Daily life, new friends, and finding my roots
Alex’s apartment was a studio which we both knew would be a big test. As it turned out we were very compatible as roommates and the small space wasn’t an issue at all. The apartment was in a lovely area of Big Basel and just a 10 minute walk to downtown. There were grocery stores and tram stops on each corner of our block which was very convenient. We also had an amazing bakery just down the street which was a blessing and a curse. I quickly grew accustomed to the European late-afternoon coffee break. A latte and fresh baked treat while snuggled up on the couch was the perfect (& inexpensive) comfort for getting through the winter.
I joined CrossFit Basel right away. Alex had joined about a month before my arrival and was really enjoying it. With all the moving I’ve done to new places I’ve learned that the most important thing to start feeling at home is to make connections in the community right away. CrossFit always has a great community in my opinion and before long I had made some friends there. In particular I met Julie who had invited me for a hike near her home after class one day with her giant (and I mean GIANT) dog. She and her husband Nick were great company for Alex and I and we hung out with them quite a few times. They joined us on a day trip to Gundelfingen, Germany where I was searching for gravestones of my ancestors. I didn’t find them but the village was quite cute and we had a nice hike in the Black Forest. It was pretty cool to imagine that I was seeing a place that my great great great grandparents once lived.
Another time we all went out for my first fondue experience which was pretty amazing. The fondue pot was like a small cauldron and I thought it would be impossible for us to make a dent in it. I was shocked, amazed, and slightly disgusted when we polished off close to ALL of that melted cheesy goodness!
I was also treated to another tradition one night when we had a nice raclette dinner with some of Alex’s friends and co-workers. Another delicious meal involving melted cheese. Mmm mmm! This was a really fun way to have a group dinner because you cook the food right at the table.