Hey Jean! Not only that, I have even talked to recruiters in Switzerland and got advice from a guy who made the move
Unfortunately, the job market, not just in Switzerland but in tech overall, isn't great right now. There have been a lot of recent layoffs. The job I currently have is great, so that makes me more hesitant to move.The salaries I am seeing are solid, but housing is still a bit of unclear. I hear such different numbers on rent from people living in Zurich.
So the plan is still there, I just need some more time to prepare the move. Convincing DW of the plan is part of that preparation. She's excited about the outdoor life in Switzerland but is concerned about making new friends. It's a challenge we'll need to navigate.
making friend can be hard. people will assume that you allready have enough friends, and wont propose you any activity. You need to invite people yourself at the beggining. joining a club works well too.
edit: my unsolicited advice was about switzerland, in case in wasn't clear.
I discovered that my city offers a variety of state-sponsored classes. You pay a small fee and they teach you a skill for a period between 3 till 6 months. While initially I took my languages classes at this institute when I migrated, I only recently realised the wide range of other interesting skills they can teach you.
I enrolled in a woodworking class with a friend. 3 hours of lessons a week for around 3 months. Each participant selects a project and the teacher will guide us with the tools and technique. Having visited a few extremely wealthy persons this year, I noticed that almost all their cabinets were handmade and fitted to the space. It's so beautiful and has become a future goal of me to create for my house.
Additionally, I signed up for figure drawing. I can draw and took many figure drawing classes at University. Two years ago I wanted to continue, but only found private ateliers that provided figure drawing classes for 15 euro per hour. Fortunately , the state classes are more much affordable at around 2 euro per hour.
Living in a social state that takes 50% of my salary can be frustrating sometimes, but if you make an effort you can actually find many similar opportunities like the one above. Free museums on particular days, discounted classes, free education days, discounts on sports. In this system, the initiative lies with the individual. the state won't come to you with money but offers valuable resources for those who seek.
Figure drawing lessons for that cheap is a great find. Have you made anything yet in the woodworking class?
A box! It's a very beginner class, so hand-tools only. I actually have some experience, because my grandfather is a wood-worker. As a kid he would help me with making a rabbit cage or similar projects. I was around 8 years old at the time and only now I realise now that I mostly was a helping hand and he did all the work
I hope to learn about all the power tools too, but it seems like a good idea to start with the basics first.
The new year is here and it's time for reflections.
How many books did I read last year?
From the top of my head:
Guns gems and steel
Saving time Jenny Odell
Re-read Cloud money
The molecule of more
How to talk to anyone
Stop reading the news
The Paper menagerie
Currently I am reading Anna Karenina from Tolstoy
Surprisingly, it's not the towering pile I pictured in my head. I thought I was reading all the time this year. Maybe blame it on my newfound obsession with Substack blogs to my RSS feed.
Net worth increase
In 2023 I used a minimalistic approach to finance tracking. Despite not being a fan of the spreadsheet tracking, I did track my monthly cost and income so I can calculate my saving rate. This year I had an average saving rate of 72%
My net worth increased around 40% percent. It's my 4th year of working full-time, so the jumps are still big.
Skills
I drew a lot this year and I am very happy about that. I always drew, but now I made a conscious effort to get better. I am studying the online classes of Watts atelier from San Jose.
I have been enjoying the progress and are noticeably getting better. With my improved skills I made two painting this year as birthday presents. People love it. My mom even shed a little tear this Christmas when she opened the present. It shows that people don't care about the object, but the effort and appreciation from the person.
Work's doing okay, considering all the tech layoffs. Remote work is over and from next week I am expected two times a week in the office.
Traveling
Tons of traveling has been done. In total around 8 weeks. I have mixed feelings about this. I love slow traveling, but it's a form of traveling that is difficult when being employed. I went over the whole island in Taiwan for a duration of 5 week. This was amazing. I learned some basic Chinese and rented a cheap scooter to get around. Such a diverse country. I also did a mixture of camping trips and stayed two weeks in Amsterdam.
I am looking forward to 2024. I am feeling sharp and excited about all the news things that are coming. Today marks the kick-off of my three-month no-buying (conscious buying). I will write on that journey in a few weeks
hi, how covinced is your wife about moving to CH now?
We have planned a cheap camping trip to the Interlaken area for the summer. Hopefully that will help us decide. The move will definitely take at least another 1-2 years because of current visa problems.
around Biel/Bienne, so not too far from interlaken.
I think I know enough about traveling cheaply, including in switzerland, to make a conversation with me about your travel plan worth your time. Feel welcome to.contact me if you want to.
around Biel/Bienne, so not too far from interlaken.
I think I know enough about traveling cheaply, including in switzerland, to make a conversation with me about your travel plan worth your time. Feel welcome to.contact me if you want to.
The drawing course is going well. If I set a specific time for myself to draw, I won't keep questioning if I really want to draw or if it's the right hobby. Just sit down, start drawing, and soon I feel happy about getting started.
I recently saw something surprising. A popular art streamer, someone I really admire for his skills, almost cried during a live stream. A viewer bought his drawing course, He'd been stressed, thinking no one wanted it. He thanked the buyer and even called his daughter into the stream to share the news. This made me think back about my days in art school and glad that I choose to make it my hobby and not my career.
I hang drawing that I like on my wall. They motivate me and remind me of my goals when I walk by. @mountainFrugal maybe a painting swap this year? I want to learn to oil paint this summer
Last edited by bos on Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
