God of all seasons...

Hmm, just some disclaimers before I start. 1/ I'll minimise the usage of people's names of my blog... 2/ I would also use facebook to post most of my photos as I find it a lot easier to post it there and only friends I know can see my photos. So my blog would be quite wordy and somewhat a biweekly diary, to some extent.

2 weeks ago, a friend from church visited. It was really nice to have someone coming by. She would be heading off to work next week. Unfortunately, I was still in my 2nd week of work so I was testing the water (culture of my company) and didn't took any leave also. [This picture was taken before we set off for Lucern. In Uzwil (letter 'w' would be sounded as 'v'.)] But I did asked my boss if I could fetch a friend from the train station to my place, next thing he said 'U need to take the morning off?' So, no issue, really thank God for nice bosses. One of my

supervisor who worked easily over 30 years in my company told me that I must go to this part of switzerland and also to that part. My mind was quite on my project at times... [Went to this place called Schynige Platte, as it was within our travelling schedule. We wanted to go Yungfrau but I think it takes like half a day to just go up look see for 1-2hrs and return. This train we took only have 1 track, so we waited for the train to go up before we can go down. ]

But work ain't easy. The project I was drawing and planning apparently have started building. I'm still missing a lot of information on the sequence of the various pneumatics, flour flow process and so on, on drawings. I think I would

need 2-3 months to get it completed. So I've a long way to go. On a normal day, I would be in office at about 7-7.30 everyday, do a short lunch of 30-45mins. Then there would be 2 coffee break (15 mins) at 9a.m n at 3p.m. But then I would leave at about 5.30-6 on the average. In S'pore office, I would arrive 1hr later than here in swiss and would normally leave on time. Yet, it's good as I'm learning a lot of things and also understanding the functional aspect of the flour machineries not just planning them. [Ah... First kebab, in swiss. It's still 8chf (abt S$11). So no cheap food in swiss except home cooked food. After Interlaken.]

Then on top of work, there are 2 german classes of 1.5hrs each which one is 7.30 to 9 & the other 5-6.30. So I would need to work some extra hours to balance it off... [Sunset, at my colleague's place. He stays on one of the highest point. If you see the cross (with bell below), my room is like less than 100m away from it and facing it. Then on weekends, the church bell can gong for like 1-2mins a few times in a day. It nearly drove me nuts...]

Back to touring... It was great travelling with my colleague and also church friend. Actually, I wouldn't mind inviting over to my place to stay but I think it's like so costly to come back.

However, if anyone who would be here for work or in Germany, just let me know. Also, for those

who want to tour Europe or ski also. Haven't fixed anything but would want to go eastern Europe and elsewhere. [In Geneve... There's like this big jet of water behind me that shoots above 5 storeys into the sky, amazing...]

Friends, I need to make more friends (both local & foreigners, within 1-2 km) who reside here in Uzwil also. Town is small, it's a bit like heartland mall back in S'pore cos there are only a few big supermarket. I think weekdays are still pretty
alright, it's weekends that's challenging. Also to be careful on sunday when most of the shops don't open. [Spiral stairs below. This is one of the church in Geneve, we went on top to the lookout point to see the city.]

There are already some nice & friendly colleagues. Like one of them sitting beside me, he got me a brochure from Appenzell as he stays there. Maybe next time when he's free, he may be able to teach me skiing. Then in my little town, another colleague does housing services for foreigners and also conduct a bit of gym lessons in a gym also. She invited us along for free lesson but on that day, I worked till 8+... (normally by 7, I think it's like a ghost town in company already). [a photo from the lookout point of the church in Geneve] So I think the strategy would be to make friends and join them for sporting & outing stuff....

[TGV train from France. I also saw ICE train from Germany and Eurostar. I think maybe a few other countries train passes through swiss also...] Also, not forgetting church. I think work and church made me feel more at home. I hung around a bit longer in the auditorium last sunday and when they drew back the curtains, I saw that the church would have a sitting capacity of 600-800. More than that, I think they are strong in fellowship. Smallgroup (or cell group) is mentioned everytime along with connecting zone in service. Connecting Zone is for everyone just to connect after church service and there's 2 rooms for it. The first room is for fellowship and then the makan room that opens after like an hr after service serving simple little meals.

[This would be a tough picture if there wasn't any caption. This is the pot holder of the fondue pot. I had fondue with my colleague in Geneve. Thought to take picture of these 3 cows with cowbells. You can see the fondue fork as the bottom right.] Hmm, I have not joined a smallgroup yet, a little restricted by distance. But would get in touch with their daughter church's pastor for more information. Maybe end up joining a german cell if have to.

In ending, I thought I would want to explain my heading. It's definitely nice to be in overseas again, just that learning a new language and being in a small small town made it challenging. Then I recalled the verse that I wrote in this blog and also received before I head here (in the midst of where I'm, that God would mould me & strengthen me to be the kind of person He wants me to be). Also learning to praise Him and view things in His perspective, indeed there'll be rivers in the desert and roadways in the wilderness. So for anyone of us who may be in a cold bitter winter season of life or bright sunny summer of life, we need to continuously walk with the God of all seasons. [A photo of the food before we have our cheese fondue meal in geneve. I think I didn't exercise my smile muscles for a long time, always seemed to be in a state of cramp, haha].

There was this bit about green pastures from Ps 23 that I visited on some time ago. It was just totally amazing, in the midst of learning to eat home more and eat out once in a while. I sort of bought too much food last week and I think I'll be only shopping for groceries once this week as my supply can really last me 2 weeks if I don't complain about variety. The slightly more amazing part is, I thought I would slim down when I'm here due to pricy food but haha, I gained a little, it's a blessing (but time to exercise... STOP SLACKING... hehe). Best of all, I think I've like more than 5 treats last week from the food in church, berries from a big big boss by the pantry, colleague who is switching department (she made and brought a cake from home, it was probably half an hr of train ride & walking) and even german teacher who made chocolate cake.

So I would need to keep God's word in my heart continuously, 'That He is my shepherd and I shall not be in want.' Whether it's food, friendship or fun. Thanks also for friends who wrote little cards. I would also continue to keep in contact and prayer with friends & all. God bless...

Hmm, latest update, my email have been changed to lawrence.koh@live.co.uk

1st week (favourite is Sunday)

Wow, time has passed so fast. But...


I want to thank all of my friends back home for their prayers and also sending me off at the airport, with smses or phone calls. It was embarassing that many were waiting for me to go in thus I decided to check in at 11.30. I wanted to add a departure picture in but just realised that about 50 pictures of mine are stuck in a 4GB SD card (it could store pictures but couldn't transfer it to any laptops that I've tried).


Breakdown on a week with some photos...





Montag (Mon) - Arrived at airport 7:50. Me & colleague waited for luggage and then walked abt 10mins before coming to train station. Then we got our half-rail card which gives 50% discount on most trains, buses and ships (It's still $$$ after 50%, haha). Pictures for Mon to Wed relied on photos taken from Thu onwards as new SD card didn't work. [The 3 'tall' buildings (12-stories) are Buhler or more or less highest building point in Uzwil.]


Then reached Uzwil at 9+ and awaited what I feared most, my apartment as I've no idea at all how it'll be like. Actually saw my colleague's one first, his has got a nice view but thou shall not covet... Haha... Then mine was... GREAT. No view but I like the space, 40sqm man along with a balcony. Thank you Lord for the wonder provision of the place and space. Also, almost everything needed was available. Then off to grocery shopping. After that unpacked and knock out. Gradually, realized that now that I'm staying alone, I've to have a certain level of competency in household domestication and it's so time consuming, haha... But it's good.





Dienstag (Tue) - 1st day of work [insert is the customer centre at 7.30a.m but I think half the company would be in by about 7.45 each day. They start and end early which I like also). Met colleagues and saw the many new software to be learnt. Also got a project on hand but was fiddling with just software on day 1. There's an official coffee break from 9.15-9.30 and maybe 3-3.15 where everyone meet at pantry to chat and so on. Had a S$20 lunch of a meal with coke... After that went to buy somemore stuff, so much to buy initially. Realised that I would be under going a high level of domestication as I've to clean up the apartment, cook most of my meal and so much more. [my desk and the building seems to be pretty new, was taken during lunch thus the absence of people]. It's a norm in company to work with dual screen as we have to look through a few drawings as a time. My project is under the charge of a grandpa who has been in company for almost 40 years. There are also a few who would hit their 50th year in the company.





Mittwoch (Wed) - Tried out lunch in Buhler canteen and it was value for money at S$10 for staff, so happy. Then my internet was only resolved finally. Thus can do a bit of other stuff. But had to leave work for like 1-2 hours to get some other admin staff resolved.

Donnerstag (Thu) - Shipment came in after leaving S'pore on tuesday. We rushed back from office again to handle it for a short while. Then after work & dinner, started to unpack the many boxes till late. I think I stopped at abt midnight after tearing the some of the boxes apart as they are serious about recycling... They even have glass bottles divided to brown, green and white.

Freitag (Fri) -
[insert a basic train line to get machineries to hmm airport. Maybe port also but would pass through some countries.] Didn't do much on friday but continue to unpack, there was just so much stuff lying around. During my 2nd hike, saw these beautiful signpost. They have detailed routes for cycling, hiking, blading and canoeing. Did some research, the 'simple' routes would be 3-5hrs. There are some serious hiking routes that takes a week which cut across like the breadth of Swizterland.






Samstag (Sat) - Did a day trip to St Gallen. Found the half-rail really useful as it gives 50% discount for most train, bus and boat rides. However, it's still not that cheap after 50% discount but better than nothing. (a 20mins return train trip to St Gallen is at 8.20chf or abt S$11).

However as time pass, I have found some other options via the railcard which is really good also. For example, I can travel one day around switzerland on the main trainlines at S$70 which is really a good deal. I think I may have found such similar deals for friends who would visit but do let me know earlier as those tickets are hot. [Looking at my railpass, these was a short moment of sadness, I would only be back after a year. Seemed like so far but thank God, so far, time has been passing by pretty fast. Then with handling of a sizeable project, I've to put in additional focus during working hours. Which equates to sleeping early like by 11 or 10 everyday if possible.]








Sonntag (Sun) - This was the best day in my first week in Switzerland as I went to 5p.m church in Zurich. It was just totally amazing... Having some little signs that this would be the church to attend, it still required effort. Thus the amazing story goes...
My home was 20mins away from Uzwil train station and I left only at 3.10 (train leaves at 3.30 sharp). Thus I had to run a bit and it was drizzling and cold. So I was running with my slingbag, holding an umbrella and trying to catch my breath, haha... Having arrive at the station at 3.20, I still had to press like 5 options before my ticket finally showed up, but in the end I board the train, hallelujah.
[insert is the entrance of the church. The only visible thing was the red standing signboard] Then for the first time, there was train delay and my connecting platform was from 1 to 21/22 (thank God, seeing signs helped). So by the time I was at the connecting train platform it was 4.30 and the train took just 4 mins to reach the station near church. It took some 'courage' to find the church. I was walking passed a carpark which I felt I had overshot. Thus, I went back a bit and saw like some warehouse area with no people at all. But then, I decided to just walk through the warehouse somehow and hope a church would appear and yes, it appeared (just that it uses the warehouse as their building).
It was a little similiar to Expo as they used disco lightings and also collapsible air-con ducting. The 5p.m international service was abt 100 people but from everywhere. [insert is a thanksgiving session to God which was posted on the screen at the end of service. People just started sending sms, so cool.] Service was in English/Spanish. After service, they have a welcome reception actually like for everybody just to connect. Then they also have a simple dinner (hehe... my heart and stomach was blessed). Met a s'porean couple also and the swiss pastor in charge of the international congregation (whom I contacted on facebook).

Thus this wraps my my 1st week. It's strange, somehow I felt that I'll be busy for 1-3 weeks as also a church friend is visiting (need planning when we tour). But it's good. My main adjustment is to learn german n swiss german as soon as possible. I think about half the people I get in touch (not including office) can't speak English, so it's exciting. Finally, a thanks to all friends who gave suggestions to improve my blog (honestly, it's still very messy, haha). Should settle it within the next blog entry. I was a little busy at times also as I do enjoy chatting on MSN with friends back home. God bless and keep in touch.