Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
WAC ON TRACK The Monthly Newsletter of the WAC and Learning Tree Cooperative School in Uster
March 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
• Board Nominations + Annual General Meeting • Indoor Fun on Rainy Days • Brunch in the Züri-Oberland • Adult Craft Evening • Kids Cooking Course • Potluck Club - Australia!
Volume 19 , Issue 9 WAC Board of Directors Good communication between the board members and the membership of the WAC is important for the continued growth and improvement of the club. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact us.
President Oversees and promotes the welfare and goals of the Club Susan Mailley-Smith susanmailleysmith@yahoo.co.uk Vice President Liaises with the School Sima Xie sima_xie@hotmail.com Secretary Manages a! documentation, policies and procedures. Records minutes of a! meetings Swapna Patil swapnadani@yahoo.com Treasurer Oversees Bookkeeper, WAC accounts and a! outgoing payments. Judy Burkhardt judy_burkhardt@hotmail.com Activities Chairperson Responsible for the library, playgroups and long-term courses. Sirine EH Mignan sirino17@hotmail.com
March 2014 THE WAC ON TRACK IS PUBLISHED BY THE
WOMEN’S ACTIVITY CLUB WINTERTHURERSTRASSE 18 8610 USTER 043 305 9250 www.wac.ch
The Club is a multifunctional organization whose purpose is to meet the social, educational, and personal needs of its members. The Club is designed to encourage international friendship, support, and sharing.
Special Events Chairperson Organises a! WAC special events, such as BBQ, Ha!oween and Christmas parties. Marketing Chairperson Oversees a! marketing activities, including publications, website and advertising. Charlotte Stone charlottestone@ymail.com Membership Chairperson Manages WAC’s relationship with its members. Assigns volunteer resources where needed. Organises regular New Member meetings. Clare Taylor clarelisataylor@gmail.com
WAC Office & Learning Tree School Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00-12:00
Club Office Manager Jennifer Langkjaer 043 305 9250 com@wac.ch School Director Ida Imbach 043 305 9250 LTCSchool@wac.ch imbach@gmx.net
Advertising Rates Full page ad:% % % 150.- CHF Half page ad:% % % 80.- CHF Quarter page ad:% % 50.- CHF Inserts:% % % 150.- CHF Classifieds: % Members: FREE % % Non Members 30.- CHF. WAC Notice board : (one month / max. size A5) Members: Free. Please contact office for further information. “WAC on Track” Deadlines and Contributions We welcome input from our members! If you have an announcement, a recommendation, a recipe or anything else, please email it to: stacystreuli@gmail.com.
DEADLINE FOR APRIL2014 ISSUE : 25 MARCH
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Letter from the Editor
Dear WAC Members, As the first “schneeglöcke” or snow drops pop up in my garden, I can’t help but feel Spring is right around the corner. However, even if the snow is behind us, the wet weather is not! For every sunny day, you can count on 3 wet days to follow! In this issue I’ve compiled a list of wet weather ideas to entertain your kids and help with cabin fever. We also have our last reminder that the Annual General Meeting is this month, where we vote in our new Board. The WAC is run by volunteers, and without their hard work, our Club wouldn’t be nearly as fun or successful. If you have just a bit of spare time, your contribution will be greatly appreciated! Have a great March everyone. All the best, Stacy Streuli
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
President’s Note
Sue Mailley-‐Smith
Hello WAC members and friends! Not only is Spring right around the corner, but March is also a very important month of change for the WAC. This is the month when our Annual General Meeting takes place, this year on THURSDAY 27TH MARCH, 7.30 – 9PM. The outgoing Board will be reporting on the past year, we will elect the Board for the upcoming year, and there will also be plenty of time for your questions, queries and suggestions for the future of the WAC. If that wasn’t enough, maybe we can tempt you along by the promise of a fabulous dessert buffet and an opportunity to chat with fellow WAC members…sounds good to me! The AGM is open to all WAC members, however involved you may be in WAC activities. I’d like to encourage you to come along and meet the new team; it’s a great way to show your support of our club. The Nominations Committee, headed up by Lulu Harmstorf-‐Pearl (thank you very much, Lulu!), have been working hard to fill all the volunteer positions. It’s fantastic to once again have an enthusiastic team of people who will guide and plan the WAC’s activities and events for the coming year. These volunteers introduce themselves to you in this month’s newsletter, so read on to find out more about them, and put some names to faces. Voting will be starting soon; please ensure you complete your ballot form as soon as you can, to make sure we can elect our new Board with a good turnout of member votes. Check out the ad in this newsletter for details on how to vote. Thanks! I’ll be stepping down as WAC’s President at the AGM in March, although I doubt this will be the end of my involvement at the WAC! It’s been a great experience and I look forward to reporting in full on what has been achieved this last year at the AGM. I’m hugely grateful to the amazing team I’ve had to work with; they’ve made the job so much easier with their support and enthusiasm (you know who you are, and you know all that you did. Thank you!) I look forward to seeing you around the WAC. Have a great month, Sue
Volume 19 , Issue 9
LTC School News " "
March 2014
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"
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Ida Imbach
We’re back! I hope everyone had a good break. This month we will have our Usbourne Spring Book Sale on March 19, 2014. Chrissy will be at the WAC Lobby from 8:00 am – 5:30 pm. She will have a lot of new books just in time for those Easter gifts! Do come and have a look. If you cannot make it on this date, you may browse through the general catalog that is available at the office or library and place an order through us. Your books will then be delivered to the WAC. We are also hoping to be able to have our class pictures taken this month. Unfortunately, we have no date set yet as Karin, our PTA head, is still looking for volunteers to help with the picture taking. If anyone is willing to help out, please let either Karin or me know. As soon as we have the dates, we will post them on the bulletin boards and we will send out an email to let you know. On March 27th we have our AGM. Please come and attend and don’t forget to vote! Lastly, an advance notice – as stated in our school calendar, the Parent-Teacher conferences will take place next month from April 7-11. The sign up sheets will be out 2 weeks before that, so please look out for them.
WAC New Member News
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014 WAC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
WAC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Thursday March 27th 2014, 7.30-9pm, in the WAC Clubroom The AGM is open to ALL members
Thursday March 27th 2014 7.30 to 9.00pm WAC Clubroom
The AGM is open to ALL members • Outgoing board report on the past year • New board gets voted in, and gives a sneak peak of their plans for next year • Open forum for questions, concerns and suggestions
Come along and be an active member of your club!
!
enjoy the delicious Dessert Buffet
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Zurich 2for1 Live with
+
SWITZERLAND
Do  come  into  the  WAC  oďŹƒce  and  check  out  the  new  Live-Ââ€?Switzerland  ZĂźrich-Ââ€?for-Ââ€?1  voucher  book  we  are  oering  for  some  fCn  ideas  and  reduced  oers  on  meals  out  at  some  gDeat  restaurants  in  the  region.  From  fondue  in  the  Restaurant  Swiss  Chuchi,  dinner  up  the  Uetliberg,  to  a  fCn  sushi  night  at  Kai  Sushi  Bar.  Or  maybe  a  private  yoga  lesson  for  2  or  a  session  at  the  Hamam  health  spa  might  interest  you  more!    The  Live-Ââ€?Switzerland  ZĂźrich  2-Ââ€?for-Ââ€?1  voucher  book  is Â
sĂŚ$ISCOVERYĂŚGUIDEĂŚWITHĂŚ ĂŚVOUCHERSĂŚ :URICHĂŚ ĂŚ2EGION sĂŚ#ULTURE ĂŚACTIVITIES ĂŚCULINARYĂŚTREATS sĂŚ"ILINGUALĂŚ 'ERMAN %NGLISH sĂŚ ĂŚVOUCHERSĂŚ VALUEĂŚOFĂŚOVERĂŚ#(&ĂŚ nĂŚFORĂŚ#(&ĂŚ n sĂŚ!VAILABLEĂŚATĂŚTHEĂŚ7!#
a  fCndraiser  for  the  WAC  and  a  fabulous  opporSCnitT  for  our  members.  Published  bilingCally  and  with  vouchers  that  are  valid  for  one  year,  you  will Â ďŹ nd  oers  on  many  inspiring  activities  in  the  area.
ĂŚ2ESTAURANTS ĂŚ4OURS ĂŚ -USEUMS ĂŚ&UNĂŚ0ARKS ĂŚ "OATS ĂŚ3PAS ĂŚ#IRCUSES ĂŚ 0ARAGLIDING ĂŚ#OURSES ĂŚ 3PORTSĂŚ
There  are  69  vouchers  in  total  with  a  value  of  over  CHF  4,500.  The  book  costs  CHF  69  and  can  be  viewed  in  the  WAC  oďŹƒce  or  online  at  h\]://issuu.com/nconline/docs/live-Ââ€?switzerland_issuu.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
VOTES PLEASE! Voting starts from Tuesday, March 11th until the AGM on Thursday, March 27th You can cast your vote as follows: • In person at the AGM at 7.30pm on 22.3.2014 or • By absentee ballot in the WAC clubroom: fill out a ballot form, sign the control sheet, have another WAC member witness your vote and place your vote in the ballot box or • By absentee ballot via email: send an email to com@wac.ch clearly stating how you wish to vote and authorising our Club Office Manager Jen to place a proxy vote on your behalf
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
W A C N E W S Board Nominations It’s March already and that means time for all of us members to vote in the new WAC board of directors and committee chairpersons. It’s important to remind you that our precious WAC is a volunteer organisation and that must all do our bit to help out, wherever we feel we can. We are so happy that we already have an almost complete list of candidates who are willing to give their valuable time up for various roles, but there are always more jobs to be done and areas in which we can all help out. Please see below for some extra info about some of our wonderful volunteers, and some of the areas where you can still help out. As you may remember from when you signed up to be a member, we must all help out to keep the club running smoothly. If you have some ideas about how to make improvements, please don’t just submit complaints, but get involved and do your bit to make a difference! All the candidates will always welcome help in each of the key areas below, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think you can help. Please look out for the ballot box which will appear in the clubroom very soon and don’t forget to vote!
Candidates for the WAC Board President Clare Taylor Hello! I have thoroughly enjoyed being the Membership Chairperson for the past year and have decided to step up to run as President. I look forward to the opportunity to maintain the smooth running of the club and am excited about the great things that are planned for members this year. I moved to Switzerland from the UK at the end of August 2012, with my husband, Simon, and our two children, Phoebe who is four and a half, and Ellis who has just turned three. We joined the WAC as soon as we moved to Switzerland, have made a great network of friends and gained a lot from the club as a family. Phoebe attended the Spielgruppe before attending Kindergarten. Ellis and I now regularly attend the playgroups and he is now very happy to go to Spielgruppe and lunch club himself. I'm very excited about the coming year and the chance to work with our members, who generously give their time and enthusiasm to the WAC.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Vice President Sima Xie
!
Secretary Swapna Patil
My name is Swapna Patil and I am running for the position of Club Secretary for the second year. I am from Mumbai, India and moved to Switzerland with my husband Kedar, also from India, more than 7 years ago. I have a boy Arnav who is 10 and my daughter Aryana is 5. Before coming to Switzerland I studied Law and Compliance and worked in the Legal/Compliance department of a Portfolio Management Company. Right now I am a full time Mum working 24-7, enjoying “Mommytime” and struggling with my German homework. I was lucky to have found the WAC right after I arrived. We started with the playgroups and moved on to the preschool. Aryana is now in the Explorers and Arnav attends the Reading Writing class on Wednesdays and is a Boys Club member. In the past I have been the swim coordinator, class rep, library, special events chair and currently on the Board. The WAC has given me and my family some very good friends and it is very much like a second home for me. I am happy to be on the Board and looking forward to work with our wonderful team.
!
Treasurer Annie Forster
Hi there, I’m Annie Forster and I’m an Australian born Chinese married to a Swiss. We’ve spent the past few years in Asia where our girls (Hannah - aged 7 and Emma - aged 4) were born and for the past two years we’ve been calling Switzerland home. We first came to the WAC in search a place where we could speak in English and somewhere where people understood our humour. It’s so nice to be able to laugh in your own language :-) We started to going regularly to the Thursday playgroup and ended up taking over the playgroup leader role. However, as Emma will be starting kindergarden in August and we would be no longer able to come to the Thursday playgroups, I was looking for another way to volunteer at the WAC. I was happy to put my hand up for the treasury role as I am one of those weird people who enjoys organising things and Excel spreadsheets. Prior to being a full time Mum, I’ve worked for the tax office and an insurance company in Australia, an advertising company in China and a financial management company in Singapore. In my spare time, I can be seen riding my bike with my girls around Uster or enjoying anything involving food. It’s the Chinese blood. We love to eat and nothing is better than cooking/baking for and enjoying food with friends and family. I’m looking forward to meeting you all soon.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
!
March 2014
Membership Sirine El Houry Mignan
Hi WAC members! I'm Sirine, originally from Lebanon and French by marriage. I left my home country for my studies a long time ago, and have been living in Europe for almost ten years. After I finished my PhD in biochemistry in 2010, I moved to Zurich to join my husband. We have two beautiful girls, Cléore, 2 and a half, and Lilly-Belle, 1 year old. I am a stay at home mom and I enjoy every second of it. In my rare free time, I love to bake and decorate cakes along with my oldest. We joined the WAC almost a year ago, first attending playgroups, and soon after, I joined the WAC board as the activities chairperson, organizing short and long term classes such as first aid, drama club, German and others, and also setting up the new Monday playgroup. The WAC is my second home. Here I have met so many friends from all over the world, and I have been working with a group of amazing ladies, which made volunteering that much more rewarding. I purposely chose a picture of me and my youngest, Lilly-Belle, because she has been an active member of the board, as she hasn't missed a meeting, sometimes even participating by vigorously crying out her opinions. This year I'm running for the membership chair, and I'm looking forward to another year of volunteering with some great people. See you around :)
Business: Cornelia Schindler Marketing: Monika Kopriwa
Committee Chairpersons !
IT Manikya Kurichety
Hello Friends, My name is Manikya and I will continue the IT support job for the coming year. I moved to Uster from India 4 years ago with my husband and daughter. I joined the WAC last year. My daughter Charitha(6), attends the ESL class and loves it. She also had a great time in the Explorers class last year. I have met really nice people at the WAC and we enjoy all the events here. It’s a pleasure to be a part of the WAC team and I look forward to meeting you all.
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March 2014
Library Laura Horlacher I am an American and by profession a psychologist. After moving to Switzerland, I trained at the C.G. Jung Institute, Zürich and am a Jungian Analyst. My husband is German. We have two children aged 11 and 8. The kids are currently in the Reading and Writing classes at the WAC. We have lived 8 years in Uster. I have volunteered at the WAC Library for at least half of those eight years. And throughout this time, I have gotten to know and be fond of our Library. I also have been able to learn from the different librarians who have taken care of our Library over this time. So I hope to serve the Library during my term as librarian in the best way I can.
Publications Stacy Streuli Hi, I’m Stacy, an American living in Switzerland since 2005. I am mom to Elodie (5) and Gibson (5 months). I have been involved with running playgroups at the WAC, decorations committees, and editing the newsletter. My daughter attends the Explorers class on Thursdays. I am interested in cooking, crafting, and fitness. I’d be glad to hear from our readers as to what sorts of things they’d like to read about in our newsletter!
Interior/Exterior Pamela Stankay Special Events Christina Stewart Playgroups Cameron Pantellini Hi! I’m Cameron Pantellini, a 30-something-year-old wife and mother with a passion for creativity. My little family of three lives in Binz (bei Maur). I’m the American in our family with Chicago as my hometown and have been living in Switzerland for six years. My husband is Swiss and our feisty, fun-loving, 2.5 year-old daughter is Nayla. Before I had her, I worked in stage production, publications, marketing and copywriting. I look forward to becoming more involved in volunteering at the WAC this year.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Springtime is just about upon us, however in Switzerland that usually means a couple days of sun followed by four days of rain! Here’s hoping for a dry Spring - but should you find yourself looking out your window at the wet weather and wondering how to fill those days with the kids - here are some fun ideas.
Rainy Day Fun
• Indoor Swimming - Many towns have excellent indoor swimming with splash pools for the littles and slides for the bigs. If you’ve grown bored of your local Hallenbad and want to venture further afield, try looking up http://www.badi-info.ch/zueribadis.html, or check out the map of ALL swimming pools in the Canton of Zürich - http://goo.gl/maps/ cfu4w Recommended pools: Fohrbach in Zollikon,
Geiselweid in Winterthur, Uster Hallenbad,
Wärmebad Käferberg (heated pool) for babies
and very small children (no slides or kids area -
check the website above for hours)
Indoor swim parks: Alpamare, Säntispark,
Badeparadies (Germany), Swiss Holiday Park in
Morschach
Thermal baths: Bad Zurzach, Thermalbad Zürich (older children/no special kids area), Sole Uno Thermalbad in
Rheinfelden
• Zürich Zoo • Technorama in Winterthur (best suited to 3 yrs+) • Zoologisches Museum in Zürch city (free entrance - be sure to take the Polybahn up from the Central tram stop!) • Mühlerama (best for children 5 yrs+) • Dinosaur Museum Aathal • Indoor Play Centers: Spielzänti and Kindercity in Volketswil, Formel Fun (best for ages 0-6) in Bülach, Trampolino and Starbies in Dietikon, Indoor Mini Golf in Volketswil (www.minigolf-indoor.ch) • Dübendorf Airplane Museum • Zürich Tram Museum • Ice skating - Dolder Ice Rink, Wetzikon Kunsteisbahn, Winterthur Eishalle Deutweg, Bülach Hirslen Eishalle • Castles: Schloss Lenzburg, Schloss Kyburg
Volume 19 , Issue 9
MAGIC POTION LAB March 2014 In order to encourage your little scientist, a fun activity is setting up some experiments. The beauty of the magic potion lab is that you can source your pantry and pull out whatever you desire. No special trip to the market is necessary.
Supplies • Water • Oil • Vinegar • Baking Soda • Liquid Watercolors or Food Coloring Tools • • • •
Tall Glass Mason Jar Spoon Pipette or Eye Dropper (ask at the Apotheke) Kitchen Towel
Tip #1: Set this up in the kitchen Tip #2: Introduce just a few ingredients at a time You might feel inclined to offer your child a smorgasbord of ingredients to pick and choose from, but this tends to be overwhelming and it will actually shorten your child’s attention span. A better bet is to introduce just two or three ingredients at a time. This way, your child will learn about the unique properties of those ingredients and understand what happens when they combine. In the picture (right), we worked with water, oil, and liquid watercolors to explore the phenomena of immiscible liquids (or those liquids that don’t mix, such as water and oil).
We’ve done this in other rooms of the house and even outside, but the kitchen works the best because it’s near a water source, the floors are made to be spilled on, and ingredients are close at hand. Clear some counter space. Set up all your supplies. In this case we used a tall mason jar, a small jar of liquid watercolors, a small pitcher to fill with water and oil, and a rag for wiping up messes.
Tip #3: Always keep a supply of baking soda and vinegar in the pantry Migros sells inexpensive white vinegar in the Budget line (Tafelessig) and you can buy baking soda (sodium bicarbonate-‐ Natron/Natrium bicarbonate) in larger amounts in the Apotheke.
http://www.notimeforflashcards.com
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Readers Gone WACky Alice Knoepfel
Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver “For the first time in her life she could see perfectly well how a person arrived on that flight path: needing an alternative to the present so badly, the only doorway was a high window.”
In February the Readers Gone WACky read Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver. Members who were already enthusiastic about her previous works such as The Lacuna and The Poisonwood Bible, looked forward to her newest novel. Set in Appalachia, the story follows Dellarobia, a poor but smart young Hillbilly mother, who is not happy with her life on a failing farm. Dissatisfied with her sweet but slow husband she is looking for an escape, possibly through an affair, and suddenly discovers a miracle, or perhaps a tragedy: a hillside covered with orange Monarch butterflies. Her sighting brings instant Internet fame as well as visits from scientists, religious leaders and the media. The beautiful but unnatural phenomenon on the small town’s hillside becomes an agent of change for Dellarobia, in her marriage and family, and also for the local community. Most of all, the butterfly migration is the warning sign of climate change. On this topic, members thought the novel was a bit too preachy but at least informative. As Dellarobia becomes involved in the scientific investigation, she has to confront her family, church, husband, media, town as well as changes within herself. The experience inspires her to break free from the past and move forward, like the butterflies, into an unknown future. Members discussed education in small towns and questioned the lack of interest in science in a farm community. Marriage, religion the media and the peculiar names in the book (Cub, Ovid, Preston, Cordelia, Dovey) were other topics of discussion. All in all, the novel was an easy read (after skimming through the scientific climate change sections) and made for good discussion. The next Readers Gone WACky meetings are scheduled for: March 19 April 16 May 21 June 18
Capitol by John Lanchester The Good Lord Bird by James McBride tbd tbd
Meetings are held on Wednesday evenings at 8 PM at the WAC with a rotating leader. New readers are very welcome! Please call or email Alice Knöpfel for more information (044 912 2326 aknoepfel@swissonline.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Calling all crafters! WAC$is$pleased$to$announce$a$ meet2up$for$crafting$grown2ups. $$$ If$you$love$knitting,$sewing,$scrapbooking,$ crocheting,$etc,$etc,$then$come$along$and$ join$us$for$an$evening!$$Bring$your$latest$ project$and$check$out$what$everyone$else$ has$been$up$to.$
$ Wednesday$12 th $March$ 7:3029.30pm,$WAC$Clubroom$ $ (please$bring$your$own$snacks$and$drinks)$
$ $
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
WAC Potluck Club We are looking forward to hosting March`s Australian Potluck dinner. More than a vegemite sandwich, join us for a great, fun and relaxing Aussie Girls Night In!
Thursday the 20th of March. 7.30pm for drinks, dinner will be served at 8.00pm Please let us know if you are interested in hosting the next Potluck dinner, due to take place in May.. Katie Arnold & Karen Frei
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
C A W ER N N DI LUB C The February Dinner Club at Chäsalp was a lovely evening for the 6 ladies who attended. Four shared the cheese Fondues which Chäsalp is known for; a mixed herb Fondue, a tomato Fondue and a mushroom Fondue, all very nice. Some very brave ladies followed up their main course with a warm gooey chocolate cake too. We look forward to the next dinner club which will be on Thursday 10th April.
Volume 19 , Issue 9 Now, this is news I like to hear: the discounter Lidl chain bans selling sweets and candy at cash registers in Great Britain. The decision was made for the more than 600 discounters following a survey showing that 70% of parents felt harassed by sweets sold at registers. Placing “foods” in prominent locations has increased the consumption rate foods high in sugar. Sugar consumption has tripled over the last decades, surely not just from candy and sweets, but mostly from hidden sugar in all types of foods, especially processed ones. Why does an instant infant tea, which could just as easily be prepared using a tea bag or fired herbs, need to contain approximately, 2.5 teaspoons of sugar per portion?
March 2014 Sugar not only increases obesity levels. A commonly known myth is that sugar causes diabetes. The answer is not that simple. There are two types of diabetes, type 1, caused by genetics and factors not yet known and type 2, caused by lifestyle factors (and also genetics). Obesity and drinking sugary drinks have been linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. What does that have to do with children and the candy at cash registers, you might ask? When I went to medical school in the late eighties, type 2 diabetes was virtually unheard of in children and teenagers. Actually, it was called adultonset-diabetes. Since then, more and more children and teenagers are diagnosed with Diabetes type 2.
Sugar... or Candy at the Cash Register
Sugar is a fascinating “food”. Did you read about the recent media rage following an undergraduate study claiming that Oreos are as addictive as cocaine? Read the article to find out how media can manipulate study results. But back to sugar. Sugar in moderation is important for our organism but at the same time has a lot of negative effects on the human body. Increased sugar consumptions has been associated with fatigue and abolition, sleep disturbances, both diarrhoea and constipation, hair loss, and fungal infestation. Sugar isn’t all bad though. Did you know that the high concentration of sugar used when making jams is needed to reduce the growth of micro-organisms and thus preserves? So, what does sugar do in our body? Within minutes of consumption, sugar initiates the production of large quantities of insulin in our body. Insulin is a hormone and its task is to remove the sugar from our blood and to help distribute it in all organs and body cells so that they can obtain their energy from it. Insulin also activates the production of serotonin by making the transfer of the amino-acid tryptophan into the blood easier. Serotonin is sometimes called the happiness hormone. But we also know that too high levels of sugar in our brain lead to an increased depletion of tryptophan, thus quickly reducing the feeling of happiness. And that’s when a vicious circle can start. Increased sugar intake over the last decades has led to an increase of obesity levels and patients suffering from diabetes. A 2013 study by the Gesundheitsförderung Schweiz showed that every fourth high school student in Switzerland is overweight. The costs due to obesity have doubled since 2004. Visit the website of the Bundesamt für Gesundheit to download information in English.
Sugar intake combined with poor dental hygiene is the cause approx. 5 to 15% of children between 1 and five years in Switzerland suffering from tooth decay, in some socio-economic classes the number reach 35%.
•The Swiss Foundation for Consumer Protection, Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz (SKS) would welcome a decision to reduce the sale of candy and sweets at cash registers. In a media release from January 2013, the SKS asks that
• unhealthy foods, aimed at children, may not advertise with slogans like “with vitamins and minerals” • advertising for unhealthy foods aiming at children must be limited For the full text (in German) click here. With these points in mind, placement of foods such as candy at prominent locations, such as cash registers, even at your local post office, should be drastically reduced. It reduces the arguments between parents and children over these products and can help making our children and us lead a life lower in sugar consumption. Migros Switzerland has started to offer such registers for parents, called Familienkassen. Why is Coop not following, claiming that “parents want to make their own educational decisions”? Even Aldi presents the sweets at the cash register outside the reach of children. Do you want to know more about healthy foods or whether they are more of a treat? Check out Swiss Health Coach’s Food Truth Challenge on Facebook. I can highly recommend it! Luitgard Holzleg founded HEALTHY AND SAFE AWAY FROM HOME in 2006. Luitgard graduated as a medical doctor from the Faculty of Medicine of Mainz University, Germany and has experiences in paediatrics, surgery, anaesthesiology and general practice. http://healthyandsafe.biz
S T N E M E C N U NO
Volume 19 , Issue 9
AN
March 2014
Wishing Elodie a very happy 5th birthday on the 12th of March! With lots of love, Mami, Papi, and Gibson
Please email any birth announcements, birthday wishes, leaving notices, etc. to the editor by the deadline (see page 1)
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Sharon’s Tips
Superb, excellent-‐value-‐for-‐money
Sunday Brunch
Having previously been recommended this place for Sunday Brunch, we decided to try it out for ourselves, and truthfully, we were more than impressed at the value for money, and particularly the extremely friendly service!
Café Steiner There is a small cosy branch in Uster (where one often struggles to find a table), but in Fehraltorf, only ten mins by car from Uster, they have a much more spacious location with plenty of parking. We chose the Fehraltorf option for Sunday Brunch, and were NOT disappointed! Their Brunch offers 2 seating times: 1.) 8.30 – 10.30h: A large buffet breakfast: home baked breads, jams, cereals, cold meats, smoked salmon, cheeses, egg, bacon, coffee, fruit juices, etc. Price per adult Fr. 22.-‐ and children under 11 get a generous discount. 2.) 10.30 – 14.30h. You definitely need to reserve a table for this time slot as it’s mostly totally booked out. It costs Fr. 26.-‐ per adult as they also offer a lunch section (roast meat with veggies, and dessert) over and above the “normal breakfast” buffet. If you are looking for an affordable Sunday treat, this totally scrumptious Brunch comes highly recommended. Café Steiner www.steiner-‐beck.ch Kempttalstrasse 65 8320 Fehraltorf Tel. 043 355 82 33 (Note from the editor: As a former resident of Fehraltorf, I’ve eaten in Steiner many times and I can definitely second Sharon’s recommendation!)
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
COURSES AT THE WAC NEW – ENGLISH LESSONS Can you say what you want to in English, but still make mistakes? Would you like to have the opportunity to speak more in English, improve your grammar and widen your vocabulary? Learn with a CELTA-qualified, native English speaker! Lessons will start in May on Tuesday evenings in the WAC conference room If you’re interested and would like to find out if this course would be right for you, please call or email: Carol Conzelmann carolconzelmann@gmail.com / 044 940 0293
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Swiss Corner Our adopted country of Switzerland can be a confusing place at times, and in an attempt to help understand what our fellow man is saying I’d like to offer a few phrases in Swiss-German and a Swiss recipe each month.
Here are some more words to listen for and add to your Swiss-German vocabulary. At the table.... CH
DE
EN
chum cho ässe! chömed cho ässe!
zu Tisch bitte!
Time to eat!
griiff zue! griiffed zue!
bedien dich!
Help yourself!
en Guete!
guten Appetit!
Enjoy your meal!
taanke, gliichfalls!
danke, gleichfalls!
Thanks, you as well!
gisch mer ... gand Si mer ...
gibst du mir ... geben Sie mir ...
Please give me ...
wettsch ...? wetted Si ...?
möchtest du ...? möchten Sie ...?
Would you like ...?
na chli
noch ein bisschen
Just a little bit
ich ha gneug
das reicht
I’ve had enough
isch s guet?
schmeckt’s?
Does it taste good?
s isch fäin
es schmeckt gut
It tastes good
gèè = geben = give ich gibe du gisch er git mir, ir, si gänd
nèè = nehmen = take ich nime du nimsch er nimt mir, ir, si nämed
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Swiss Chuchi more than just Fondue and Raclette!
Hörnli & Ghackets It doesn’t get much more childfriendly than this! This ground beef and pasta dish is basically a sauceless Bolognese, and it’s my go-to, never-fail meal to serve when Swiss kids come for lunch. Everyone gobbles it up!
If you are vegetarian, I have had good success with using the Migros Quorn “hackfleisch” instead of meat!
Oil or Bratbutter 500 g. Ground beef (Rinds hackfleisch) 1 Onion, finely diced 1 Carrot, diced 100 g. Celery root (Sellerie), diced (optional) 2.5 dl Red wine 2.5 dl Beef bouillon 3 Tbsp. Tomato paste 1 tsp. Paprika 1 Bay leaf (Lorbeerblatt) 1/2 tsp. Thyme Salt & pepper to taste 500 g. Hörnli pasta (elbow shape) Brown the meat in the oil or bratbutter and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pan and fry until just soft. Add the wine and cook off. Add the bouillon and the rest of the ingredients (excluding the thyme) to the pan, adding back in as well the browned beef. Cover with a lid and cook the mixture for around 30 minutes on medium-low heat. Cook the pasta according the the packet directions. Add the thyme to the meat mixture. Drain the pasta. Serve the meat on top of the pasta. Optional: serve with grated cheese on top, for example Grana Padano.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Playgroup News by Annie Forster Is it March already?! We’ve been searching the secondhand markets for some lovely toys for the playgroup and we’ve also got a great bundle of craft supplies (thanks Mimi!!!!!) to come up with some great creations for the coming year. For the month of January, we’ve had fun crafting penguins, painting with balloons, making rocking’ chicken/birds and Fasnacht masks. Remember, playgroups would not exist without our volunteers and we are always appreciate more regular volunteers. There are many ways in which you can contribute -‐ purchasing of snacks, coming up with ideas for craft projects, helping to lead song time/activity time, helping to clean toys and equipment. PLEASE, show your support and sign up on the notice board outside of the school office. It helps to give our regular volunteers a break to spend time with their little ones at a playgroup and ensures that all our playgroups can continue to run on a regular basis. In the meantime, if your child would also like to create a chicken/bird like the one we made in playgroup: What you’ll need: • Paper plate • Coloured paper • Googly eye (optional) • Stapler • Sticky tape/glue
How to make: Cut long strips of coloured paper to form the tail Cut triangle to form a beak and cut out the comb (the top part of the chicken, yep, so THAT’S what it’s called!) Cut two semi circles, one larger than the other to from the wings Fold paper plate in half Have your child glue on the wings, beak and eye(s) Use a stapler to attach the different coloured paper “feathers” to form the tail.
Drum roll please……Look! The chicken will “peck’ as it rocks backwards and forwards thanks to the rounded bottom.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
WAC Â PLAYGROUPS Zoom Zoom Zoom ! * Lots of singing, dancing, and moving * Story time or theme discussion * Every Tuesday starting at 9:30-11:30 Questions? Contact Monika monika.kopriwa@yahoo.com
ROCKIN’ RASCALS Rockin’ Rascals welcomes kids aged 0-4 and their mom-dad-caregiver Every Thursday from 9:15-11:15 for songs, playing, crafts and snack! Hosted by Annie Forster, Bettina Ditzen wac_playgroup@hotmail.com Cost: 5.-CHF members, 10.-CHF non-members
Bumps and Babies Every Monday from 9:30-11:30 Come join us for morning coffee and cake and meet new friends! Costs: 2.-CHF for WAC members, 4.-cHF non-members For information contact wac_playgroup@hotmail.com Disclaimer: Members, their families and guests are reminded that participation in WAC activities is entirely on their own discretion and/or risk. Neither the Women’s Activity Club nor its representatives shall be held responsible for damage, injury or loss incurred by the use of Club property or participation in club events.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
March 2014
Lunch Club A Two Hour Supervised Lunch Break Mon-Tues-Thurs-Fri 11:45-13:45 Cost: 15chf per child/per day Parents are responsible for their own child’s sack lunch. Please fill in a registration form at the WAC or see our website for more info.
THE WAC DAY EXCURSIONS BOOK For all those excursions around Zurich and beyond, don’t forget the revised WAC Excursion Book, listing great days out in and around the Zurich area. Available from the office or library for just 5 SFr.
Volume 19 , Issue 9
Sunday
Monday
March Tuesday
Wednesday
March 2014
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1 10:00-11:00
Beginner ballet
2
9
16
23
30
3
4
5
6
7
8
9:30 Babies playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 4:05-5:05 Adv Ballet 19:00-20:30 A1/ A2 German
9:30-11:30 Playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 16:15 Drama Club 19:00-20:30 B1/ B2 German
9:00-11:15 Music Learning 10:00 Library open 13:30 Library open 14:45 ESL 4 16:00 ESL 5
9:15-11:15 Playgroup 11:45-13:45 Lunch Club
11:45-13:45 Lunch Club 16:05-17:05 Beginner Ballet 18:00 Kids Movie Night
10:00-11:00
10
11
12
13
14
15
9:30 Babies playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 4:05-5:05 Adv Ballet 19:00-20:30 A1/ A2 German
9:30-11:30 Playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 16:15 Drama Club 19:00-20:30 B1/ B2 German
9:00-11:15 Music Learning 10:00 Library open 13:30 Library open 14:45 ESL 4 16:00 ESL 5 19:30 Craft Evening
9:15-11:15 Playgroup 11:45-13:45 Lunch Club
11:45-13:45 Lunch Club 16:05-17:05 Beginner Ballet
10:00-11:00
17
18
19
20
21
22
9:30 Babies Playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 4:05-5:05 Adv Ballet 19:00-20:30 A1/ A2 German
9:30-11:30 Playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 16:15 Drama Club 19:00-20:30 B1/ B2 German
9:00-11:15 Music Learning 10:00 Library open 13:30 Library open 14:45 ESL 4 16:00 ESL 5
9:15-11:15 Playgroup 11:45-13:45 Lunch Club 19:30 Potluck DinnerAustralia
11:45-13:45 Lunch Club 16:05-17:05 Beginner Ballet
10:00-11:00
24
25
26
27
28
29
9:30 Babies playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 4:05-5:05 Adv Ballet 19:00-20:30 A1/ A2 German
9:30-11:30 Playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 16:15 Drama Club 19:00-20:30 B1/ B2 German
9:00-11:15 Music Learning 10:00 Library open 13:30 Library open 14:45 ESL 4 16:00 ESL 5
9:15-11:15 Playgroup 11:45-13:45 Lunch Club 19:30 AGM
11:45-13:45 Lunch Club 16:05-17:05 Beginner Ballet
10:00-11:00
31 9:30 Babies playgroup 11:45-1:45pm Lunch Club 4:05-5:05 Adv Ballet 19:00-20:30 A1/ A2 German
Beginner ballet
Beginner ballet 2:00 Boys and Girls Club Party
Beginner ballet
Beginner ballet