Lots of cheese and a different German

Yes, I'm in Switzerland.
Having worked 6 years in Wr.Neustadt, Lower Austria, in a bath as a waitress, I thought it would be nice to do something else for a change; something in a foreign country and a job that is more rewarding financially than my waitress job. :-)
As one can make good money in this beautiful country, I decided to work here for 6 weeks this summer. So, here I am and I’m a caretaker (“nurse”) in an old people's home.
Oh, you guys won't believe it but I'd love to blog all the time. I’m in need for communication. It’s only now that I came to understand what blogging truly means and what it’s all about…but apart from having little free time only, my biggest problem is to get to a computer plus internet. Muri, a real hick town not far from Zurich (canton Aargau), doesn't really provide foreigners like me with ways to be able to communicate with their family and friends. There's no Internet-café. Can you believe that? What a brashness! Well, that’s how it is here I guess…after all, it’s a tiny little town. What's nice or funny, however, instead of "modernity" Muri has farms spread all over the place at every corner. I can see sheep graze from my balcony and goats are right in front of the nursing home. There are animals everywhere. If you don't see them, you can smell them ;-).
The place where I’m staying is similar to a dorm. Only nurses, caretakers and trainees live here. Internet is actually available but simply way too expensive for poor Austrian students like me.
Okay…I thought I’d give you some insights into my new job and my stay here in Muri. Well, the journey didn’t just take extremely long (about 10 hours) but it also made me sick (or maybe it was the stressful time that we all had at the end of the semester). No matter what caused it, I got a terrible flu which made my first week horrible. Being confronted with a different environment, language, people, job, etc. is something that takes getting used to and having been sick made it even harder.
My first working day was the worst and I for a tiny little moment thought: ”What the heck am I doing here? Why am I not at home? I want to be at home.” I guess it was due to my temperature ;-). My job on that day was to accompany one of the nurses, watch what she was doing and make notes. She explained everything that I had to know in her language of course…well…“Schwitzer Dütsch” is kind of perverse ;-). It seriously took me a few days getting used to it. In the beginning I sometimes-of course depending on the people- didn’t understand a word. Old people without teeth are still a challenge. Hihihi. I of course knew what was going to expect me at the time I applied for this job but the first confrontation with bedridden old, sometimes very sick, and naked people who I was supposed to wash EVERYWHERE (and I mean it!), swaddle and wipe out their backsides…well, all that sort of…I don’t even know how to put it best…it was simply too much. The first week past extremely fast cause I went to bed as soon as I got home. In general time seems to fly when you’re working. We’re all working in shifts and I’m quite thankful that I only have 4 night shifts. Most of my days start at half past five, some a little earlier. It was hard in the beginning to get up at such an ungodly time. I’m a student and my days usually don’t start that early, quite the contrary, they’re more likely to end at that time ;-).
The team I’m working together with is great. We all get along well and enjoy working together, which makes working in general more pleasant or fun and the hours pass by faster. Bernadette, my friend who I came here with, is not as lucky as I am unfortunately. Her team doesn’t get along at all; that’s hard and I’m very sorry for her. At my ward not only the team is great but the residents/ patients. I like the work I’m doing, especially because the people give you so much back emotionally. I really “fell” in love with some of the old people there. I guess saying goodbye is going to be hard…Okay…I have to go know. I don’t even know if anybody’s still reading my blog at all but it’s nice to write. It’s really sad that I can’t do it more often and frequently:-(. For those who read my entry...hope you’re doing fine and I miss you all. Enjoy your holidays. xoxo

1 comment:

fn said...

Simone,

glad to see that you have grasped the true meaning of blogging...communication.

the job sounds tough, but I guess you can look for those little things that keep you motivated, and feel good knowing that you are helping to brighten up someone's day in some way.

The place sounds pretty and I suppose is a lot cooler than Austria has been recently.

take care and let's hear from you again!