Does anyone know where and how to find more than '0' people in Switzerland who are willing to easily make friends?

do you go out ? do you participate to local life ? do you speak french ?

Join a group of people who have similar interests as you. Smile at everyone. Initiate conversations. Invite people round to your place for a meal.

Many people have no Swiss friends after 6 years, so don't despair. Join a club you are interested in, speak the local language, don't come across as pushy or arrogant, be patient.

I came across one woman who said it took 18 years to make a real local friend. When she mentioned this , she was gently told that when she had arrived ( in her early twenties,) the locals of that age would have had all the friends they needed by then, so would not have needed her.

Is this really surprising? At a certain point in life, especially when you have kids, creating and maintaining friendships is a ton of work. I'm pretty picky about friendships myself, but I make them fairly easily because of my membership in various clubs and fluent German. I generally avoid making friends with expats who don't seem to be here long term, and focus my limited energies on existing friendships.

After more than 2 years here, it's exactly what I am still saying, mums already have their friends, they don't need a new one, mostly one that doesn't speak swiss german neither very good German. When we are together, they talk to me in English, then switch to swiss german between them then english to me again. It's difficult but little by little I'm starting to understand them more and more.
Try to find friends amongst expats first, then maybe you might make friends with the local !

I have moved to and from many places in my life - I went to 9 schools for my 12 grades, as well as moving five more times as an adult... making friends past school age is very different from when you were a child.

Until I moved here, most of the friends I made as an adult were coworkers or people I met through them. In my early 20s, the only friend I made who was neither was someone who shared the interests of my bestie and myself, and was about our same age - the whole rest of our gaggle of gals were people I'd worked with, and their friends.

In my early 30s was the first time I moved someplace where I only knew one other person (before was moving with family, or to be near family), and I used the internet to help me make friends. Just like I've done here actually. I looked for social groups who were doing things in which I had a shared interest, and took part, and made some friends through this...

End of the story is: as others have said, explore your interest, look for clubs or social groups, or even simple outings and events which tickle your fancy, and talk to folks. You probably won't make friends right away, but they'll come along eventually. Good luck!



I have to admit to being a bit confused about this determination to make "Swiss" friends - hardly ever did I make friends with locals in all my moves, it's almost always other people more like me, people who had moved around some also, not people who (mostly) lived in the same place their whole lives.

Here's an article from NYTimes, Friends of a Certain Age, saying exactly that. I often bemoan the fact that I have trouble making "real friends" here in Switzerland, but I have to admit, I am not so sure that it would be much easier in my home country.

To the OP, though, I know how it feels. I'm still hoping it's going to get better.

Its now 8 years that I am here, for the first two years I meet only 1 true swiss (born and raised in CH, with parents born and raised in CH, etc).
Now I know 3 more . Overall they are nice people, I consider one has my friend, but has poeple already wrote if you are near the 30's it's a dificult age, since everyone is +/- satisfied with their own friends.

my recommendations:
get one or two kids. You will get a bunch of new friends, maybe one might be swiss
get into a club (volunteer work within a swiss group)
ski in the winter
sailing school in the summer


or

move to another country and find swiss people . you can start your research at the museum Swiss in the world: http://www.penthes.ch/fr/pages/musee...-dans-le-monde

I think you brought up an interesting aspect of living here as a foreigner. I'm here 4 yr and know a few Swiss, especially through the kids, but can't consider them friends. at the moment I'm focusing on my neighbors. they have kids in similar ages to mine, and I often invited them, but it takes more time with the parents. I was told to keep on inviting and not to despair. but my main problem is that my french isn't good enough...

At the end of the day we are all people and I'm sure there are plenty of Swiss people that are open and friendly.

good luck

Friends are not shoes, you might not get luckier coz somebody just ran out of them and is more willing to put up with you..

I think when one forgets the age/race/nationality discrimination, it's easier. I never cared if a friend is local or not, if I am in for a heartbreak or my little one coz that one particular mom and her kiddo are about to leave the country. Good people are worth it.

Stop worrying about yourself, when you put yourself out there without worrying what you get in return, you will have friends. And those who don't want to stick to you coz 1. they already have enough friends (what a weird idea, by the way), 2. are out of your league (also weird idea), 3. might not be able to relate (meh) - do you really want those as friends? No.

As smart people here already said, join people for some interest, hobby, organize stuff yourself, make an event, etc etc. Lausanne is huge, people mingle like nowhere else and uni is full of activities and sports.

Ah, don't worry about it, friends are way over-rated IMO...and there is always some issue anyways...either they live too far, live too close, they smoke - you don't, he is trying to screw your girl, his girl is trying to screw you, they have money - you're broke, you have money - they're broke, you're a morning person - they're night owls, you're a night owl - they're morning people....there is always something to cause friction and in the end, it's all the same shit, and the ones who are actually helping you in a way or they other are usually complete strangers.

Best friendship advice I ever received: "You cannot petition to be someone's friend."

It's not like in grade school when you'd meet someone on the playground and ask, "Wanna be friends?" and then they'd say, "Okay!" and off you went to the merry-go-round. People develop friendships slowly and carefully, especially in CH.

Just be patient and continue to meet people who like the things you like.

I agree, it takes time..Plus the definition of a friend is another thing, having somebody to hang out with (no idea what OP's needs are) or having somebody backing you up when you get stitched up, two different things.

Join a sportsclub (Sportverein). IMHO it's the best way. It's what the church is in the US.
Your choice: cycling, rowing, Turnverein, Ping-Pong (Tischtennis)...
The Swiss tend to loosen up during physical activities. ;-) Sport is a common language so the language barrier is compensated.
What also works is a Musikverein - if you play an instrument. "Guggemusik" if you are the type that likes to go out a lot and enjoys aprés-ski more than skiing itself.

sometimes I wonder if people think that they will get bonus points for finding a "Swiss friend".



be active, go out and enjoy the things that make you happy, and you will no doubt stumble across other people who enjoy the same things. seems pretty simple to me.

Good swiss friends are hard to find, but dont worry... once you find one, he or she will invite you out for a beer at least once a year.... probably.

Oh, you didn't know this. There is actually a Bonus System in place; it works a bit like the Migros Cumulus sh**. The more points you collect the less you pay for public services and if you have more then 3 swiss friends you will get a pair of "Landjäger" in the swiss german part or a "Saucisson Vaudoise" in the french part of Switzerland, in the Italian part you'll receive half a "Coniglio" with Polenta.

Perhaps you are spending too much time lamenting and focusing upon your lack of specifically Swiss friends and overlooking opportunities to get to know better the non-Swiss within your social and/or work circle?

True friendship knows no nationalities.