1/4th of a year

I am sitting in the airplane. I am not really sure what I should feel right now. In one hand I am really sad that I left the United States but in the other hand I am looking forward to see Switzerland again and meeting family and old friends. We have just crossed the border to Switzerland. The first time since about one year I see the country in which I was born. From up here it looks so small. All the little towns seem to be so small and I couldn’t imagine that more than a hundred people could live there. I see Basel which is near from where I live. I used to think that it is a big city. But after seeing Chicago it only looks like a little town. After 10 minutes we finally land. Compared to the O’Hare Airport in Chicago the Zurich Airport seems to be somewhere in the alps and very very small. I am getting really excited or probably more anxious. It’s july the 23th 2009, 10.47 AM local time (3.47 AM Chicago) and I am back in Switzerland.

After finding all our ten suitcases we are going out of the airport. By the exit my brother is standing with a huge welcome sign. Next to him is my aunt Marta. I am glad that there aren’t more people. I don’t know how much I could handle since I am very tired. After giving everybody a hug I go there where probably everybody wants to go after sitting for about 8 hours in an airplane. Yeah, the bathroom!

We are driving to the hospital which is near by the airport. Not because the Swiss police think I got the Swine flue, by the way this happened to my Chinese friend Lijie after his arriving in China, no because my grandmother has some issues with her back and she had to go to the hospital for some researches. It’s nothing really bad, so don’t feel bad for me now. It was the weirdest feeling walking through the airport and hear all the people talking in Swiss German. Even the commercial sign are all in German or Swiss German. I am sitting in the trunk of our car. What a nice welcome I think. But of course it was my decision because with ten suitcases and seven people there is not even in a big car much space left. I see all the cars with the funny white license plates with the little Swiss flag on it. My grandmother is really surprised and happy to see us and I am glad we went visit her. Even tho I am falling asleep.

After the visit we are finally driving home to Laufen! An about 2 hour drive is coming up. My brother is driving and also talking the whole way back. I am half awake and half asleep and don’t really remember what is going on. During the car ride I am getting some calls from friends to welcome me back in Switzerland. Good to see that some of them still have my old cell phone number. xD

In front of our door are some warm welcome signs. The house seems to be smaller then it used to be. But to be honest everything seems to be smaller. You have know idea how weird everything feels. Everything looks the same but so different. My room is nicely prepared for my arriving. I got a whole new shelf with all pictures on it from my year in the US and new sheets for my bed. Guess what kind? Yes sheets with the American flag on it! My brother’s girlfriend is also here now and she and Nathanael are preparing a nice traditional Swiss meal. It’s called “Raclette”. If you ever go to Switzerland this is something you should do! Very cheese but very good. After dinner I can’t keep myself awake. I have been up for about 30 hours without any nap. So I go to sleep for my first night in Switzerland.

And now at 6.00 o’clock in the morning I am already awake again and write this. Even tho I haven’t showed much Emotion when I left, now it’s hitting me. I already miss all about America. All you guys made my year such a success and I am glad I came. As one of my friends said at his departure “Don’t be sad that it is over, Smile that it happened!” 

PS: Feel free to write a comment or correct my English I am still learning…