| Re: Making Friends with the Swiss
Hello,
Yes good post Shaka.
Not sure I will make a tour of all the "Stammtisch" in Neuchâtel though.
However I would just like to make a couple of points as and Irish person living in Swiss Romande for about 8 years now.
I don't think the pub culture has entered into the Swiss mentality yet. In Ireland for example everyone meets in the pub (even more so than our English cousins perhaps). The pub has two main advantages it is a neutral terrain and it is a good social leveller (the mayor has the same right to his pint as the road sweeper).
If I meet someone at work I might suggest that he join us in the local pub for a few pints. I will introduce him to my friends and hope it takes off. However I have had the experience with some German and French people in Dublin that they are a bit surprised at the superficial nature of it all. They may expect you to spend the entire night talking to them or entertaining them. With some they float but others don't.
This idea of a friendship on a superficial basis does not exist in Switzerland and indeed in Germany either. People are more calculating about making friendships. This may be because it leads to dinner invitations at someone’s house where if problems arise the situation is much more complicated, it is difficult to make a quick in such a more formal setting. In a pub in Ireland you can leave when you like (as long as it is not your round next!!)
On the language front, I think there are a number of people who move here with their companies for a big job and as English speakers they have been told Switzerland is no problem. It is a difficult humbling experience having to mime what you want in the middle of a department store especially when you know the assistant is just pretending he cannot speak English. However you must remember you are the one who does not speak the language. If you want to integrate, make an effort with the language it will help a lot. The Swiss find the Anglo-Saxon sexy when you speak French.
Finally I would like to say that I think the Swiss Romande is easier (Shaka refers primarily to German speaking Switzerland).
Firstly the language is French so if you have done any at school you should at least recognise those old French words you know and love.
Secondly I don't think the people here are as rigid as in some Swiss German parts where rules are rules, although here they may trot them out when it suits them ;-)).
By the way this is not an attempt to start a “rosti graben” argument!!
In closing maybe a bit of advice:
Sometimes if you take an initiative others will follow.
When I arrived here in Neuchâtel I lived in with my French girlfriend in an apartment building where there were some young people. We organised an appero in the communal garden (neutral terrain).
This was not too expensive, bought some beer and had lots of duty free Irish whiskey. We recruited a couple of people we knew (nodding acquaintance) from the building so we were sure that someone would turn up and we invited the others by knocking on doors or putting leaflets in boxes etc.
On the day I had a portable bbq to one side as the appero was going so well we lit it and soon another bbq appeared out of nowhere and we were there till after midnight. Now this is an annual event and even though we have moved to a house outside town, we go there every year for a bbq.
Worked for us, might work for you.
Worst outcome you bring the left over beer round to some other ex-pat’s place and you watch the match on Sky.  |