We had our 75-year-old Swiss neighbor over for fondue last week and before she left she said, "I really hope you stay in Switzerland."
Friday, December 25, 2009
Spreading Swiss Cheer
We had our 75-year-old Swiss neighbor over for fondue last week and before she left she said, "I really hope you stay in Switzerland."
Monday, December 21, 2009
Subway in Baden

I was really excited when I heard Subway was coming to Baden. Finally, a place to go in Switzerland where a sandwich includes more than just bread and one ingredient.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Last Minute Gift Ideas from Switzerland
Cheese. Chocolate. Fondue Pot. This being my fourth Christmas in Switzerland, it has been even harder to get creative with what to give friends and family back home. Sure I've talked about the ultimate Swiss souvenir before, but I needed something different this time, as some family members already have that particular bathroom accessory. Anyhow, you can read what I've come up with over on Expatica.com today (except for you, mom, no peaking!)
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
An Expat in Switzerland's Favorite Christmas Markets
Last year, there was a big argument at my office in Zurich when my German boss claimed that German Christmas markets were far superior to Swiss Christmas markets in front of a group of Swiss colleagues. I tried not to take sides, but after four years of European Christmas Marketing, I too have found that German Christmas markets are more to my liking than Swiss ones.
The main reason I prefer German markets is that they're usually larger and I'm an American so I like large things. Of course, there's something to be said for small markets, and I always enjoy Baden's little market because I can walk out my door and be there in five minutes. With a commute that small, I don't mind that the market will only occupy me for less than a half hour. But I felt much differently when I went to Bern's market, which took up two hours of total transport time, but only offered about an hour's worth of entertainment.
In any case, after awhile, all of these Christmas markets start to feel the same. They all have glüwein. They all have mandeln. They all sell millions of trinkets I don't need but buy anyway. But still. There's something festive about all of them. Especially ones that offer 1/2 Meter Bratwursts.
So for what it’s worth, here are some markets in Europe I especially enjoyed:
Switzerland:
Basel (if you like big markets, this is arguably Switzerland’s largest)
Germany:
Stuttgart (great weekend destination from Switzerland, good deals on the train from CH)
Esslingen (adorable town near Stuttgart with a fantastic market, including a medieval one)
Düsseldorf (free ice skating and ½ Meter Bratwursts)
Schloss Dyck (they sold golden gnomes here, something I couldn’t pass by)
But enough about what I think. What are your favorite Christmas Markets in Europe?
This post was written on behalf of AffordableCallingCards.net, a new expat community blog. This blog offers affordable calling cards in Switzerland as well as information about living abroad in Switzerland and in many other countries.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Why Celebrities Love being Expats in Switzerland
Celebrities like Tina Turner love living in Zurich for the same reason some of us normal people find it hard: No one bothers her.
She doesn’t need bodyguards. She doesn’t need disguises. She just goes out. And people leave her alone. They’re not crazed and camera ready. They’re not asking for autographs. They’re probably not even smiling at her.
The Swiss are a discreet bunch and celebrities love them for it. The rest of us though, can find that this discreetness makes it hard to make friends. In fact, as you can read about over on Wide Eyed Gypsy, Switzerland recently ranked third from the bottom of the 26 expat locations surveyed by HSBC for their friendliness. Am I surprised? No. Do I think this is going to change? No. In fact, with the new minaret ban, Switzerland’s reputation for friendliness towards expats just might have gotten even worse.
But just because it’s hard to make friends doesn’t mean Switzerland is a bad place to live—just that it takes that much more effort to meet people (and more effort to train yourself not to smile at everyone). And because I think it’s important to meet people outside of expat groups, I’ve written a lot about how to make friends in Switzerland. Here are some links to the posts:
How to Make Friends in Switzerland, Part One
How to Make Friends in Switzerland, Part Two
Anyhow, despite the “unfriendliness” it’s also important to try to become a part of the culture in order to reap the creative benefits that a recent study by INSEAD demonstrates: if you live abroad, you become more creative. But only, of course, if you invest time getting into the culture and meeting people outside of expat groups.
In other news, read my guest post about why blogging can be great as an expat in Switzerland over on Swisstory Blog.
This post was written on behalf of AffordableCallingCards.net, a new expat community blog. This blog offers affordable calling cards in Switzerland as well as information about living abroad in Switzerland and in many other countries.
Monday, December 07, 2009
How to Buy (and get rid of) your Swiss Christmas Tree
If you're like me, you go to Jumbo, pick out a Christmas tree, strap it to an IKEA cart, bring it home on a bus, drag it up the steps to your apartment building, endure stares, endure bruises, and think nothing could be harder. But after you decorate it and enjoy the sparkly 100 Franc lights (what is with the prices of Christmas lights?), it's all worth it. Until you realize that the tree is only festive for so long.
Yes. You've seen them. Those sad, balding pines sagging against metal railings on various Swiss balconies across the country. It's practically March, but yet it appears that some people are still celebrating Christmas. I am one of those people.
Usually, I end up celebrating at least six months of Christmas as my husband and I debate how to get rid of our Swiss Christmas tree upon missing the one tree pick-up delivery day. Here's a hint to our strategy: a Swiss army knife and a garbage bag. (Just don't tell the Swiss police, I have a feeling this is sehr illegal).
To read more about how I celebrate the six months of Christmas, click here to read my expat adventure column in Swiss News this month.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Switzerland: Wealth, Democracy, and a whole ton of Chocolate
I was in the Chicago airport a few weeks back and was a bit disappointed by the food offerings in the international terminal. There were basically three things to choose from: candy, alcohol, or chips. Now I'm no expert on nutrition, but I try to be one on Switzerland and guess what. In the pathetically slim food offerings in all of the international terminal at Chicago O'Hare, the Swiss dominated. Their chocolate was on the shelf. And not much else was.
You have to hand it to this country. They're smaller in population than the entire city of Chicago, and yet their products are on shelves in Chicago and around the world.
Yes. This country is facinating. Maybe you can tell I think so by the number of years I've been writing this blog now.
Anyhow, if you're new to Switzerland, considering moving to Switzerland, live in Switzerland, or just want to know more about the kind of people who eat (and probably sell) more chocolate than anyone else on earth, Expatica.com, a website for expats in Europe, is in the process of publishing a Swiss Survival Guide. Parts of the guide are already available online, including the introduction, which is written by yours truly. Read more about these rich, democratic, and traditional people here, in Welcome to Switzerland.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Minaret Ban: Fear or Discrimination?

I have to say, I was shocked that the Swiss passed the minaret ban on Sunday. I've read reports that say the ban resulted from fear and not from discrimination. But my question is, isn't that the same thing?
Not to mention, I just don't get the fear thing. What do the Swiss have to fear? No one has terrorized them. And I don't see what banning minarets accomplishes. Except to ask for trouble.
I also don't get this: religious freedom is part of the Swiss constitution. But the Swiss are so democratic, they've somehow been able to vote against their constitution. You have to give them credit. Democracy doesn't get any better than this.
There are four minarets in Switzerland. Four. None of them are used out of respect for the Swiss concern of "disruption." And please. If you want to talk disruption, I've got a clock tower across the street that tells me the time every fifteen minutes, 24/7. Never mind the Catholic church bells. Or celebrations called Badenfahrt.
What do you think? Is the minaret ban a step back for Switzerland? Can the Swiss ever claim they are neutral again? Is fear and discrimination the same thing?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Common “mistakes” made by expats in Switzerland
Every country has its culture and its quirks and when you start living in a new one, you realize just how different things are. Below are some “mistakes” I’ve made as an American living in Switzerland. Maybe you can relate.
Smiling. The Swiss will think you’re retarded. I have now trained myself not to smile in order to look somewhat normal. But sometimes I still can’t help it.
Showing enthusiasm when your boss says, “We’ve got a new project and we might need you to work overtime.” Don’t smile and say “great.” He will think you’re crazy. (And let’s be honest, no sane person would want to work overtime except an American.)
Not knowing that without your permit, you can do nothing. You can’t get a phone (except for a pre-pay cell), you can’t travel outside the country, and you can’t do much of anything else. Except wait.
Decorating your office space with photos and personal items. The Swiss prefer white walls in the office and keep their personal lives separate from work.
Not realizing that when a Swiss criticizes the way you do laundry or gardening, that this is just their way of being friendly and saying hello.
Standing in line. There is no such concept, despite misconceptions that everything in this country is organized to the 10th of a second. The only people who stand in line are expats.
Not getting that sandwich right at noon. There might not be any left at 12.30 p.m. And all a Swiss colleague will say to you is, “you should have been more on time.”
Opening the window on a Swiss train. It doesn’t matter how hot it is. Most Swiss hate drafts and will prefer to sweat.
Not introducing yourself to a Swiss first. Most Swiss people generally will not come to you.
Not being patient. Everything in Switzerland takes forever. Getting paid by the unemployment people. Making friends. Getting your permit.
Asking for butter. They just don’t use that stuff on bread here. And if you do manage to ask for some, you’ll be charged for it.
Ok, I’ve embarrassed myself enough. What “mistakes” have you made as an expat in Switzerland?
This post was written on behalf of AffordableCallingCards.net, a new expat community blog. This blog offers affordable calling cards in Switzerland as well as information about living in abroad in Switzerland and many other countries.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
5 Great Reasons to be an Expat in Switzerland
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, head over to Peterthals in Zurich to read my guest post on 5 Great Reasons to be an Expat in Switzerland. From great hiking to great pay, there are lots of reasons to love Switzerland. So forget about those Migros Moments for a minute. What do you love about being an expat in Switzerland?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Celebrating Thanksgiving from Abroad

This being my fourth Thanksgiving abroad (wow, time flies), I've got to say that each year I've celebrated a bit differently. One of the worst parts about being an expat are holidays like these being well, just not like real holidays when you have to go to work. The first year I had friends visiting from the States and the turkey thing was too overwhelming (not to mention too pricey) so we had raclette for Thanksgiving. (You can read about it in my column in this month's Swiss News).
Last year we had our Swiss neighbor over for a more proper American-style Thanksgiving. We cooked turkey breasts, cranberries, cornbread, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie and more. All our neighbor could say in between admiring all of this foreign food, was "it's just like in the movies."
This year, I'm celebrating with some American expats in Zurich. We're having a potluck Thanksgiving tonight after everyone gets out of work. How about you? Will you be celebrating? Or just working? Or both?
And be sure to check out my guest post today over on Swisstory Blog about what the Swiss think of expats in Switzerland.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
When my husband was first given an offer to work in Switzerland, the first thing I did was ask the question, "should I move abroad?" Unfortunately, I asked Google, and Google didn't really have an answer for that. But British writer and journalist Paul Allen does. He's written an ebook called, Should I Stay Or Should I Go? The Truth about Moving Abroad and Whether it's Right for You, and I can't help but wish something like this would have been available four years ago, when I was first deciding whether or not to move to Switzerland. Paul Allen now lives in northern Spain and joins me over at Writer Abroad to talk about his book and about being a writer in Spain.
What about you? Did you frantically search the Internet to like me looking for advice about moving abroad? Or how did you make your decision to stay or go?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Why are the Swiss so pushy?
Since most of you could relate to the Migros Moments post (thank God, it's not just me going crazy), I wanted to share an excerpt from the book, When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do, by Hyde Flippo. While I know we're talking Switzerland here, as I read this book last night, I realized a lot of the things in this book are useful for describing the way people in Switzerland act and may help explain the unexplainable. There is a set of questions in this book and one of them is:
Why are Germans so pushy? They don't seem to know what a line/queue is.
Ah, welcome to Switzerland too. But the book tells us that "pushy" behavior is a European thing. It means that the meek (in other words, us Anglo-Saxons) will wait forever in doing things like getting off a bus, getting waited on at a store, etc. The books says that we need to adjust to a mentality that regards politeness as a sign of weakness, and smiling for no reason as a sign of a weak mind.
Dang.
What do you think? Is politeness a sign of weakness? Have you trained yourself not to smile while living here? I have, and it makes me feel depressed. How about you?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Another Migros Moment
To celebrate my 400th post on One Big Yodel, I thought I'd discuss one of my favorite topics, shopping at Migros.
I've had so many run-ins (literal run-ins, with people plowing into me) at various Migroi that I have a name for them: "Migros Moments."
"What's wrong?" my husband asked me last week when he saw I was steaming as I unloaded the groceries.
"I had another Migros moment," I said.
"Oh no," he said. He knows these are bad because he's been involved in his own.
Anyhow, I’m innocently getting an onion when the Mad Cart Man of Baden goes by me at about 75 miles-an-hour with his shopping cart. He doesn’t actually hit me, but he hits another lady’s cart, as well as my shoulder bag, which goes flying off my shoulder. Thank God there were no children in his path because they'd be dead right now.
I try not to feel all American and offended by his invasion of my personal space, but he doesn’t even apologize. He screeches to a halt in front of the potatoes, (naturally, because it’s where I’m headed next), so I grab a plastic bag in frustration, letting it rip loudly as it tears.
Then, the Mad Cart Man of Baden starts lecturing me on my plastic bag ripping technique. I couldn't believe it. No one has ever lectured me about something as anal as this. Especially someone who could use a speedometer on his shopping cart.
“It’s better if you pull off the bag this way,” he says, gripping the next plastic bag on the roll, “then you don’t make it hard for me to grab the next one.”
“It’s better if you don’t pretend you’re driving a shopping cart in a Formula One race,” I want to tell him, but my German is frozen so I just say as sarcastic as possible,
“Es tut mir leid.” And then I'm so anxious to get the heck out of that store that I start shopping as fast as possible. But at least I'm using a basket.
Have you had a Migros Moment? If so, please tell. I'll love you for it.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Is Switzerland an easy country for expats?

What do you think?
Leave a comment, or join the discussion on my guest post over at Peterthals in Zurich.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
WRS | Exploring the 'expat experience'

Hi Yodelers,
If any of you are interested in listening to a discussion about expat life in Switzerland, but weren't able to make it to the live broadcast from Zurich on Tuesday night, check out WRS | Exploring the 'expat experience'.
Some of the topics discussed included being laid off Swiss style, dating Swiss men, and how the heck to get your head around the German/Swiss German language thing.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Dryer Sheet Envy
Over the weekend, I was in the laundry room with my 75-year-old Swiss neighbor, when she eyed my big, imported box of dryer sheets.
“Where did you buy those?” she asked.
“In the U.S.,” I told her.
“Oh, I thought so,” she said. Then she got out her box of Swiss dryer sheets to show me that there were only 12 in the box.
“And this cost 8 Francs,” she said, shaking her head.
We inspected my huge box. “160 sheets,” I said. “And also costs about 8 Francs.”
My neighbor sighed, looking at her box of dryer sheets like it was more an envelope than a box. And who could blame her, it really was a pathetic sight next to my big box of Bounce.
“I can bring you back a box of these dryer sheets on my next trip home,” I offered.
She smiled big and nodded excitedly at the thought of getting more than 13 times the number of dryer sheets she was used to in one box.
“Yes!” she said. “Oh, thank you!”
And there, in a nutshell, is Switzerland versus the United States.
In other news beyond the laundry room (why do all things worth mentioning in Switzerland seem to happen in laundry rooms?), I've written a post for Kristi's wonderful blog, From A to Z, on the difference between foreigners and expats. Join the discussion here.
And thanks to all who have already checked out my new blog, Writer Abroad. So happy to see you over there. Thanks.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New Blog: Writer Abroad

If you're a writer living abroad or just dreaming of becoming one, I hope you'll join me over at Writer Abroad. I'm currently looking to interview writers living abroad and if you've got a blog about writing or are a writer abroad with a blog, please let me know so I can add it to the links section of Writer Abroad.
And if you're not into the writer thing don't worry, One Big Yodel isn't going anywhere. Tomorrow, we're back to our regularly scheduled program of strange things that happen in Switzerland. Tomorrow's topic? How to sum up the differences between Switzerland and the United States with a box of dryer sheets.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
How to Make Friends in Switzerland
Today, over on Swisstory Blog, I'm a guest blogger talking about the popular topic, "How to Make Friends in Switzerland." (Thanks to Kathy who suggested this topic for the radio discussion tonight. But I wanted to cover this topic in writing just in case it doesn't pan out for the discussion about expat life on the radio.)
Hope you'll stop by Swisstory Blog today as the post includes additional links to articles on the same topic as well.
World Radio Switzerland, Live in Zurich Update

Hi Yodelers,
I've gotten some additional information about the World Radio Switzerland event in Zurich and wanted to share in case anyone was interested in attending (or listening online) today.
The entire event goes from 16.30 until 19.00, and you're welcome to come to any part of it. From 17.00-18.00, I'll be part of a panel that's discussing:
What is the expat experience in Zurich?
And what do the Swiss think of expats?
The other members of the panel are:
•Tom Armitage, Journalist and communications consultant from Britain
•Cécile Bastien-Remy, Project manager and co-founder of Grüezi Newcomer! Insider’s guide around Lake Zürich, from France
•Tanja Alvesalo, Project manager and co-founder of Grüezi Newcomer! Insider’s guide around Lake Zürich, from Fribourg (CH)
•Laura Gardiner, Senior Account Manager in a marketing agency from the US
•Coulton Berkinshaw, Voice-over and commercial recordings artist, from UK/Canada
•Nir Ofek, cofounder of Glocals, from Israel (duplex from Geneva)
It should be an interesting time. Hope to see you there. Or you can always listen online.
Tuesday, November 10th
16.30-19.00
Movie Bar and Restaurant
Beatenplatz 4
8001 Zürich
044 211 66 77
www.dinner.ch
Map