Babyshower

This is one of the rare occasions when I really have to type rather than just uploade photos, because the occasion is truly special: Last Saturday, a Swiss friend from Perth, Simona, and four of her friends organised an Australian Babyshower for me. Why is this remarkable? First of all I don't think babyshowers are something that is done in Switzerland, and that's a shame. It's whole purpose is to celebrate the imminent birth of someone's first child. Usually it's celebrated with the mother-to-be's female relatives and her best girl friends, and it seems to encompass giving gifts for baby and mom, playing games (not that I usually enjoy this, but it was truly fun), drinking lots of coffee and (non-alcoholic) champagne, eating tons of cake, and just chatting til the day is over. I strongly recommend it, it's a wonderful experience, almost like an initiation if the other women that are there have had or are expecting children too. Second reason why it is truly remarkable is that I have only known Simona for a few weeks now and have never before met any of her four friends Maggie, Karin, Louisa and Jenny that helped her prepare the babyshower. So here are four total strangers to me and someone I've only just met who are putting an enormous amount of time and energy and love into preparing this babyshower, from baking cakes to buying presents, drawing and writing poems, thinking of games and jokes and good mother-to-be tips, and spending the entire Saturday with me instead of with their own families and friends. Left me completely speechless, and is a nice lesson about Australian friendship and generosity!