And we're off...

Hi everyone.  My name is Nicole and I have moved from Toronto with my husband to be a part of the 2012 MBA class at IMD.  We have two kids, a boy, Aiden (age 3) and a girl, Sienna (age 1). Its hard to believe we are actually in Lausanne now and the MBA program is underway.  We have been preparing for this decision to pursue an MBA and move for over a year now and I would be lying to you all if I said it was easy.  The preparations and logistics that had to take place to move a family of four across the Atlantic ocean were stressful!  We sold our house, our car, and most of our furniture.  It was one of the most emotionally stressful things we have ever done.  Making decisions on what to keep versus what to donate or get rid of was awful.  We had lived in Toronto building a life together for almost 8 years and everything had a meaning.  So we decide to rent a small storage unit for items that were sentimental and very special to us and the rest went to donation centers or friends and family.  And after ALL of this sorting and planning we still ended up with 7 (yes 7!) hockey bags of luggage.

In the one year we have had to mentally and physically prepare for the move to Lausanne, there were at any given time of day a million questions running through my head of what this year would be like.  Would I be lonely?  How will I cope caring for two kids without the support of my husband and family?  What will it be like living in a foreign country?  How will I communicate and how fast do I think I can learn French?!  If there was a crazy or absurd thought to be had of how this year could be very difficult, believe me I THOUGHT OF IT!!  (Just ask my husband haha.  He was often on the other end of a barrage of questions "Oh and WHAT IF.....??!")  And now after being here for just 5 weeks, I can say these questions were valid and real, however I am discovering Lausanne is an truly amazing place to live.  It's BEAUTIFUL, there are so many things to do with kids from parks to community play groups, there are tons of expats (my first week I met two moms from Toronto and one from Chicago), and did I mention its BEAUTIFUL?!  We have made fast friends with a family from Chile who have two children the same age as mine and watching our two 3 year olds play is amazing.  One speaks Spanish and the other speaks English and its as if they never knew they don't speak the same language.  Somehow they figure it out and just today my son said "Maria is my best friend"!!  So just 5 weeks in to living and adjusting in Lausanne and I think we will be just fine.  I have been consciously trying to keep an open mind and take each day as an opportunity for my kids and myself to learn or experience something new.  I guess I just have to take the lead of my 3 year old son, I need to exist as if I had no preconceived biases or fears.  Who knows how many "best friends" I can have when the year is done?  : )