• About
  • Travel Planning Services
  • Blog
    • Stories of People & Poetry
Global Heartbeat Travel

travel that speaks to the heart

MENU
  • Contact
  • Work with Me
    • Partners and Sponsors

October 15, 2015 By Hailey

The Path to Community

I still don’t believe that I actually live in Switzerland.

Over the past three months, Justin and I have slowly started to settle into Swiss life. After weeks of searching and months of waiting, we found an apartment and moved in to our own place. By now, we’ve learned the public transportation system and have picked up bits and pieces of (Swiss) German. We are meeting people through Justin’s company, church, and chance encounters. We try to comply with the rules of Swiss society, such as Zurich’s strict waste and recycling laws. We get out to the mountains on the weekends, and in the grand scheme of things, we don’t have much to complain about.

But it still doesn’t feel like home.

I remember when I first moved to Madrid in 2008. I had just graduated from university, and I was thirsty for new experiences. I took great pleasure in being on my own and learning the Spanish way. I went to work, adapted to the delayed dining schedule, and adjusted to the madrileño accent. I was proud of my boldness to move abroad before my 22nd birthday, but Madrid held only a little charm for me alone. The loneliness, dark and twisted, threatened to blind me from potential enjoyment and adventure that awaited me every time I stepped out onto the lively streets of sleepless Madrid.

Although, I did have a couple of girlfriends from the start, my community didn’t fully reveal itself until Thanksgiving dinner. I remember leaving my friends’ apartment that night with a belly full of turkey and an overflowing heart. I remember walking away with an inexpressible gratitude for those girls (were we women then?) who I had met seemingly at random. Somehow, I knew with a profound understanding that a deep connection of lasting friendship had been sealed through the sharing of that meal. For me, that was the moment when Spain became home. 

Today, I am reminded that “home” is so much more than an apartment, a neighborhood, a city, region or country. Home is my community – the people in my life who walk with me, beside me. Those who desire depth to our relationship, where we can listen and share in the joys and sorrows we encounter as we journey through life.

Already, I see glimmers of community here in Zurich, but I acutely wish we were experiencing it fully. I take strength and encouragement from those who are far from Switzerland yet staunchly remain within the context of my global community. I am reminded that those friendships did not form overnight… and neither will future relationships.

And so, I wait. With a hopeful patience that as time goes on, community will reveal itself to Justin and me as we walk through the stages of our Swiss life.

And then, just then, Switzerland might become home.

Postcards from Hailey
Thank you for subscribing.
Something went wrong.
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Get helpful tips, exclusive insights, and updates on my latest travels - just every once in a while! Also, when you subscribe, you'll receive my lookbook "The Best of Switzerland" for free :) So, what are you waiting for? Continue the adventure and join my travel team today!
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.
Tweet
Share on Tumblr

Related

Comments

  1. Sophie says

    November 24, 2017 at 4:47 pm

    Hi Hailey,

    I came across your post while browsing the Zurich free tours. I moved to Zurich for work nearly two months ago, leaving all my closest friends in London and have exactly the feeling you had at the time. Since it was over two years ago, I imagine you managed to build your circle in Zurich. How did you manage to create your own community here?

    All the best,
    Sophie

    Reply
    • Hailey says

      November 24, 2017 at 11:02 pm

      Hi Sophie,

      Thanks for sharing and welcome to Switzerland!

      In short, our community is mostly made up of friends from Justin’s job (who are all expats, too), our church, and a few random encounters :)

      Zurich is a great place to be an expat in this country, as there are so many here who are ready to make friends. However, the downside is that many of those folks are on short-term assignments and the revolving door of people flowing in and out means building community solely from expats is like building a house on shifting sand. In my almost 2.5 years in Zurich, I’ve made some really great friends, but they have since moved away :(

      If you want to avoid that revolving door, I’d strongly recommend getting plugged in to an existing community of more permanent people. For example, our church has a good mix of people who are here both short-term and long-term, and becoming involved with that community has made us feel more grounded.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions!
      All the best,
      HD

      Reply
  2. Ida says

    November 1, 2015 at 10:17 pm

    That is exactly when Madrid started to feel like home to me as well, during my first American Thanksgiving. :) Life is full of these sneaky, lovely little moments and I’m sure there will be many of those for you in Switzerland.

    Reply
    • Hailey says

      November 2, 2015 at 8:14 am

      Yes! The “home” part of a new setting can just sneak up on you. Again, it takes community to really solidify those feelings. I find myself wishing that my “Spain girls” would reenter my life, because y’all would make life SO FUN!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hailey Domeck is a Southern girl with a Spanish heart and Swiss soul.

As a wife, mom, and travel addict, her love for mountains, fairy-tales, and great food keep her mind and heart always on the lookout for the next great adventure.

♥ Connect with Me ♥



Follow on Instagram

  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Latest
  • Today Week Month All
  • 7 Things to Do in Zurich in Winter 7 Things to Do in Zurich in Winter
  • Hiking in Zermatt: 3 Scenic Trails You Don’t Want to Miss Hiking in Zermatt: 3 Scenic Trails You Don't Want to Miss
  • To the Top of Pilatus To the Top of Pilatus
  • The Best Fondue Restaurants in Zurich The Best Fondue Restaurants in Zurich
  • 6 Fun Things To Do At The Zurich Airport 6 Fun Things To Do At The Zurich Airport
  • The Märchenhotel Braunwald, A Fairytale for Families in the Swiss Alps The Märchenhotel Braunwald, A Fairytale for Families in the Swiss Alps
  • Braunwald, Switzerland’s Best Kept Secret Braunwald, Switzerland’s Best Kept Secret
  • Helping After Hurricane Helene Helping After Hurricane Helene
  • Regular Rhythms & New Heights: An Update from the Swiss Family Domeck Regular Rhythms & New Heights: An Update from the Swiss Family Domeck
  • 3 Questions to Ask Before Travel Planning 3 Questions to Ask Before Travel Planning
  • Today Week Month All
  • Sorry. No data yet.
Ajax spinner

Tags

adventure travel art & culture beach trip expat life family travel festivals & holidays food & drink hiking hotel review Munich Orlando Paris people & poetry Photography product reviews reflections road trips Sicily summer travel tiny country spotlight travel tips winter travel Zermatt Zurich

Recent Posts

  • The Märchenhotel Braunwald, A Fairytale for Families in the Swiss Alps
  • Braunwald, Switzerland’s Best Kept Secret
  • Helping After Hurricane Helene
  • Regular Rhythms & New Heights: An Update from the Swiss Family Domeck
  • 3 Questions to Ask Before Travel Planning

 

DISCLAIMER POLICY

SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE “POSTCARDS FROM HAILEY”

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Discover Stories

adventure travel art & culture beach trip expat life family travel festivals & holidays food & drink hiking hotel review Munich Orlando Paris people & poetry Photography product reviews reflections road trips Sicily summer travel tiny country spotlight travel tips winter travel Zermatt Zurich

Global Heartbeat Travel

Copyright © 2025 Global Heartbeat Travel travel that speaks to the heart