Life in Geneva - part one

So it's been one week and two days since I've arrived in Geneva. And a lot has happened... Here's what I did (not in order):

1. Got a cold, went to the pharmacy and realised that medicines should probably be shipped from Brussels in order to still stay affordable.
2. Pharmacists don't give you drugs easily here. You have to beg for them to give you spray that is actually stronger than mouth wash.
3. On the other hand, they are nice...
4. Come to think about it, everybody here is nice. Not in an American sleazy and hypocritical way, just genuinely nice. Everywhere.
5. Found myself an apartment.
6. With a bed :-), in a room, gorgeous, big, with internet, washing machine, garage for my bike, and more importantly in the middle of Geneva, two minutes from work
7. Why the heck did I take my bike then?
8. Oh yes.... Saturday the weather was gorgeous so went for a bike tour along the lake. Sunday weather equally gorgeous did the same thing, only bigger tour and took a book with me. Read my book lying on a bench next to the lake.
9. I know, you're all jealous
10. Actually, if I take my bike to work, I get there in one minute.
11. Since Friday I wake up one minute later. Yippee
12. Oh yes... nearly forgot. Started a new job.
13. I am now officially the communication officer for the access to essential medicines campaign.
14. Thank god, they are two others... too much work
15. Nobody leaves work before 7.00pm
16. So I don't – not yet anyway
17. Went out on Friday with Mallory and her friends
18. Very nice friends, good evening and I can walk home from Old town to my bed in 15 minutes... and it's along the lake.
19. First big party in Geneva on Saturday: Rugby - and England won.
20. Watching second semi-final on Sunday - oh my god South Africa is going to wipe us out
21. Some people told me Geneva was going to be boring. Well it's not super exciting but it's relaxing and some parties are happening, just not during the week.
22. oh and yes... took some pictures... here they are... enjoy

Ahhhh le Jet d'eau... difficult not to take its picture




My flat mate Ruud - he went for on Saturday around the lake, I followed with my bike. Here are some pictures of what we see when we run here...















Before that, in the morning, we explored the market... Very cheap vegetables and fruits. Sunday I made a pumpkin soup that was pretty good (although not as good as Amanda's).








And this is my street... Litteraly two minutes from the lake

Voir Dublin et mourir....

It has always been a dream of mine to visit Dublin and when Niamh, one of my Dublin colleagues’ and friend, invited me for her birthday in September, I didn’t have to think twice about going or not.

I finished work on Tuesday, packed my stuff for my six months expatriate trip to Geneva and left for Dublin on Wednesday.

Dublin is obviously a capital but still it’s not huge like London or Paris.You can walk everywhere, although I have to confess by Friday my feet where killing me, everything is cramped in the city centre. Wednesday is decided to have a general walk. I only had a few days and didn’t really want to miss anything. One of Niamh’s colleagues gives me some tips and with my map I can manage perfectly well. And anyhow, if you stay on a corner looking a bit puzzled, people come immediately to offer assistance… There is no way you can get lost in Dublin.

It’s a very interesting city if you like architecture. Houses are in Victorian style, covered in laurel and you kind of feel like you’re walking in an historic movie. Nearly every house has also a copper plate with the name of some famous Irish bloke who was born, lived or died in the house. I guess the sport in Dublin is to find a house without a copper plate!



Everything is also bilingual: English and Gaelic. The later is totally unpronounceable to me and Niamh and her flat mates have great fun hearing me trying to pronounce their cities.



One of my first visits was Trinity College. Beautiful building, interesting history but what makes it all worthwhile is the history society guided tours. Elisabeth, one of the guides, makes it a funny and very different visit from what you can expect. Apparently until 30 years ago Catholics were not welcome at Trinity College. Mary Robinson, former Prime Minister, had to ask for special permission to her bishop to attend Uni.



Elisabeth has also a very funny way of describing how students live. In some dorms, there are no showers or toilets and students have to go outside. In a girls’ dorm there was only one plug per floor until one year ago. You can imagine how difficult it was with your mobile, laptop, ipod charger and hairdryers. Another funny story is the acceptance of girls at Trinity. The story goes that George Provost, one of the most adamant opponents, apparently said “over my dead body” and actually died the day after the new regulation was passed. After the tour I went for lunch in the university cafeteria I think I looked young and lost enough to pass on for an Erasmus student ☺



The rest of my Dublin visit was pretty typical of any tourist: St Patrick’s cathedral, Christ church, going to see a live Irish band play music, visiting the James Joyce museum and Oscar Wilde’s house. One of the most beautiful places I’ve been during my three-day stay was the National Library. An exhibition about the Irish poet Yeats was organised but actually if you go there don’t hesitate about going upstairs to visit the library itself.



I was supposed to stay until Sunday, 16th September, leaving afterwards for Gairloch (Scotland) with Amanda, Archie and Pradeep (he plan was to rent a house and stay in Scotland for a week, enjoying nature, bike rides and walking). Niamh was celebrating her thirties’ birthday on Saturday night.



Unfortunately, the Belgian police phoned me on Friday evening to tell me that my dad had died. Apparently he fell down his stairs at home some days before and the neighbours got worried. Small consolation is that the doctor told me that he died instantly and probably didn’t suffer.

Niamh and her flat mates immediately brought me back to the airport, not before giving me the “alternative” tour of Dublin. Niamh’s boyfriend Mike really made this horrific morning pass well. At the airport, they all spit in different groups, queuing to the different companies to find me the cheapest and fastest way back home. Sadly, there wasn’t a direct flight to Brussels but British midland gave me their cheapest ticket but also gave me access to their business lounge, so I could relax. That made really the difference as well. I don’t think I could have managed 5 hours in the middle of Heathrow airport with screaming kids and people coming back from holidays.