IT’S AMAZING THERE ARE RANCHES WHO OFFER PONY RIDES AROUND HERE.

And no, that’s not where I got my inspiration from.

I wanted to answer that privately at first, but then I figured that some of y’all may be interested in a status update of how I’m doing over here. Especially because some of you helped me get here! So have some personal ramblings after the cut:

Joking aside, I really like it here. The food is amazing and most people are incredibly friendly, seriously it’s nothing like back home, people are so happy, inviting and warm. I regularly have incredibly nice and heartwarming conversations with complete strangers. There seems to be a way different lifestyle than in Switzerland, it’s beautiful.

Also I enjoy the weather way more than back in Switzerland, even though I do miss the snow now in the traditional winter months. I sometimes feel a bit homesick, but never really in a sad way. Sometimes I have the feeling as I’m still back in Bern, until I realize where I am and then I always freak out a little, because the whole thing is still so incredibly unbelievable to me. Just two years ago I would’ve never thought to ever even visit the US, and now I’m living here, it’s insane! I feel a little bit like a boy from the alp living in the big city. (Even though I’m neither from an alp nor living in the big city.)

There’s so much new stuff to explore. Almost every day I see or experience something new. From the most simple things (You guys have Coke Zero Cherry! There are constantly airplanes overhead or on the horizon! Or even the architecture, certain stores, the fact that we can go grocery shopping at 2 in the morning, etc.) to bigger stuff (4th of July, the incredibly vast and breathtaking nature and wildlife, etc). It’s like one huge adventure. 

Sure there’s a negative side to it, mainly politics (for which I don’t care much, thankfully) and the fact that the US is a third world country if it comes to things like health care, warfare, education, racism and misogyny. At least from where I’m coming from. But it’s not that I choose the US because of things like that, so there’s no point to be bummed out about it.

It’s also pretty weird to be speaking a language that isn’t my first language constantly. It has come to a point where I completely think in English and I’ve forgotten a couple of German words already. The other day I desperately tried to remember the German word for bacon while talking to a friend. It’s crazy how fast that happened.

I miss my friends and family, but I stay in contact with them via Skype and Facebook, which helps a lot and I’m going back to Europe for a vacation next spring, yay!

All in all I’m really happy here, and of course the fact that I’m living with my wife now is such an incredibly wonderful thing. With her I feel at home, no matter where I am.