The first day of the rest of your life

It’s buzzing!!! Buzzing with electric energy, with nervous teenagers, with anxious parents, with excitement, anticipation and the foreboding of embarking onto a new path of life.

391 new students are registering today at the Swiss university that Expat boy has decided to enroll in. Queuing to receive the welcome kit with the personalized checklist of thing to do at specific times with a campus map attached as not to get lost.

The process works like clockwork just as I would imagine the army to work in this tiny well-organized country. Moving along from one post to the next from the Swiss authorities desk, past IT, to uniform pick-up until we reach the compact - and yes, perfectly compartmented - student room that Expat boy will share for the next six months. Welcome letter and Toblerone chocolate are neatly laid out on his bed.

Watching my big boy find his footsteps in an environment that he’ll be calling home for the next four years I cannot be anything else but hugely proud of what a handsome young man he has turned into. Very agitated but nevertheless poised never loosing his Italian cool he walks through the parcour worried about what could go wrong but excited about the prospect of University life.

I observe other parents from all parts of the globe seeing their kids off on their new adventure away from home. Judging by the diversity and languages I am surrounded by it seems like the natural continuation to the International school Expat boy just graduated from.

I am happy in the knowledge that my boy has chosen the right path and that this place has not only been his goal for the past four years but it is also the perfect fit for his personality and his choice of career.

It has been a very long time since he has called his Mama for help so many times in one day and I restrain myself from taking pictures as not to embarrass him... nevertheless he will always remain my big baby boy whom albeit having his Father’s character has his Mama’s looks.

Since he was a little boy I have told him to work hard and play hard and today we have come full cycle. The closing phrase of today’s welcome letter was:
“We wish you all the best for the next 4 years: success, memorable memories, friendship... but don’t forget: “WORK HARD, PLAY HARD”

Go get’em pumpkin!