SwissMissMeg

As a teacher, the start of a new school year is the natural bookend to the summer. It’s our New Year’s Day – the promise of a fresh start. Students return to campus, smiles abound, and we shift back into the daily routine of morning alarm clocks and after school activities.

This year I was blessed with nearly three months of summer, the longest stretch I’ve ever had as a teacher. The time really helped in coming down from the intensity of Year 1 at a new school, adjusting to a new country.

Once I took my foot off the gas, I truly appreciated my new surroundings properly, enjoying time with friends new and old, enjoying the rhythm of life on the mountain. Floating in ice cold Swiss rivers, attending my first Art Basel (pics above), and hosting friends from near and far were all highlights.

With the generous time off, I flew to the States for a month, where I enjoyed reunions with family and friends in Vermont, Massachusetts, and down the Cape. Afternoons at Scargo Pond are always a favorite.

This year I took my cousins to the Berkshires where we rented an old farm house, played many rounds of Rummikub, and hide and seek in the dark. Three out of four are now high school graduates, dipping their toes into the working world, making our annual getaways all the more special.

Returning to Switzerland with my cat and my own apartment all situated was such a gift. All the efforts of last year has paid off and it’s wonderful to no longer be a newbie.

My students have also returned and, with them, I’ve gained two lovely new art colleagues. I’m excited to see where the year takes us – the academic travel trip to Venice in November will surely be a highlight.

Up next… my first visitors arrive in two weeks 🙂 I’m thankful to have many folks stopping through Lugano this year. With the Olympics coming to Milan in February, it will certainly be a banner year! For now, I’m soaking in the late evening light and my outdoor pool swims. With a little chill in the air, it’s not hard to believe that autumn is right around the corner.

Cheers to the teachers and students heading back into the classroom. May this year bring new opportunities, good health, and the strength to tackle new challenges. All the best to you all.