoying familiar corners with fresh eyes. Genuinely savouring every moment. This picture…
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Precious Moments
My just recently adopted, old, toothless partner in crime is teaching me so much about life. About pausing every now and then to appreciate what we have instead of worrying about what we donāt have. About enjoying those almost imperceptible rays of sunshine. Most of all, he teaches me about love. I guess because we…
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A Quick Breather
A quick breather yesterday at Lake Constance. It’s always amazing for me to find sandy beaches and secluded spots so close to bustling civilization. Otherwise, not much new here on the aiming-to-settle-in-Zurich-again front. I must admit, I am exhausted. It’s been a good two years now of hanging in limbo on so many levels and…
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Focusing On What Is Truly Important
Last week, I went on a 5-hour hike with a good friend of mine. Switzerland sure has beautiful corners everywhere. We walked from Schoenenberg to Sihlbrugg, along this incredibly tranquil trail. For the longest time, it felt as if we were somewhere far away in the wilderness. We barely met anyone else. Plus, following the…
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JoJo
I need to rave a bit more about this cat. Itās incredible to think that, had I not decided to hike from Switzerland to the Mediterranean Sea and, had I not spontaneously decided to stay in Montpellier for a few months, JoJo and I would never have met. I rescued him from the streets of…
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That Comfy Feeling
JoJo and I are still in Zurich and will – if all goes well – make this our long-term home base. At the moment, Iām dealing with a lot of bureaucracy and it is as of yet unsure if Iāll be allowed to remain in the country. All will depend on me finding a job,…
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Taking A Deep Breath
Since arriving in Zurich on the 10th of January, the days have just flown by. I was greeted by magnificent snow storms while, surprisingly, temperatures werenāt all that different from the South of France.I got settled into my cozy new room. And found a home with a flat mate who is quite amazing.Tons of pressure…
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A BientƓt Montpellier!
Alright, this is it. One more sleep in Montpellier. Then, tomorrow morning, Iāll hop into a rental car and drive north, towards the Swiss border. All luggage is in the car already, so we can get a running start. All Iāll need to do at 6 am is to throw some cold water into my…
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And Then All Changed Again
Where do I even start… well… as you know I was looking for a job and an apartment here in Montpellier. I was even looking with a friend. She has a French passport but is not registered in France at the moment. I have an EU passport. And we wanted to find something affordable together,…
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What a Year
It was.What a yearā¦ found myself completely homeless, unemployed, and penniless for the first time in my life. Embarked on the Oasis of the Seas in the Caribbean to manage one of the most beautiful aqua theatres in the world. Called my first high-risk acrobatics show. Went to Germany to help my dad during the…
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Looking for an Apartment and Job in Montpellier
Itās been a while since my last post. But, Iāll do my best over the coming months to keep you all posted on a weekly or at least bi-weekly basis. Lockdown has become less strict here in the South of France which is quite fabulous. We can now venture out for three hours a day,…
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French, Sunsets, Herniasā¦ and a Cat
The Wonderweg has gone (and still is going) through some massive changes. It has always been just as much of an internal than an external journey. Two months of hiking have brought me from Brugg in Switzerland to Montpellier in France. A city I immediately clicked with on so many levels. Which is why, as…
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Lockdown And Surprisingly Delicious Donuts
The latest lockdown here in France began in the night between 29th and 30ieth of October. Like many, I went for one last, long stroll on the 29th. The conditions couldnāt have been more perfect. A clear, warm night with sparkling stars. It was hilarious as well as disturbing when I came across a demonstration…
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Weekend Wanderings and Wonderings
The streets were immensely busy last night as all of Montpellier seemed to have decided to enjoy one more lovely and long night out before entering into yet another lockdown. I keep being astounded by the atmosphere in this town. The relaxedness, the joie de vivre, the golden sun, the dramatic clouds… As I wander,…
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Montpellier
Weekend steps… this time Iām just leisurely exploring around the neighborhood. So many cozy corners. Art and the memory of art can be found everywhere. Buildings, streets, and alleys are stunning. Good food and drink is available on every corner (No Liam. Donāt look. Keep walking). Street artists are doing their makeup, getting ready for…
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From Smoking Feet To Smoking Brain
Sooo… I will stay in Montpellier for one month. And this morning is my first day of school… uuuaaahhhh… but let me start from the beginning… Iāve made the spontaneous decision to replace smoking feet with a smoking brain. I am taking a 4-week intensive French course at the Alliance Francaise to finally be able…
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Villa Stella
Iāve arrived in Montpellier. This bustling city is quite the contrast to the quietness and natural beauty I experienced in the Camargue during the last four days. However, albeit different, Montpellier has abundant charm and beauty of its own. I am quickly falling in love with this old town. Every street is rich in history,…
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The Greatest Painter Of All
The Southern sunlight and olive trees. For me a near irresistible combination. Since yesterday, I am close to Avignon, staying with friends. The landscape and flora have changed. I have longed for this for weeks. To be out of the cold Central European forests. To escape the chilly, heavy dampness at night, that permeates your…
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The Last Odds And Ends
Boo is helping me pack the last odds and ends. So tempting to pack her too while weāre at itā¦ But itāll mean an additional 4 kg, so I guess I better not š Iāll miss her to bits but, gladly, my dad is taking great care of her.
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Aromat
What do you crave when you are far away from home? For me (donāt laugh) itās Aromat. Itās a Swiss-ism. A quite unhealthy, artificial salt thingy. Most Swiss canāt live without it. Neither can I. And Iām not even Swiss. Iāve only lived there, off and on, for 17 years. Wherever else I went during…
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Make the Best of It
Update from the Lake Constance Writing Front: Over the last few months, I’ve had so much to process, learn, and overcome, I ended up being not by far as productive as I’d have liked to be. Still, I alternated writing short stories and articles for various platforms, worked on my blog, kept developing the story…
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Dad
Can I just say how grateful I am for my dad? I mean, I am thinking daily, “Damn, I’m stuck here in Germany in this small apartment without any privacy, camping on the couch in the middle of the room.” True. There are no doors to close, and it’s a small one-bedroom apartment. Nowhere to…
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Boo, Lara, and Bocelli
Thinking of this little family today. I found them in a pet store in Macau, in 2010. They had just been rescued from the street. A cat with three kittens. All of them were horribly sick. They had any infection you could think ofā¦ cat flu, ear infections, eye infections, ringworm, etc. One of the…
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Home By The Sea
It’s always been my dream to live right next to the deep blue sea. There is something healing about gazing at the water’s surface, and something exciting about hearing the waves break when they arrive at the beach after their long journey across the sea… Currently at least part of my dream has come true.…