My Story continued:
When Sonya started Pre-school I applied to do SupplyTeaching after being a stay at home mum for seven years. I managed to get enough work to help save money for a trip to Switzerland to let Sonya and Carol (5 and 7 years old) meet their other grandparents and for Bill’s parents to get to know their only grand children. This was going to be difficult because the girls only spoke English and Bill’s parents didn’t. I had tried to get Bill to talk to them in Swiss from when they were babies but he preferred not to saying that he was still trying to learn English. We tried to explain to the children that they would not understand Grossmutti and Grossvati but it was still a surprise for them when we got there.
We flew from Brisbane to Singapore, Bahrain, Frankfurt and Zurich where we caught a train for two hours to Thun. When we saw Bill’s mum and dad waiting on the station, we pointed them out to the girls. They ran up to them and gave their Swiss grandparents a hug and a kiss. Bill’s parents were so happy. We stayed with Bill’s parents at Durenast. You could see the Alps from their apartment. While there the girls had their first experience of snow.
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Grandparents and grandchildren
meet each other for the first time. |
The first time the girls had seen snow.
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| Bill's parents live near the Lake of Thun |
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| We went on a ferry trip around the lake. |
We sailed past many castles and villages of chalets. It was beautiful scenery.
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We got off the ferry and walked along the Seeweg
to a park where the girls played
in the autumn leaves.
Another new experience for them. |
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| Another day we took them tobogganing. |
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| We went into the city of Bern |
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We went to see the Bern Bears in the bear pit.
The emblem of the Canton of Berne.
(it was sad to see them kept like this.) |
It must have been so difficult for Bill's parents not to be able to converse with the children.
ReplyDeleteAs we have become more European and people with different born languages have married I am aware of many more bilingual children these days. I always enjoy trips back in time. Especially to places I don't know well.
ReplyDeleteI would not be happy to not be able to talk to my grandchildren. I would learn the language no matter how hard. Their grands always dressed very formally from the photos.
ReplyDeletethe first photo of the bear my heart broke for the bears. Your girls started their well rounded lives at an early age. I can't imagine not understanding my grandmothers or my one granddad that I knew. I did not see snow until I was 12. precious memories here..
ReplyDeleteHow sweet to see the grandparents for the first time and then snow ! I can imagine that it was wonderful for the girls ! The bears are not longer kept like this, there are no zoos anymore but each animal has to be kept as if it was free. Enough space etc.
ReplyDeleteHello, wonderful photos of your Switzerland trip with the family. I would think even with a language barrier Bill's parents were thrilled to see their granddaughters. Beautiful views and photos. I wish you and your family all the best in 2020, Happy New Year! Have a happy day and new week ahead!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful memories.
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing for your girls and grands to have all these fabulous photos AND for us to see what things were like in Switzerland at that time!
ReplyDeleteIf both parents speak a different language, I think it is important that both speak to their children in their own lingo. When I moved to RSA I lived in the bottom of a double story house. The owners were from the Belgium Congo and spoke French. Their daughter was married to a Hungarian. By the time I met her at 10 years old she was fluent in French, Hungarian, English and Afrikaans which was all she spoke at school and also Zulu, which she had learnt from the gardener. She had so many jobs offered to her when she left school.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year t’other Diane
great mwmories from Swiss.
ReplyDeleteHow delightful to have met their Grandparents and experience so many new things.
ReplyDeleteTreasured memories.
What a wonderful trip and such great memories were made.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that bears and other animals are no loner kept in such a manner
What a great experience for your daughters. It would be nice if all children could be exposed to another culture in another country. A very uplifting post, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThat trip would have been a wonderful experience for your little girls and for their grandparents. Children benefit so much from experiencing another culture. Lovely photos and great memories for you. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip for the girls with so many 'firsts'. I imagine they got along well with Bill's parents in spite of the language difficulties.
ReplyDeleteWoW - So Thankful You Have These Gems - Many Thanx For Sharing
ReplyDeleteCheers
Happy New Year Diane. I am not going to be blogging regularly this year (moving over to Instagram because I like the way it presents photos) but will certainly be popping by every now here to keep up with your story.
ReplyDeleteWhile not speaking the same language might have been somewhat of a hindrance, it's clear that this visit with Bill's parents was full of much happiness and much love. What great memories for everyone. Our best wishes to you and Bill for a great 2020, Diane, which will surely be full of many new adventures.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory this must be Diane and super photos! Happy New Year Diane :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories — it would be fun to hear what the girls’ memories of the stay are, especially their first snow. At their ages, I bet they managed to communicate with their grandparents and learn many new words during their stay. What a wonderful trip!
ReplyDeleteThis is a touching post to read, thinking from the view of Bill's parents. How lovely it must have been to meet for the first time your sweet girls. I'm sure the language barrier melted away with all the cuddles and expressions of love, starting with those first greeting hugs and kisses.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos too Diane from those years back :D)xx
Just checking in .... hoping all is well with you and yours during these devastating fires. I am not good with geography, but the map I see looks absolutely terrifying. Be safe.
ReplyDeleteGreat photographs and memories.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
What a lovely experience for the girls Diane, both the snow and meeting Bill's mum and dad for the first time. Lots of lovely memories plus the photos to go with them. It is sad to see our wonderful country in this parched condition, a tinder box really! I hope you had a super Christmas and are looking forward to an excellent 2020 💙
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