Seven years ago today we arrived in Switzerland from Virginia. I try to write these posts annually to take stock and reflect on the previous year.
(Previous posts after one, three, four, five, and six years in Switzerland.)
The Past Year
Work
Nine months ago I started a new role as a Senior iOS Engineer for PassiveLogic. I've traveled to Salt Lake City and Amsterdam twice each. The work is very advanced, and I'm still not over my impostor syndrome, but I am enjoying it. For the first time since moving to Switzerland, I am on a local Swiss contract, so I get the standard four weeks of vacation, local Canton Zug holidays, and payments towards a Swiss pension.
Learning German
Last Fall I took a test prep course for the Goethe B1 German exam. I passed the exam in December.
Last Fall and this Spring I attended a German conversation course that meets one day a week at a local school.
Integration
In April I applied for and received my settlement permit (permanent residency).
Also in April I started playing D&D in-person with a group of Swiss friends in Zürich. We meet every second or third weekend. (I've played a lot of D&D over the past three years but almost entirely online.)
Travel
Internationally we visited Vienna, North Carolina, Boston, and London (apart from work trips). Within Switzerland we've visited Wengen, Mergoscia, Brienz, and Val Müstair.
I feel we've made fewer weekend trips over the past year, in part because our son is busier now with high school.
Nature / Outdoors
I continue walking locally in the Ägeri valley. In the winter I snowshoe. When it's hot I go out on the lake on my standup paddle board.
I didn't do any big day hikes in the past year, and I struggled to exercise regularly. I should have hiked, snowshoed, and paddled more often.
Last Year's Goals
So how did I do on last year's goals?
Hits
- Apply for permanent residency
- Pass the B1 Goethe German test
Indeterminate
- Get hired locally (I'm working for a U.S. company but on a local contract)
Misses
- Complete the Via Engiadina hiking trail
- Exercise regularly
Goals for our eighth year in Switzerland
- Hike more stages of the Via Engiadina
- Spend a night in a mountain hut
- Exercise regularly
- Improve my conversational German
- Enroll our son in university
- Make plans for beyond summer 2025
The Future
We will definitely stay here until our son finishes high school next summer. I would like to stay longer. In three years we would be eligible for Swiss citizenship. At this point I really don't want to live anywhere else.