New Members Coffee

Today I attended the new members coffee at the AIWC, had lunch with a few of the members and was able to receive some grocery shopping advice!

Here are the highlights:

• I met a woman who is the former chess champ of the Czech Republic.  She is now a stay at home mother to two young children.  
  
• I am attending a meeting on Monday to volunteer for the biannual bizarre the club puts on as a fundraiser.  In past years they have raised 70,000 chf to help support the club and they donate 10% to a local charity.
• Another new member, Edna, just moved here from Washington, D.C.  Her husband is Swiss and an award winning chef (she mentioned this several times).  She handed out menus and directions to their new restaurant and really enjoyed talking.
• I signed up for the beginners French class tomorrow.
• A French woman, Cristalle, befriended me and we spoke for quite some time.  Her husband works for Patagonia in Annecy, France.  Their children attend school in Geneva, so she goes to the club every day to read or socialize while her children are in school.  Her grandmother passed away yesterday and she was very sad.  She told me how her grandmother will not be placed in the family tomb until Saturday and in the meantime she is on ice in the family home in Northern France!  I think my jaw dropped a little when she told me that.  
• I also hope to participate in the Friday hiking group.  I met the organizer and they hike 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and then go to a new restaurant each week to have a big lunch.

After the meeting I was invited to lunch with three other members and thought, why not?  

Finally, Tracy (Director of Activities) and I went to the Coop to find baking powder, baking soda and vanilla so I can make some cookies.  Scott and I looked for the ingredients on Saturday and were unsure what exactly to buy.  

All in all, it was a good day and I hope to become more involved with the club and meet more people.