Shoes
Matt's size 13 shoes will be downright impossible to find, shoes are pricier in Zurich and I'll take any excuse to go shoe shopping. So far, Matt wisely bought sensible work shoes, athletic shoes and a couple pairs of casual
shoes. I've bought new athletic shoes, three pairs of boots, two pairs of dress heels and two pairs my favorite ballet flats (Me Too Nini flat). I'm going to be walking much more than I'm used to, so I tried to prioritize comfort over fashion. It was tough.
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| Teva Jordanelle - I can't wait to try these out in snow. |
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| Nine West Turner Boot - not my usual style, but they look easy to walk moderate distances in. I'll be feeling very '90s in these. |
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| photo credit: Gear Junkie |
We have one or two serious snow falls per year in Columbus. Since we drive everywhere and park as close as possible to building entrances, I've never needed more than a cheap winter coat. The first thing we did after Matt accepted the position, was buy some serious Eddie Bauer First Ascent jackets. The factory store out on the west side of Columbus had the $350 version down to ~$150. We're ready for snow covered mountains, bitches!
Makeup/Skin Care
It took getting married in front of 150 people to motivate me to upgrade my face wash and makeup from the drugstore brands. Now I have a carefully vetted line of products I use, some of which can be tricky to get. I've stocked up on Jane Iredale tinted moisturizer and mineral powder (although, good news! I found a salon in Zurich that carries it!) and Eminence face wash and lotion. Despite my organic/all natural kick, I also stocked up on one of my all-time favorites, Twisted Peppermint body wash from Bath and Body Works. I can't help it. The mint makes me feel like less of a zombie in the morning. Worth the chemicals.
Deoderant
Aarti says it's better stuff in the states. I don't argue, I just buy.
Undershirts and Underwear
We both stocked up on our favorites in anticipation of having trouble finding our usual and the expense. Underwear is not something I'm willing to gamble on. I go with what I know.
Dog Food
I buy Henry totally froo-froo, all-natural stuff, which we'll need to phase out for something easier to find in Switzerland. I don't know what the options will be yet. Hopefully something better than Purina, which, in my opinion, is McDonalds for dogs.
Drugs
Ibuprofen, Zyrtec, Tums, cough drops, multi-vitamins, etc. in bulk. I hear they're expensive and I'm not sure if everything is available over the counter. Better safe than sick.
Pillows
It's probably silly, but I have a very specific kind that I like, so I bought an extra.
Contacts
We both have four eyes. Friends from Switzerland have ordered contacts in the US, sent them to us and had Matt bring them to Switzerland on work trips. We figured we'd learn from them and stock up.
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| Giant Escape City photo credit: roll |
Bikes
We never used our crappy, old bikes in the US. But, without a car, it sounded like a good idea to have them. So we upgraded to some pretty awesome Giant bikes at roll.
Food
I sent a ton of spices, brown sugar (recommended by Americans currently living in Switzerland), and canned pumpkin. I might grab a few boxes of Annie's macaroni and cheese to throw in our suitcases. I've also thought about almond milk, since it sounds like a difficult to find item and I drink it in place of milk, but I've never bought the pantry version, only refrigerated.
3M Picture Hooks
I have no idea what the rules will be for hanging things on walls in our new Swiss apartment. It seemed logical that these might be helpful. They may be easily available in Switzerland, but I stocked up, just in case.
There you go. Anything we missed? We still have two weeks to buy, buy, buy and we are open to suggestions!
bring dryer sheets if you will have a dryer. drugs, underwear and shoes are all a good call. at least in brussels there are plenty of upscale pet stores. there are also sephora's scattered around europe. also consider some mexican food items (i buy the canned jalapenos because i can't find real ones here and the spices and enchilada sauce), other cooking aids (chocolate chips, caramel sauce, bread crumbs, condensed milk and bisquick are things that come to mind) and any specialty liquors. i can't find any of them here. and don't forget all the cool euro designs you will get to buy when you get here!
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