&& I won’t be home for Christmas

6 more weeks till 2017 would you believe? Time flies ever in a millisecond. So much to do, yet always so little time. As we draw near to the end of an apocalyptical year that is 2016, it’s time to breath out that cold shivered air and look forward to at least one good thing.
Weinachtskekse
Temperatures may have dropped, the parkas are back in style, but admittedly, Christmas season in Switzerland is one of my favorite time of the year. Because for people like me who find themselves uprooted for long periods of time, miles away from home, you find a certain level of solace in the juxtaposition of warmth in the coldest time of the year.
My favorite time in particular, is when the city  flicks that switch on Banhofstrasse  and the entire street comes to life in beautiful lights, shining the spirit of Christmas as you take romantic walks through the evening. An official statement that the season has begun. It also reminds me of the Christmas lights that would adorn the coconut trees like a tunnel, as I’d drive through the night home from school back in the Asian tropics.
Baby, don’t be such a Grinch
Then there are the many stalls of Christmas markets, the fondue of Frau Gerolds Garden, the gatherings, the smell of cinnamon sticks, the touch of the first snow flakes, working out like a pro class skier on the alpine slopes of Hoch Ybrig and Flumserberg, the cuddled cozyness of a fireplace, the baking of weinachtskekse, the panettone, the Christmas pub crawls, the struggle on deciding whether we should go for a real or fake tree, because what’s more efficient? The jingles, the cards, the ribbons, and all that cheesy crap we love to hate but won’t admit that really, we actually love that shit. Just a little.
Crack the nut Mr. Nutcracker
And like so many other great European cities, the beauty of living in a little multi-cultural wonderland bubble like Zurich is that you get to experience Christmas traditions in varying shapes and forms. Except in this scenario, because it is Christmas, and Christmas is an ultimate symbolism for happier times, differences are actually set aside. For a moment, we acknowledge the universal truth that it is love that brings people together in the age and face of adversities.
Because down to the core, very simply, and at it’s best, for anyone who loves this time of year as much as I do, Christmas season gives us insight into the world at large and the diversity of people and of life itself.
So calm your tits and lay down your sword soldiers, After all, it’s just a cup of  glühwein .
 
Putting on my ice-skating shoes on Instagram @msgoodlife.ch

Your home is your sanctuary Damn this chair…

Anyone who knows me knows of my obsession when it comes to interior design. I may not have any outstanding degree on it, but interior design is like porn to me. Anyone who knows me even better knows that I can have quite an acquired and expensive taste with a very French bobo meets minimalism Scandi chic, and a hint of tropical Aztec prints.
If Youporn was purely interior design, I’d be searching tropical and cactus plants meet in terra cotta pots.
Unfortunately, the great challenges of Zurich is its extremely high prices to begin with. Leaving IKEA as your best buy for convenience and price. And nothing worse than your sanctuary looking like an IKEA catalogue.
Bargain like an Asian
I recall when I first moved to Switzerland, I carried with me my essential deco that meant nothing to anyone, but meant everything to me because of the memories it carried. Also, I simply wasn’t earning enough to actually furnish my first WG room of 12 square meters. In these moments, the Asian in me used to bargain buy on Ricardo.ch, pick up stuff on street (cause God knows only the Swiss are wealthy enough to throw out good stuff), and explore all the Brokis around town. The broki in Manesseplatz is by far my favorite because everything literally rounds down to CHF5. If you’re looking for something more upscale, Brokenhaus by HB and Frau Gerolds are pretty good too.
I then moved to a wonderful under-the-roof loft apartment in Enge. The dream. Sadly, this apartment came with an expiration date, thereby allowing me to bring all my collected essentials but leaving me with limitations on what I can do creatively. As you should know, the Swiss are extremely strict when it comes to apartment alterations. Albeit everything else really. It’s exaggerated and over the top sometimes, but guess what, that’s exactly why they thrive as a society.
First real home
Now having found myself a perfect sanctuary amongst the Jewish community, who by far have been the most sympathetic and welcoming community I’ve come across since moving to Switzerland, I’ve allowed my creativity to flow and have taken a decent amount of time and effort to build something and turn it into a real home. && although I seem to constantly remain cash poor, I’ve been decluttering and started upgrading to a style that reflects a classier, adultier, and more tasteful selection by investing in quality.
Can anyone redirect a girl & take all her money?!
Discovering unique, small and/or local interior brands via Instagram (next to Pinterest) has been by far a very good source of inspiration and one I am more than happy to support, like Berlin-based  Muju maps  who make beautiful city prints (now awaiting delivery). But as a fan of local, offline is my struggle. As much as I remain cheap and loyal to the Brokis in town, I believe Zurich has many more beautiful undiscovered shops, like  Da Draussen  space shop. (It’s not what you think. It’s amazing.)
It does take time, patience, a bit of DIY and a willingness to dig, but essentially, overtime, anyone can build their home into something magical and turn it into a storyline of their life. Every piece in my home tells a story.
Because remember that your home is a sanctuary. It is a place of creativity, a place of escape, a place to share moments and a place you are happy to come home to every single day because you are in your element. Ït is a reflection of the person you are and should always be respected by you and those around you.
Start collecting beautiful things on Instagram @msgoodlife.ch

Above & beyond. Always remain true to your heart and to your soul.

People will always try to bring you down, will always try to change you and turn you into something you’re not, but if you go above and beyond that and always remain true to your heart and to your soul, there really is nothing stopping you.
There’s a big difference between active learning and constructive criticism vs. criticizing for the sake of being heard. It’s a lot easier for people to judge others on zero grounds and to pin off their unhappiness than it is to view the light of day. The tricky bit is knowing how to differentiate these things and these people. There is no step by step process to teach you that, and no amount of self help guide book will ever suffice to make that message clear. It’s a trial and error from here on out till the day you die.
But never let that stop you from living.
As you grow older, they say you grow another year wiser, which, for the most part is very true. I find it funny how everyone always dread this idea of aging because I don’t seem to get it. I like to embrace every moment of getting older because it’s another year where you get to be excited about all the new things you will discover, telltale your adventures and have the opportunity to deeply learn about the world and your surroundings. I feel like the fear of aging is simply a notion that comes when you realize you’ve missed out or regretted your life. I say this because I used to be afraid.
Like the Renaissance. Or the new age testament for those who believe in the higher power
My quarter life crisis has been by far the most revolutionary. A year that’s been filled with sudden realizations, epiphanies, disappointments, emotional roller coasters, a clearing of paths, lowered expectations, higher hopes, and a better understanding of human stupidity.
And as I progress into this 26th year, I am fully aware of the long road ahead that will require constant battles. Still flawed, still imperfect, and still learning, I have less of a need for justification so long as I continue to remain true to my ethos because ultimately, I let the results speak for itself.
Life is a journey worth living for better or for worse
I am extremely grateful for my life’s circumstances and with that in mind, I’d like to dedicate this piece to the broken souls and to those who feel they’ve lost their way as they progressively get older.
Because when the heart’s broken, broken from everyone who has walked all over it over the years, it’s important to take a moment to step back and see the bigger picture.
You realize that as much as you get lost in your head, that you drown yourself in meager issues, lost connections, that you recall the ghosts of the past, you still see the bigger picture.
You remind yourself that the world in reality is so wide. There is so still so much out there. And that all these negative instances are just a minor component that we complicate for whatever reason. In the expansion of your lifetime, they will be forgotten. They will have shaped you in the process, but they will get lost in time.
You recall that you only have one life to live, and the more you ponder over and over these thoughts, the more you waste time. And time is the essence and the enemy to create an existential mark in this vast world of a landscape.
So do not waste your time.
Instead, focus to put those pieces of your heart back in place every single day. Brick by brick, in hopes that one day, when it is complete again, the beauty of your soul will shine again, only this time, brighter than the sun above and beyond the clouds.
With that, I bid you good day Zurich. (&& farewell my friend. May your soul rest in peace.)
Don’t follow the crowd. Follow the unicorn on Instagram @msgoodlife.ch